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Assembly of European Regions

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The 2023 DG Regio Call on Communicating Cohesion Policy is out!

21 October, 2022 By Mathilde Perrier

EU Cohesion Policy is THE European Union’s tool to address economic and social inequalities between European regions and cities. It supports projects and initiatives that have a direct impact on people’s daily lives and foster their wellbeing. AER can help you to be part of it.

EU Cohesion Policy is in the DNA of AER. Through DG REGIO funding opportunities, we have been working on projects that communicated and raised awareness of Cohesion Policy, such as Together for Cohesion or YOUTHopia, our new project.

Have you read the news?

If you are also working on this topic and looking for funding opportunities, we invite you to check out the latest call from DG REGIO. Also, if you need help building a project consortium or drafting activities, the AER secretariat would be delighted to support you. Interested? Find below an overview of the call:

On your mark …

DG REGIO launched its annual call for proposals to support information measures relating to the EU Cohesion Policy. The main aim of the call is to provide support for the production and dissemination of information and content linked to EU Cohesion policy. All kinds of activities can be funded via this call:

  • production and distribution of print, multimedia or audiovisual material;
  • web and social media outreach activities;
  • media events;
  • conferences, seminars, workshops.

The expected results and outputs are the following:

  • to increase media coverage on Cohesion policy, in particular at regional level;
  • to enhance people’s awareness of the results of Cohesion policy and their
    impact on their lives;
  • to achieve concrete outputs and deliverables aimed at wide outreach within
    the measure’s duration – e.g. TV and radio broadcast, online or print coverage,
    other type of information measures and dissemination – taking multilingualism
    into account.

… Get set …

Legal entities established in an EU Member State are eligible. The project should normally be 12 months and with a maximum budget of around 300 000 €.

… Go!

Proposals must be submitted before 10 January 2023, 17:00 CET (Brussels), electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

The AER is with you!

The AER is very happy to support its member regions in knowing more about this call, building a project consortium or implementing some activities. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Agnese Pantaloni, AER European Projects Coordinator.

Photo by Braden Collum on Unsplash

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Interculturalism for Intercultural Regions to be!

13 October, 2022 By Birgit Sandu

Are you interested in knowing more about how a region can become intercultural and inclusive, yet you missed our first online capacity-building session on interculturalism for regions and local stakeholders?

Also, are you keen to know more about who is the EU-BELONG team and how you can work together with us in the coming years?

Dive into this quick article and rewatch the recording of the training below!

A Warm Welcome in the EU-BELONG Team to the Local Stakeholders

Last Thursday, the AER and all EU-BELONG partners were glad to meet and welcome an enlarged EU-BELONG team. Over a hundred regional representatives and local stakeholders working on the implementation of EU-BELONG gathered to attend the first online capacity-building session on interculturalism.

Who we are…
..and where are we from


Introduction to Interculturalism and Intercultural Competences

EU-BELONG develops a series of online and in-person capacity-building activities to support regions, their stakeholders, and other interested actors in fostering key intercultural competences that can be applied across several regional policies related to migrants’ inclusion.

The online training ‘Introduction to Interculturalism and Intercultural Competences‘ run by Carla Calado, trainer and Coordinator of the Portuguese Intercultural Cities Network, is the first introductory course for regions and local stakeholders. It aims at:

  • Building a common understanding of the key concepts and principles of interculturalism.
  • Provides first guidelines about how to develop an intercultural region step-by-step (building on the ‘The intercultural city step by step‘ guide developed by the ICC Programme).
  • Sharing tips and strategies for the organisation of training sessions on interculturalism

Additional resources on interculturalism developed within the Intercultural Cities Programme of the Council of Europe can be found below:

  • The Intercultural Cities Programme by Nichola Howson
  • Intercultural Competence by Carla Calado
  • Intercultural Cities
  • Intercultural Competences
  • Intercultural Cities Step-By-Step guide: new edition
  • ICC Course – The intercultural city step-by-step Survey (surveymonkey.com)
  • About the Intercultural Cities Index
  • ICC Intercultural Citizenship test

The session was the first official transnational activity within the project and hence an occasion to present its broader framework to the numerous key actors involved in its realisation. Ms. Madaraic, AER Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity & Equality, and Ms. Howson, Project Officer at the Council of Europe, were thus happy to share how EU-BELONG builds on the positive experience of the Intercultural Cities Programme coordinated by the Council of Europe and the long-lasting expertise of the AER and its partners in the field of inclusion and interculturalism aiming at adapting and testing the intercultural integration approach to the regional level. The project is an important first benchmark seeking to result in a stronger, broader, and more sustainable Intercultural Regions Network.

…and more is coming: some fresh news from the EU-BELONG Steering Committee Meeting in Salzburg

With an eye on the ongoing capacity-building process and the other on future milestones, combined with a strong wish to meet in person and share experiences and challenges, the EU-BELONG partners met in Salzburg on 28-29 September. The meeting brought about very enriching exchanges and a strong motivation for the upcoming activities that will be implemented. On the one hand, the development of a model framework for regional intercultural integration strategies will be available for all regional authorities wishing to develop their own intercultural integration strategy. On the other hand, the setting-up of the transnational knowledge exchange will be the space where the organisations and regions of the project will meet and exchange with other international organisations and regions to harness the diversity advantage across policy fields.

Let’s keep in touch!

  • Subscribe to the EU-Belong Newsletter
  • Contact: Birgit Sandu, EU-Belong Project Manager, [email protected]
Greetings from..
…the warmly cold Salzburg!

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Capacity-building for Integrated Care: Join the SCIROCCO EXCHANGE Partners at its Final Conference!

14 April, 2022 By Birgit Sandu

Interested in knowing more about how your region can strengthen its health and social care system and improve the design and delivery of healthcare services? Join the Scottish Government and all the partners of the SCIROCCO Exchange project at its closing event ‘Capacity-building for Integrated Care: From the Maturity Assessment to Improvement Planning‘! The conference will be held on Thursday 5 May 2022 from 9 am to 4:30 pm CET and will be open online to all AER members and healthcare professionals in their region.

REGISTER HERE!

