Vocational Education and Training: Developing basic skills in Vocational Education and Training
Overview
The Erasmus+ call ERASMUS-EDU focuses on European policy experimentations. It is designed to support transnational cooperation projects aimed at developing, implementing, and testing innovative practices for enhancing basic skills in Vocational Education and Training (VET). The call emphasizes the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders including public authorities, educational institutions, and VET providers. The key objectives center on improving literacy, numeracy, digital skills, and other foundational competencies among VET learners at European Qualifications Framework levels 3 and 4. This aligns with the VET Recommendation, the Herning Declaration, and the EU's Basic Skills Action Plan. The budget allocated for this particular topic is €5 million, with the overall Erasmus+ funding for the 2026 cycle totaling €46 million across various topics. Eligible applicants are expected to form consortia, indicating a requirement for multiple partners from different countries. The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and EEA countries. The application process is a single-stage submission with a deadline set for April 8, 2026. The call opens on January 6, 2026, and projects are expected to provide evidence of effective practices, leading to recommendations that will support systemic policy changes in VET. The application form allows for up to 40 pages for the technical description, and the selection process will involve evaluation phases scheduled from April to July 2026, with the aim to finalize grant agreements by January 2027. Projects are intended to focus not only on traditional educational methodologies but also on integrating digital innovations and principles of artificial intelligence within the VET ecosystem. Overall, this opportunity promotes evidence-based policy development and encourages stakeholders to collaborate in addressing skill gaps, adapting to the digital transition, and responding to social challenges within the educational landscape across Europe.
Highlights
The ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP call, under the Erasmus+ Programme, focuses on European Policy Experimentations. These are transnational cooperation projects designed to develop, implement, and test the relevance, effectiveness, potential impact, and scalability of activities addressing policy priorities across different countries. The core aim is to foster mutual learning and support evidence-based policy making at the European level.
Thematic Focus and Priorities:
The call prioritizes projects that test and pilot promising and innovative practices to improve basic skills within Vocational Education and Training (VET). This includes exploring new approaches tailored to the specific characteristics of VET and its diverse learner base.
Key objectives include:
Supporting the implementation of the VET Recommendation, the Herning Declaration, and the Basic Skills Action Plan.
Strengthening the acquisition of one or more of the five basic skills in both school-based and work-based VET, including apprenticeships at EQF levels 3 and 4.
Testing innovative practices adapted to the specificities of VET and its diverse learning environments and learner populations.
Providing evidence, guidance, and recommendations on how to better integrate these skills into VET curricula and learning environments.
Encouraging cooperation with local, regional, and/or national public authorities to ensure a systemic approach through policy guidance, funding, and strategic oversight.
Call Documents and Annexes:
Applicants should consult the call document for detailed information. Key documents include:
Call document
Application form templates:
Standard application form (ERASMUS BB and LSII)
Detailed budget table (ERASMUS LSII)
Guidance:
Erasmus+ Programme Guide, specifically Part C - Information for Applicants
Model Grant Agreements (MGA):
Lump Sum MGA
Additional documents:
Erasmus+ Work Programme
Erasmus Regulation 2021/817
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement
How to manage your lump sum grants
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Budget Overview:
The call includes multiple topics, each with a specific budget allocated as ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants. All topics follow a single-stage submission process.
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T01-DIGITAL-CONTENT:€2,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T02-DIGITAL-ETHICSAI:€6,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T03-DIGITAL-BS:€5,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T04-MICRO-CRED:€3,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T05-SCHOOL-STEM:€6,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T06-SCHOOL-BS:€9,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU:€5,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T08-VET-QUALIFICATIONS:€8,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T09-ADULT-PS:€5,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T10-ADULT-EMPOWER:€5,000,000
Timeline:
Publication of the call:22 December 2025
Opening date:06 January 2026
Deadline for submitting applications:8 April 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time)
Evaluation period:April - July 2026
Information to applicants:October 2026
Signature of grant agreement:by January 2027
Conditions for Participation:
Admissibility Conditions:Details are in the call document. The Part B of the Application Form (Technical Description) has a page limit of 40 pages, including the list of relevant previous projects. Layout guidelines are in the Submission System.
Eligible Countries:Specified in the call document.
Other Eligible Conditions:Specified in the call document.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion:Details are in the call document.
Evaluation and Award:
Submission and evaluation processes:Described in the call document.
Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds:Described in the call document.
Indicative timeline:Provided above.
Legal and financial set-up:Not applicable (n/a).
Partner Search:
The portal facilitates partner searches. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics. Any user with an active public Person profile can also publish requests.
Submission System:
The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.
Help and Support:
For call-related inquiries, contact EACEA-POLICY-SUPPORT@EC.EUROPA.EU.
For technical issues (forgotten passwords, access rights, etc.), contact the IT Helpdesk.
Refer to the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for submission-related questions.
Consult the Online Manual for a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.