Throughout the past years, SCIROCCO Exchange has contributed to foster capacity-building among regional healthcare authorities through tailored evidence-based support for the adoption and scale-up of integrated care. As a result of this process, the project has developed an effective tool that ensures and offers to regions, countries, and organisation effective knowledge management and improvement planning starting from a comprehensive understanding of the local context and maturity of the specific healthcare system – the Knowledge Management Hub. Specifically, the Hub is a community-driven platform supporting public authorities and organisation to:

  • Better understand the local readiness, needs and priorities for the adoption of integrated care informed by multi-stakeholders’ dialogues and consensus-building;
  • Access readily available evidence, knowledge and expertise on integrated care maximising their transferability and adaptation to the local context;
  • Co-design personalised knowledge transfer support for those willing to adopt or improve their existing system design for integrated care;
  • Co-design improvement planning that is tailored to the local context, maturity and aspirations of European countries, regions and organisations.

The Hub is currently available in 11 languages and has been used in nearly 100 organisations, regions, and countries in Europe and beyond.

By joining the conference, you will learn about the practical experience of European countries, regions and organisations in applying and using SCIROCCO Exchange Knowledge Management Hub to assess the state of art in integrated care, co-design capacity-building and improvement planning activities.

Conference Agenda (5 May 2022, 9-16:30 CET)

  • 9.00 – 9.05 Introduction and welcome (Donna Henderson, Digital Health and Care Directorate, Scottish Government)
  • 9.05 – 9.30 Integrated care – Keynote presentation
  • 9.30 – 9.40 SCIROCCO Exchange: Capacity-building support for integrated care (Andrea Pavlickova, Digital Health and Care Directorate, Scottish Government)
  • 9.40 – 10.40 Knowledge Managment Hub: Maturity assessment support and lessons learned (session facilitated by Serena Mingolla, AReSS Puglia)
  • 10.40 – 11.00 Break
  • 11.00 – 11.45 From maturity assessment to capacity-building support: Assets on Integrated care (session facilitated by Donna Henderson, Digital Health and Care Directorate, Scottish Government)
  • 11.45-12.00 Break
  • 12.00 – 12.45 Capacity-building support for integrated care: Knowledge Transfer (session facilitated by Johanna Pacevicius, Assembly of European Regions)
  • 12.45 – 13.30 Lunch
  • 13.30 – 14.15 Capacity building support for integrated care: Improvement planning (session facilitated by Sophie Wang, Optimedis)
  • 14.15 – 14.30 Break
  • 14.30 – 15.15 Expansion adaption of SCIROCCO Exchange Tool for Integrated Care (session facilitated by Tino Marti, EHTEL)
  • 15.15 – 16.00 SCIROCCO Exchange Knowledge Management Hub: Beyond the Project (session facilitated by Marc Lange, European Health Telematics Association)
  • 16.00 – 16.30 Highlights from the conference

For more information, contact Johanna Pacevicius, AER Policy and Knowledge Transfer Coordinator and Birgit Sandu, AER European Projects Manager.

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How will an Intercultural Approach to Migrant Integration help Europe’s Regions- The EU-BELONG Project takes off!

7 March, 2022 By Anna Comacchio

On 23-24 February, the Assembly of European Regions, together with 14 partners from 8 countries, kicked off EU-Belong, an ambitious project selected among 300 proposals, of which only 10% were approved by DG Home in its 2020 AMIF call: transnational actions on asylum, migration and integration. We are proud of this great achievement and conscious of the great responsibility that follows, in that we are called to develop and implement targeted integration strategies at local level while contributing to bringing integration policy in Europe forward, thanks to the consortium’s consolidated expertise, knowledge and ability to mobilise its relevant network. 

This article is a snap journey through the key moments that led to this project, the principles and needs that helped shape its objectives, its first steps and upcoming activities.

EU-Belong: A Long Journey

Europe is a continent of great variety and turbulent history, which has found concrete, yet delicate peace in the coming together of people and countries under a common European project and its core values of democracy and freedom. Here, diversity is likely to increase in the years to come, and our regions are front liners in supporting the whole societal infrastructure to embrace this diversity, unlock its potential and acknowledge it as a resource for everyone.

When it comes to concrete integration issues, a lot of attention has been rightfully given to municipalities and cities, but regions also have a key role to play because of their mandate (competencies, infrastructures, and service providers) and because they can inspire positive developments on their entire territory and other regions with similar characteristics.

This belief is the motivation that brought us together as a consortium. First in 2018, with the AER Task Force on Migration led by Catalonia, answering the need of AER members to discuss the integration of migrants and diversity management at regional level in the crucial time following the migrant crisis of 2015. Then, one year later, following the demand to bring to life a more structured way of dialogue for all interested regions, the AER-led Intercultural Regions Network (IRN) emerged, counting 11 members. The work of the Council of Europe and its intercultural integration approach, as we’ll explain below, served as inspiration and guidance for this important work all along.

Since then, AER has been moving this cooperation forward and building knowledge, especially through its participation in two key projects, AMID and Includ-EU, until this project was submitted and approved in 2021 -with great effort from all involved partners-, in order to give an action framework and financial support for the IRN to realise its core objectives.

The mission beyond the project is thus to build a stronger Intercultural Regions Network, increase opportunities for regional authorities to learn from each other, exchange experiences from an intercultural perspective and build widespread support for the intercultural approach among policy makers, officials and civil society in Europe and beyond.

The Intercultural Approach: Equality, Diversity and Interaction

At the EU-Belong Kick-off Meeting, Irena Guidikova (Council of Europe Cultural Policy, Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue Head of Division) pieced together for us the principles behind the Intercultural approach, which is at the basis of the EU-Belong project as well as of the Intercultural Cities Programme (ICC), which she helped found in 2008.

The objective back then was to rethink the approach to integration policy by adding key ingredients there were lacking from previous approaches (i.e. multiculturalism) focused mainly on granting rights to migrants, and less on the social/interaction dimension.

In particular, Ms Guidikova pointed out a gap in perceptions and relationships between service providers in all areas (from education to health care) and migrants: questions about the feeling of inclusion and the sense of belonging of migrants, about social trust and mutual respect beyond their material conditions of life are also critical for successful integration, and need to be further taken into account by public policy, as it becomes clear that a lot can be done, especially at local and regional level. 

To make migrants (and descendants) feel part of the society and not “forever foreigners”, to empower them to have a voice and be involved in the public and civic life of their territory, to make them feel equal while valuing their diversity is ultimately what defines integration, and this, according to the intercultural approach, is possible if intercultural interaction and co-creation are encouraged by policies and governance models and if officials have the cultural competence enabling them to communicate positively about diversity and manage conflicts as they may arise.

In essence, “equality, diversity, and interaction are three inter-linked values that underpin the development and sustainance of an intercultural city”.

How EU-Belong contributes to upscale Integration Policies at Regional level

The EU-Belong project is innovative, in that it will explore these 3 Intercultural dimensions applied to different regional contexts across Europe and will come up with replicable examples and good practices of how interculturality can be translated into regional policy.

A further added value of the project is that it will help develop the practice of interculturalism in diverse areas that were not yet thoroughly addressed, such as housing, integration into the labour market, newcomers/local population interaction, and sport & culture.

With this in mind, the project also fully matches with and contributes to relevant EU policies and strategic documents, above all the “Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion (2021-2027)”, focusing on some of the above-mentioned thematic areas as well.

In a nutshell, the project aims to improve the socio-economic inclusion and sense of belonging of migrants by developing ad-hoc regional integration strategies. Over the next three years, we will work with partners from Spain, Italy, Germany, Romania, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and Austria to build the capacity of public and private actors to effectively address the challenges of migrants integration.

The Kick-off Meeting

The kick-off meeting, which happened in Brussels and online, has been a key moment to put the basis for the cooperation for such a large consortium. At the meeting, more than 25 representatives from all project regions got to know each other and were able to exchange ideas about the upcoming project activities. Numerous questions were clarified and plans were made to achieve the project’s goals.

In this context, the advisory committee, a crucial body that will accompany and strategically support the project for the next 3 years was set up. It comprises of the Council of Europe, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Donegal Intercultural Platform,  DIVERSIT- Associació Ciutats Interculturals, GRITIM- Interdisciplinary Research Group in immigration (UPF), Mondinsieme – Intercultural Centre, Research Center for Intercultural Dialogue (FID), Arad County and Catalonia Governement.

Coming Next

The project foresees next the organisation of capacity-building sessions for public authorities and local stakeholders based on the local needs and knowledge assessment of each region, comprised both of online and onsite meetings.

At the same time, because of the scarce existing data related to experiences and practices carried out at the regional level, a preliminary peer review of good practices is carried out to collect, analyse and present innovative and successful experiences from European Regions on the topic of the participatory design, implementation and evaluation of intercultural integration strategies. The review, to be published in June 2022, will focus on relevant experiences from other European regions that will be selected through the networks of the Assembly of European Regions (read the Call for Expression for more info). This activity will help to elaborate a multistakeholder policy model framework to promote effective regional intercultural integration strategies and multi-stakeholder governance, that will be tested and later thoroughly disseminated.

Also this year, from October 2022, the AER will facilitate the transnational transfer of knowledge and peer learning among partners and associates, but also between them and other regions interested to learn from the project outcomes. All IRN and AER members who want to share or learn from thematic expertise will thus be invited to partake in the relevant Transfer Cluster(s).

We look forward to EU-Belong with great motivation, energy and the will to make a real impact.

Subscribe to our Newsletter, Follow our website, and the EU-Belong Twitter account to stay up to date with project’s news.

Here we are, Here you belong!

Contact:

Birgit Sandu, EU-Belong Project Manager, [email protected]

Gisela Guari, EU-Belong Policy Officer, [email protected]

Anna Comacchio, EU-Belong Communication Officer, [email protected]

Tweets by EU_Belong
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Knowledge Transfer for Integrated Care – Sharing the Results with the International Healthcare Community

15 October, 2021 By Birgit Sandu

After almost a year of knowledge exchange and capacity-building support to healthcare authorities willing to adopt or scale-up integrated care, the AER and the project partners were eager to share the experience and the results of the SCIROCCO Exchange Knowledge Transfer Programme with a great variety of international healthcare professionals and practitioners.

The SCIROCCO Exchange is a project co-founded by the third Health Programme of the European Union and lead by the Scottish Government. It provides evidence-based capacity-building support to health and social care authorities across Europe for the adoption or scaling-up of integrated care within their local healthcare systems. In this context, the AER in cooperation with the Scottish Government have worked with nine healthcare authorities for the co-development and implementation of nine personalised knowledge transfer programmes aimed at preparing the ground for the transition towards integrated care and to improve existing system design.

Despite the constraints posed by the pandemic to in-person-activities and to the resources of the healthcare sector, the needs and objectives of the healthcare authorities were still confirmed and the knowledge transfer continued. While knowledge transfer activities were mostly re-shaped in an online setting, this did not limit their impact and rather offered new opportunities for learning, involving a larger number of experts, fostering long-term professional connections in the sector, as well as for relying on an active network of partners also for the exchange of knowledge and practices regarding new needs brought about by the pandemic (as with the organisation of the workshop COVID-19 – Mental Health & Well-being of Healthcare Professionals with Scotland and South Denmark Regions).

Hence, we have been eager to share our experience and results with the broader healthcare community in the context of two major international conferences – the 2021 European Health Management Association (EHMA) Annual Conference, and the 2021 North America Conference on Integrated Care (NACIC).

SCIROCCO Exchange Knowledge Transfer Programme at EHMA 2021 – Health Management: Managing the Present and Shaping the Future

From the 15th to the 17th of September, the AER took part in the EHMA 2021 annual conference organised online but through the lenses of Lisbon. The event gathered more than 400 representatives of the healthcare system to exchange about key challenges in leading and managing the current and future health services.

Through a poster presentation, the AER shared with the healthcare experts the process for the co-definition and the implementation of knowledge transfer in SCIROCCO Exchange, and how this was re-adapted to the circumstances of the pandemic in order to make it both resilient and equally effective in its capacity-building objectives.

Lastly, the paper for the poster was included in the EHMA 2021 Abstract Book published after the Conference.

SCIROCCO Exchange Knowledge Transfer Programme NACIC 2021 – Innovation. Inspiration. Integration: Co-designing for health and wellbeing with individuals and communities.