In summary, this Erasmus+ call seeks transnational projects that experiment with innovative approaches to improve basic skills in vocational education and training. It aims to support policy implementation through evidence-based practices, with a focus on digital skills, STEM education, and adult empowerment. Successful projects will contribute to the development of VET curricula and learning environments, fostering collaboration between educational institutions and public authorities. The call provides lump sum grants across ten specific topics, each targeting different aspects of skills development and educational innovation.
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Breakdown
Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the focus on vocational education and training (VET) and policy experimentation, eligible applicants could include VET institutions, educational organizations, research institutes, public authorities (local, regional, or national), and other relevant organizations involved in education and training. The call encourages cooperation with public authorities, suggesting they are eligible. Transnational cooperation is mentioned, implying that applicants from different countries are expected.
Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically an ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant (ERASMUS-LS).
Consortium Requirement:The opportunity is for transnational cooperation projects, which implies that a consortium of multiple applicants is required.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is a transnational cooperation project within the Erasmus+ program, it is likely open to organizations within the EU and potentially other countries participating in the Erasmus+ program. The text mentions a "European dimension," suggesting a focus on European countries.
Target Sector:The target sector is vocational education and training (VET), with a focus on improving basic skills. Specific areas include digital content, digital ethics/AI, digital basic skills, micro-credentials, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in schools, basic skills in schools, VET basic skills, VET qualifications, adult personal and social development, and adult empowerment.
Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity is within the Erasmus+ program, which focuses on European countries. The Herning Declaration is mentioned, which is related to the European Higher Education Area.
Project Stage:The expected maturity of the project is at the "testing and piloting" stage. The call aims to fund projects that "test and pilot promising and innovative practices." The projects are expected to develop, implement, and test activities.
Funding Amount:The funding range varies by topic, ranging from €2,000,000 to €9,000,000. Specifically:
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T01-DIGITAL-CONTENT:€2,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T02-DIGITAL-ETHICSAI:€6,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T03-DIGITAL-BS:€5,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T04-MICRO-CRED:€3,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T05-SCHOOL-STEM:€6,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T06-SCHOOL-BS:€9,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU:€5,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T08-VET-QUALIFICATIONS:€8,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T09-ADULT-PS:€5,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T10-ADULT-EMPOWER:€5,000,000
Application Type:The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.
Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.
Application Stages:There is a single stage for the application process.
Success Rates:The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.
Co-funding Requirement:The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Summary:
This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ program, specifically the European policy experimentations, aimed at funding transnational cooperation projects focused on developing and testing innovative practices to improve basic skills in vocational education and training (VET) and adult learning. The call, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP, provides lump sum grants ranging from €2 millionto €9 millioneuros for projects that address various themes, including digital skills, STEM education, and adult empowerment. Eligible applicants are expected to form consortia and cooperate with local, regional, or national public authorities. The projects should support the implementation of key policy documents such as the VET Recommendation, the Herning Declaration, and the Basic Skills Action Plan. The application process involves a single stage, with a deadline of April 8, 2026. The call seeks to promote evidence-based policy at the European level by testing the relevance, effectiveness, and scalability of innovative educational practices. The indicative timeline includes publication of the call on December 22, 2025, an evaluation period from April to July 2026, information to applicants in October 2026, and signature of the grant agreement by January 2027. The call document and related annexes provide detailed information on admissibility conditions, eligible countries, evaluation criteria, and the legal and financial setup of the grants.
Short Summary
Impact This funding aims to test and pilot innovative practices to improve basic skills in Vocational Education and Training (VET) across Europe. | Impact | This funding aims to test and pilot innovative practices to improve basic skills in Vocational Education and Training (VET) across Europe. |
Applicant Applicants should possess expertise in vocational education, policy experimentation, and transnational cooperation, particularly involving public authorities and educational institutions. | Applicant | Applicants should possess expertise in vocational education, policy experimentation, and transnational cooperation, particularly involving public authorities and educational institutions. |
Developments The funding will support projects focused on developing and implementing basic skills training in VET, including digital skills, literacy, and numeracy. | Developments | The funding will support projects focused on developing and implementing basic skills training in VET, including digital skills, literacy, and numeracy. |
Applicant Type This funding is designed for public authorities, educational institutions, research organizations, and practitioners involved in VET policy development and implementation. | Applicant Type | This funding is designed for public authorities, educational institutions, research organizations, and practitioners involved in VET policy development and implementation. |
Consortium A consortium of multiple applicants is required for this funding opportunity. | Consortium | A consortium of multiple applicants is required for this funding opportunity. |
Funding Amount €5,000,000 is allocated for this specific topic under the call. | Funding Amount | €5,000,000 is allocated for this specific topic under the call. |
Countries The funding is relevant for all EU Member States and EEA countries participating in the Erasmus+ Programme. | Countries | The funding is relevant for all EU Member States and EEA countries participating in the Erasmus+ Programme. |
Industry This funding targets the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. | Industry | This funding targets the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. |
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