From the 4th to the 7th of October, the AER together with the Scottish Government, Kronikgune institute in the Basque Country, and the National Health Fund in Poland took part in the first NACIC 2021 Annual conference organised online in  partnership with the University of Toronto, KPMG Canada, HSPN and iCOACH. The event was a great opportunity to debate with over 300 healthcare professionals and patients about the importance of co-designing healthcare services with individuals in order to improve the effectiveness of health and social care system design and achieve more person-centred care.

In this context, the AER organised a workshop presenting how the SCIROCCO Exchange knowledge transfer programme was developed and implemented to provide local-based support for the adoption of integrated care, and especially to support citizens’ empowerment in the design and management of healthcare services. To this aim, the workshop shared first information concerning the overall process developed by the project, the tools employed and available for replication, and the knowledge transfer programme. Additionally, the experiences of the Basque Country and Poland were presented to provide concrete good practices on how knowledge transfer supported the healthcare authorities in preparing the ground for citizens’ empowerment within their systems.

Presentations from the workshop can be accessed here!

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First calls under the Creative Europe 2021-27 have been launched!

16 June, 2021 By Birgit Sandu

The new Creative Europe Programme for 2021-27 was launched with the adoption of its first Annual Work Programme and the opening of the first calls under the ‘Culture’ strand! The programme will finance actions in the cultural and creative sectors with a total budget of EUR 2.4 billion for the next 7 years (63% higher than the previous programme).

About the new Creative Europe Programme

Creative Europe is the programme through which the European Commission provides support to the culture and audiovisual sectors across and beyond Europe. The programme will promote the competitiveness of these sectors, while supporting them in becoming greener, more digital, and more inclusive. Moreover, special attention will be addressed to reinforce the resilience and recovery of the cultural and creative sectors following the impact of the COVID-19.

The main objectives of the programme are:

  • Safeguard, develop and promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage
  • increase the competitiveness and economic potential of the culture and creative sectors, in particular the audiovisual sector.

The new 2021-27 programme replicates the three strands’ structure of the previous programme:

  • Culture: Covering actions in the cultural and creative sectors (except the audiovisual sector)
  • Media: Covering activities in the audiovisual sector
  • Cross-sectoral: Covering actions across all cultural and creative sectors.

First Calls launched under the ‘Culture’ Strand

The first calls under the Creative Europe programme 2021-27 culture strand have been published on the Funding and Tender Portal of the European Commission.

Call for European Cooperation Projects (small, medium, large – depending on the size of the consortium)
  • Focus: European artistic cooperation and innovation on topics as audience engagement, social cohesion, digitisation, contribution to the European Green Deal and sector-specific challenges in the book, music, architecture and cultural heritage sectors.
  • Objectives of the supported actions: 1) Transnational creation and circulation of European works and artists; 2) Innovation – enhance the capacity of European cultural and creative sectors to nature talents, to innovate, to prosper, and generate jobs and growth.
  • Eligible applicants: Legal entities (public and private bodies) established in the EU Member States and Non-EU countries – EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme (or in the process of finalising the agreement).
  • Budget: Max EUR 200 000 per small scale project (lump sum grant, funding rate of max 80%); max EUR 1 000 000 per medium scale project (lump sum grant, funding rate of max 70%); max 2 000 000 per large scale project (lump sum grant, funding rate of max 60%)
  • Deadline: 7 September 2021
  • More information: Call for proposals CREA-CULT-2021-COOP
Call for European Networks of Cultural and Creative Organisations
  • Focus: Capacity-building projects implemented by representative, multi-country, membership-based networks of European cultural organisations.
  • Objectives of the supported actions: 1) Promote fair, inclusive, and diverse frameworks supporting artists and cultural and creative professionals (tackling the gender gap and related divides, and fighting discrimination); 2) contribute to the European Green Deal, particularly encouraging these sectors to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices.
  • Eligible applicants: Legal entities (public and private bodies) established in the EU Member States and Non-EU countries – EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme (or in the process of finalising the agreement).
  • Budget: Max EUR 825 000 per project (lump sum grant, funding rate of 80%)
  • Deadline: 26 August 2021
  • More information: Call for proposals CREA-CULT-2021-NET
Call for Pan-European Cultural Entities
  • Focus: Support cultural entities – in this call, orchestras – who aim to offer training, professionalisation and performance opportunities for young highly-talented artists.
  • Objectives of the supported actions: Supporting the capacity building and professionalisation of young highly-talented musicians, providing them with standards career’s development paths through recruitment, training and performance opportunities; address the cross-cutting issues covered by the Creative Europe programme.
  • Eligible applicants: Legal entities (public and private bodies) established in the EU Member States and Non-EU countries – EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme (or in the process of finalising the agreement).
  • Budget: Max EUR 1 800 000 per project (lump sum grant, funding rate of 40%)
  • Deadline: 26 August 2021
  • More information: Call for proposals CREA-CULT-2021-PECE

The AER Project Unit is willing to support potential applicants and co-applicants interested in one of the calls above. If you would like our support, contact the European Projects Manager Birgit Sandu!

Picture by Timon Klauser, Unsplash

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REGISTRATION OPEN: Social Inclusion in TVET and Skill Development – Leaving No-one Behind

11 June, 2021 By Birgit Sandu

TVET policies and programmes are of core importance to ensure that all people can enjoy inclusive skill development leading to both individuals’ affirmation and the creation of diversified learning environments.  As reported by Srinvas Reddy, Chief of the ILO Skills and Employability Branch, “inclusive skills development and lifelong learning opportunities are vital to prevent people from being left behind, to maintain people’s employability, and to ensure that economies and enterprises recover promptly from the crisis”.  (Guide on making TVET and skills development inclusive for all, ILO Skills and Employability Branch, 2020).

Yet, as a result of rapid and increasing societal changes – as the digital transformation, climate change, globalisation and demographic trends – in-depth transformation have been taking place in the labour market creating further constraints to inclusion and societal wellbeing. This condition has been further amplified by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the creation of the so called ‘lockdown generation’.

The AER has been actively working on societal challenges throughout the past years. In 2018, it adopted a Position to express the need for new solutions (societal innovation) to societal and territorial challenges while ensuring quality public services and jobs.

In this context, public authorities, VET experts, and civil society organisations have a primary role in re-defining and improving the TVET system at the local level and developing societal innovation to ensure that learning opportunities address everyone’s needs and specific conditions.

The webinar aims to contribute to foster inclusive TVET systems and skill development by offering first hand insights from the European Commission, as well as a space for the exchange of knowledge and practices among policymakers, VET experts and practitioners.

The event will be held on June 23rd from 10 to 11 am CET. Visit the EVENT PAGE to access the agenda and register to the webinar!

The event IS part of the Skillnet webinar series AER is organising, which provides an opportunity for mutual learning around topics identified by AER members.

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The best guide to the EU’s Funding & Tenders opportunities portal

7 May, 2021 By Johanna Pacevicius

The European Commission is offering a detailed explanation on how to access information on funding and use the Funding & tenders Portal on 27 May 2021 10:00-12:30 CEST (Brussels time), via its “Webinar session: The Funding & tenders Portal for beginners“

As from 2021, all Commission Services shall be using the Funding & Tenders opportunities portal. It will replace individual systems that were used by the DGs (i.e. SWIM for DG EMPL).

In order to facilitate the transition, the European Commission is organising a webinar for (potential) new users of the Portal. It will explain and demonstrate:

  • the search for funding opportunities and partners
  • registration of your organisation
  • submission of proposals
  • managing your profile
  • exploring funded projects and statistics
  • and many more features.

The participation does not require pre-registration; access will be via YouTube web stream. All details and the agenda are available on the European Commission’s website. 

We strongly encourage AER members and any organisations aiming to apply in the future to EU calls for proposals or tenders, to follow this webinar.

Draft agenda

Draft agenda:

  1. Introduction
  2. What does this portal offer?
    2.1. Basic navigation
    2.2. I look for EU funding – is there anything in for me?
    2.3. I want to register my organisation
    2.4. I want to submit a proposal for a grant or procurement contract
    2.5. I want to see the EU projects funded (in my area of interest, my country or region…)
    2.6. I want to exploit the results of EU funded projects
    2.7. I want to become an expert evaluator/monitor
    2.8. Should I create my personal profile on this portal?
    2.9. How can I acquire access rights to proposals, projects, organisation data…?
    2.10. How do I manage notifications and tasks?
    2.11. How can I manage my user account?
    2.12. I need help
  3. Q&As

Photo by Octavian Dan on Unsplash

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PRESS RELEASE: The Cultural Administration & Sustainability Boosters Curriculum is on its way!

6 April, 2021 By Stanislava Milankov

The CUBES project, co-financed by the Erasmus+ programme, aims to empower all societal sectors to own and administer their heritage and cultural resources in a sustainable way, thus leading to both cultural democracy and sustainability. To this purpose, the project developed a training programme, Cultural Administration & Sustainability Boosters Curriculum, that will be offered on an inclusive, interactive and user-friendly digital platform.

The curriculum is designed by all project partners based on the best practices, funding tools, local challenges, training needs and results identified during the development of the Review Paper on Parameters Mapping. More specifically, the programme is addressed to public bodies and authorities, NGOs and foundations at regional and national level working in the cultural sector for the promotion and governance of cultural resources.

The curriculum will be available in 6 languages (English, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek, Lithuanian, Bosnian) and consists of 4 Subjects:

  • Subject 1: Project Management (Module 1: Project Management Introduction, Module 2: Project Management Methodology & Toolsets, Module 3: Cultural Project Life cycle)
  • Subject 2: Community Involvement & Networking (Module 1: Introduction to Cultural Competence, Module 2: Networking in Cultural Settings, Module 3: Culture as a pillar for Sustainable Development – 2030 Agenda and Cultural Administration)
  • Subject 3: Marketing Cultural Work (Module 1: Introduction to Marketing and Marketing Planning, Module 2: Communications Planning and the use of Digital Tools, Module 3: Strategic Marketing – Branding)
  • Subject 4: Fundraising for culture (Module 1: Basics to Fundraising, Module 2: Strategic Planning for Fundraising, Grant Proposal Writing)

After the release of the curriculum via the CUBES interactive e-platform, AER member regions and other interested parties can undertake the online learning programme on cultural management and sustainability and obtain a certification. Once the learners have successfully completed the programme, they will receive training to act as mentors in local communities, taking up the responsibility of informing, guiding and mentoring other community members in the field of cultural management and sustainability. 

As result, participants will be empowered in their know-how regarding the sustainable administration of tangible and intangible cultural resources and will have the opportunity to network and interact with expert partners in the field.

The curriculum will be published in the coming months via the CUBES interactive e-platform. Stay tuned!

Get in touch with the AER Project Unit in case you wish to be involved in CUBES activities: [email protected]

For a brief overview on the project, check the CUBES flyer.

Photo by Ingrid Vasconcelos on Unsplash

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Internship Vacancy: Project & Communications Assistant

18 March, 2021 By Stanislava Milankov

Ready to train with the EU projects team of the largest independent network of regions in Europe?

We are looking for a motivated intern (STUDENTS ONLY) to join the Project Unit at the AER’s Brussels Office, under the supervision of our European Projects Coordinator. The placement would be for 6 months, starting as soon as possible.

Your main tasks will be:

  • Mapping calls for proposals and collecting information on funding (based on desk research and by attending relevant events/webinars and meetings at the European level).
  • Supporting the AER’s projects team in its partner searches and follow-ups with its members.
  • Contributing to the implementation of all activities related to ongoing projects, including financial elements.
  • Providing input and assistance in drafting documents for new project proposals.
  • Writing articles on funding, partner searches as well as on running projects and related activities.
  • Disseminating information about EU-wide projects and funding opportunities on the AER’s social media channels.
  • Supporting in the development of communication tools such as infographics, brochures etc.
  • Contributing to the organisation of events and webinars in the context of European projects.

This is who we are:

  • We are a team where everyone—including interns—is respected and treated equally
  • We are a committed group of professionals, with terrific people on board
  • We have a meaningful mission; helping people across Europe to work together is what drives us
  • We provide a place for personal and professional growth. Working with a diverse group of colleagues and collaborators in an array of different policy areas widens your horizons and gives you the chance to develop valuable skills
  • We use cloud-based team collaboration tools, which allow us to work efficiently, keep in close contact, and strengthen our community despite frequent travel and different locations

 This is the place for you if:

  • You want to gain concrete experience in the management of European projects
  • You want to build your knowledge of the different EU funded programmes
  • You have strong writing skills and an excellent command of both oral and written English
  • You have experience and interest in creating social media and web content
  • You are able to bring new ideas to help amplify our messages
  • You have well-developed IT, media and design skills e.g. Canva
  • You are self-motivated and interested in helping people work together to overcome challenges
  • You are able to perform tasks autonomously and take on responsibilities while organising your work with the rest of the team
  • You have a knack for multi-tasking and a solution-focused attitude
  • You are open-minded and would enjoy working in a multi-cultural, international and fast-paced working environment

The AER is happy to offer you the opportunity to:

  • Gain practical experience in the field of projects funded by European programmes
  • Gain experience using different communication tools and web channels
  • Be in contact with high-ranking politicians, project officers and partners across Europe and get inspired by them
  • Learn about regions and build your knowledge of contemporary issues in European politics and interregional cooperation
  • Work in a dynamic and multicultural environment
  • Develop your confidence and capacity to take personal responsibility and initiative
  • Gain invaluable experience in an international professional environment

You will be considered a full member of the team from day one.

Before applying, please keep in mind:

An internship contract must be signed by AER, the intern and a sending University/School/Institute.

The internship is intended for students who have to complete a compulsory internship and are therefore able to receive a scholarship through Erasmus+ or similar programmes. On top, you will receive a monthly financial contribution of EUR 150 by the AER during your internship period. Travel and living costs must be covered by the intern.

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you will have to make sure that you meet all the legal requirements (visa, residence permit, etc.) to stay in Brussels as specified by the Belgian Law for foreigners. Health insurance must be ensured during your stay.

Please keep in mind that we are following all COVID-19 measures so you may not be working in the office full-time.

How to apply?

If you are interested in joining us and making the AER your next professional experience, please send your CV and 1-page cover letter to [email protected], by June 20 midnight with the subject line “AER Projects & Communication Intern”.

Interviews are planned to take place on a rolling basis throughout June. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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Partner Search: Develop innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies with the team from Umbria

9 December, 2020 By Stanislava Milankov

Are you currently developing a project proposal within the Horizon 2020 European Green Deal Call or do you wish to do so? Then, Municipality of Acquasparta, Municipality of  Sangemini, Municipality of Terni and company Green Power, based in Umbria (Italy), AER member region, are eager to either join an established consortium or to find partners willing to co-create an effective project application.

About the European Green Deal Call

Horizon 2020 Green Deal Call launched on the 18th of September, offers €1 billion investment to boost the green and digital transition. It provides the opportunity and resources to achieve the primary objective of a sustainable Europe and planet. Project proposals have to be submitted by 26 January 2020.

The structure of the call is mirroring the European Green Deal. One of the ten thematic areas is Innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies and their integration into the energy system – LC-GD-2-1-2020 within which proposals should focus on decarbonising Europe by making land-based and offshore renewables the main energy source while keeping the stability and resilience of the European Energy System.

About the “Renewable energy-based systems for District heating and cooling (DHC)” idea

Municipality of Acquasparta, Municipality of  Sangemini, Municipality of Terni and the company Green Power are looking for an established consortium to join as partner for an effective project application to be submitted in order to create a District heating and cooling (DHC) or for cogeneration of heat and power (CHP), possibly within the Horizon 2020 Green Deal calls – Innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies and their integration into the energy system (LC-GD-2-1-2020).

Municipality of Acquasparta, Municipality of  Sangemini, Municipality of Terni and company Green Power aim to create a Self-Sustainable District in region Umbria, Italy. The protection and safeguard of the environment in this area, including springs with mineral water (Sangemini, Fabia, Amerino, etc.) will represent the basis for an eco-system that promotes the well-being of the citizens and other users of the mineral waters produced there. This will be achieved through an environmental recovery, including preparations for the production of green energy in former industrial areas and recovery of land connecting urban centres with major communication routes.

Therefore the team from Umbria is ready to contribute – in a potential project proposal that is already ongoing – by sharing their experience and know-how for designing a qualified project as well as its administrative capabilities for a pilot implementation/validation.

If you are interested in having the team from Umbria on board or have innovative ideas for projects in line with these project ideas, do not hesitate to get back to us by 15 December 2020!

For more information contact:

Agnese Pantaloni, European Projects Coordinator

Email: [email protected]

Photo by Bruce Kee on Unsplash

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Join the Webinar ‘Circular Economy: Opportunities and Needs in the Labour Market’

24 November, 2020 By Birgit Sandu

Save the date! We are pleased to invite you to the webinar ‘Circular Economy: Opportunities and Needs in the Labour Market’ that will be held online on 10th December from 15:30 to 16:30 as part of the 2020 edition of the Skillman International Forum focused on “redefining the future of learning in the advanced manufacturing sector”!

The event is part of the Skillnet series of 18 webinars designed to bring together experts in different fields linked to vocational education and training (VET) with the purpose of establishing relevant groups of collaboration and partnerships for future EU project proposals.

It will offer regions and stakeholders engaged with circular economy the opportunity to learn and exchange about how regions, companies, and VET organisations can support the transition towards a circular economy and exploit its employment potential by fostering the needed skills in the workforce.

The circular economy is among the core policy priorities of regional, national, and international policy-makers being a major tool to counter negative environmental trends while offering new opportunities for employment and social inclusion. The core pillars of the circular economy – reuse, repair, remanufactured, and recycling – imply a more labour intensive process than the linear economy where resources are wasted or lost. This results in an unparalleled potential for the promotion of employment, with the expected creation of approximately 700 000 new jobs linked to the circular economy (the so-called circular jobs) by 2030 in the EU (Cambridge Econometrics, Trinomics and ICF, 2018).

At the same time, the transition is a broad process involving an overarching redefinition of the economy as a whole, as well as requiring the readiness of all economic and sectors in order to be fully realised. To this extent, this year, the European Union has adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan for the achievement of a “cleaner and more competitive Europe in co-creation with economic actors, consumers, citizens, and civil society organisations”. As suggested in the document, the labour market plays a fundamental role in this process in that if able to anticipate and prepare for the transition, it can accelerate and maximise the potential of a circular economy. Hence, both the realisation of a circular economy and the effective uptake of its employment opportunities strongly depend on the readiness of the labour market.

In this context, the webinar aims to:

  • Provide information about what are the skills needed in a circular economy with particular regard to the advanced manufacturing sector.
  • Offer the possibility to learn from, and exchange with, experts about how VET can support the circular economy transition by developing new curricula tailored to skill and upskill the ‘circular workforce‘.
  • Create a space for debate and network for experts in the field in order to establish relevant partnerships that can be applied within future EU funding opportunities.

Agenda of the webinar

  • Introduction to the webinar and opening remarks: Eva Hallström, Regional Councillor of the Region Värmland and Chair of the Working Group on Environment and Climate change
  • Assessing the skills shortage of the circular economy: Findings from the PackAlliance project. Belén Gracia, PhD Area Coordinator at Campus Iberius and Coordinator of the Erasmus + Project PackAlliance
  • Competency Pilot: Addressing the competency needs of tomorrow: Øyvind Nordstrand, Advisor Innlandet County Council

Important: How to join the webinar?

Only one registration is given for all the events within the Skillman International Forum (SIF). Hence, to join the event, you have to register to Skillman International Forum and participants will be re-directed from the plenary (main room) to the various sessions in the course the event through break-out rooms.

After registration, you will receive the email with the list of separate sessions among which you have to choose 10 AER – PAVILLION d1.

If you cannot attend the whole SIF, you may access the event at least 15 minutes before the beginning of the webinar “Circular Economy: Opportunities and Needs in the Labour Market” (starting time 15:30) so that you can be re-directed to the session.

REGISTER HERE

This webinar is organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission aiming to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships.

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Shape the Vocational Education Training scene in Europe!

17 November, 2020 By Valeria Simonte

Skills for the industry of the future

The digital transformation, the greening of the economy, and demographic change all generate a large and structural need for employees with technical and digital skills.

The lack of adequately skilled workers is a major issue in this context, which is only partially addressed by current Vocational Education and Training systems in Europe.

In this context, the SKILLNET project – Sector Skills Network of Vocational Education and Training centres in Advanced Manufacturing-, co-funded by the Erasmus+ program, is developing a transnational and national network for Vocational Education Training providers. This network offers opportunities for mutual learning, information on funding, and fosters partnerships to improve the quality and efficiency of VET in Europe.

Opportunities for regional stakeholders

To raise the quality and attractiveness of the provision of Vocational Education and Training, SKILLNET has created 4 thematic permanent groups composed of members belonging to the VET provider networks, and invites all stakeholders from the European VET scene to join the discussion.

  • For regional authorities, SKILLNET is an opportunity to engage VET organisations in their territories in European activities & raise awareness on opportunities for collaboration & co-financing of activities
  • for VET organisations, the clubs are an easy way to connect with peers and relevant stakeholders abroad
  • The clubs provide mediated knowledge both general and specific on VET in Europe, and information that stakeholders can actually use (especially on funding opportunities)
  • The clubs provide a framework for the development of joint initiatives and projects

The Peer Learning Clubs provide speaking opportunities at events for experts as well as the possibility to receive special mentions in sector-focused research papers. They are the main way for stakeholders to contribute to shaping the main trends of the future VET.

Topics addressed

PLC1 Advanced Manufacturing  Sector: This peer-learning group aims at pinpointing and analyzing challenges related to skill adaptation and anticipation as well as stakeholder relations.

PLC2 Advocacy & Policy  Influencing: The Vocational Education and  Training sector has its own voice in the EU, national, and regional areas. Coordinated actions ensuring that all actors’ interests are taken into account are key for policy development, and this peer-learning group will allow a deeper understanding of them.

PLC3 Work-based learning and standards: This peer-learning club tackles the assessment and the challenge of the implementation of the VET systems.

PLC4 Train the trainers: The aforementioned challenges will require a reinforced human dimension of the VET sector to build resilience and identify synergies among actors. Capacity building will have a key role in the future of VET, and this peer-learning club will allow the identification of key gaps and needs.

Join in 3 clicks!

The below illustrations shop how to join the platform in 3 easy steps (less than 30 seconds)

On the Skillman website, click on “Activities”, then “Events and Conferences” and then ” Peer Learning Clubs”

The next page will show an illustration with 4 coloured dots, showing the different Peer Learning Clubs. You can join either one or more groups by clicking on the dot of your choice.

Fill in name email and password, you’re there: join the conversation and meet peers to develop new projects!

AER’s role

AER joined the Skillnet consortium during Spring 2020 specifically because of the opportunities the project is offering for online activities relevant to both Committee 1 and Committee 3. At a time when face-to-face meetings are not possible, this project offers unparalleled opportunities for members.

Indeed the project is organising a high number of webinars and offers online platforms for the exchange of knowledge.

AER’s role is to facilitate mutual learning activities, to in fine improve the effectiveness and attractiveness of Vocationnal Education Training in Europe. AER provides information on EU funding opportunities and regional examples via a series of webinars and bulletins.

In order to make sure project activities provide value to members, the topics of SKILLNET webinars are chosen based on the AER Action Plan and further specified together with members who have expressed needs in the process of the definition of work programs at Committee meetings.

AER encourages members to engage stakeholders responsible for life long learning and vocational training across wider Europe to join one or more of the four topic-specific SKILLNET peer- learning clubs. Experts from diverse backgrounds: VET providers, companies, government representatives, and individuals are all welcome!

The SKILLNT – Sector Skills Network of VET centres in Advanced manufacturing- is a project co-financed by the Erasmus + programme. It has the objective to improve the quality of Vocational Education and Training centres systems while merging stakeholders to overcome the mismatch among education and industry’s need. It is coordinated by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) as a leading partner.

Click to join!

For more information on the SKILLNET peer learning clubs, please check the presentation below:

Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

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Have you been inspired by Together4Cohesion? A new call for projects is open to communicate cohesion policy

9 November, 2020 By Stanislava Milankov

Why do we need to communicate about cohesion policy?

Cohesion policy provides investments that represent the most tangible and concrete proof of the EU’s impact on the everyday life of millions of citizens. Those investments aim to support job creation, business competitiveness, economic growth, sustainable development, and improve citizens’ quality of life.

Despite the local character of the cohesion policy and its major impact on citizens’ life, lack of knowledge about the policy is still widespread. To enable an informed debate about the EU’s future priorities and secure better transparency on the spending of the EU funds, citizens should be more aware of the investments in their countries, regions, and cities.

The experience of Together4Cohesion

Cohesion Policy is a key topic within AER and the member regions part of our network. Following the Task Force on Cohesion Policy developed within the AER Bureau as well as the active participation of AER within the Cohesion Alliance, AER implemented a dedicated EU funded project aimed to raise the awareness of the EU citizens and stakeholders on the European Union’s cohesion policy and turn them into active players in the regional and national dialogue on the policy.

The project “Together for Cohesion: Let’s rEUnite”, co-financed by DG-REGIO within the 2018 call for proposals “Support for the information measures relating to the EU Cohesion Policy”, is a wide-reaching communication campaign that ran from April 2019 to July 2020. The campaign was led by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) in cooperation with the Media Consulta International Holding (mc Group) and the strong involvement of six AER flagship regions: Alba and Timis (RO), Catalonia (ES), Csongrad-Csanàd (HU), Trentino (IT), Varazdin (HR). 

The experience within the campaign has been very valuable for the flagship regions and inspired also other European regions within AER and beyond. During the campaign, more than 70 projects were showcased reflecting the wide variety of actions supported by cohesion policy. Around 1.8 million people were reached and a solid network was built to continue cooperating in the promotion of cohesion policy. 

New call by DG Regio on “Support for information measures relating to the EU Cohesion policy”

With the current call for proposals, the European Commission seeks to provide support for the production and dissemination of information and content linked to the EU Cohesion policy.

The specific objectives of this call for proposals are: 

• To promote and foster a better understanding of the role of cohesion policy in supporting EU’s regions;

 • To increase the awareness of projects funded by the EU – through cohesion policy in particular – and of their impact on people’s lives; 

• To disseminate information and encourage an open dialogue on cohesion policy, its results, its role in delivering on the EU’s political priorities and on its future; 

• To encourage civic participation in matters related to cohesion policy and to foster citizens’ participation to setting priorities for the future of this policy. 

The eligible partners are:

• media organizations/news agencies (television, radio, written press, online media, new media, a combination of different media);

• non-profit organizations; 

• universities and educational institutions; 

• research centres and think-tanks; 

• associations of European interest; 

• private entities; 

• public authorities (national, regional and local), with the exception of the authorities in charge of the implementation of Cohesion policy following Art 123. of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013;

• above mentioned legal entities established only in the EU Member States.

The total budget is estimated at EUR 5.000.000, the maximum grant per project is EUR 300 000.

Applications for project proposals have to be submitted by the 12th of January 2021. Before proceeding with the submission, it is essential to carefully read all documentation provided by DG Regio and in particular the call for proposals released by the European Commission.

If you are willing to embark on this opportunity released by DG Regio, don’t hesitate to contact the AER Project Unit.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

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SKILLNET Opportunities I: Webinars on EU Funding Opportunities

15 October, 2020 By Birgit Sandu

Interested in knowing more about how you can be involved in the SKILLNET project and what opportunities are available to you? AER is launching an informative campaign on  SKILLNET’s core activities to answer these questions and ensure that our members and broader audience can gain the most out of the project! In the first contribution, we cover the 18 webinars on EU funding opportunities and the newly established Partnership in Focus hub – Read the full article and get involved! 

SKILLNET – Context and Aims

SKILLNET is a project co-financed by the Erasmus + programme and it aims to strengthen and improve the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s capacity to design effective and high-quality programmes that are tailored to current societal conditions and needs. Specifically, SKILLNET comes from the identification of challenges to the current  VET systems – such as the globalisation and internationalisation of the economies and job markets, the transformation towards information and knowledge-based society, and the ineffectiveness of the current VET systems in adapting to these conditions leading to a widespread skills mismatch between the market needs and the workforce. As a result, a major rethinking and redesigning VET systems’ framework is a top priority for VET providers, policy and decisions makers and all the stakeholders working within VET systems. In doing so, SKILLNET attaches core importance to the establishment of enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships promoting exchanges and joint actions among experts from different regions/countries and fields.

Webinars on EU Funding Opportunities – Scope and Goals 

In this framework, SKILLNET focuses on both ideas and actions. By launching a series of 18 webinars on EU funding opportunities, it offers a space for experts in various field and from different background to exchange, network, and establish relevant groups of collaboration that can be applied in the design and submission of future EU project proposals – especially having regard to the Work Program set by the European Commission for the next years that aims to address mentioned challenges through the implementation of policy activities and funding opportunities. Webinars will be a valuable occasion to set the basis for new EU projects through cooperation and strategic thinking.

In summary, the webinars aim to provide a space for :  

  • sharing knowledge and experiences
  • sharing opportunities
  • creating connections for future partnerships within EU calls

Webinars on EU Funding Opportunities – Themes, Structure, and Room for your Involvement

Each webinar is open to all interested parties and focused on a specific theme that is relevant for VET systems, as well as for policy and decision-makers that want to improve the effectiveness of their educational and working offers and environments. Five webinars have already taken place focusing on: Capacity building in Higher Education; Skills and Education Guarantee Pilot; Knowledge Alliances in the Maritime Sector; Implementation of Innovative VET Policies through Transnational Cooperation; and Youth policy Partnerships. 

Since it joined the project in June, AER has played a major role in the organisation of the webinars being in the lead of the action’s coordination. While the project offers remarkable synergies with the activities of both Committee 1 and Committee 3, the webinars can serve as online activity for knowledge and experience sharing. Given this linkage between SKILLNET and the Committees, the topics of the upcoming webinars are selected based on the AER Action Plan and further specified together with the members that expressed needs at Committees’ meetings. 

In summary, AER’s members, partners, and stakeholders are encouraged to participate to the webinars’ activity by: 

  • Joining as participants to acquire new expertise and experiences on VET related themes that are of interest to policy/decision-makers; 
  • Joining as speakers to share their expertise and experiences on the specific theme of the webinar (as well as to acquire new expertise through exchanging with other panelists);
  • Joining as participants or speakers to network and to establish relevant partnerships with other experts from different regions/countries and sectors;
  • Informing us about themes related to VET systems and EU funding opportunities that are important to address in dedicated webinars. 

Partnerships in Focus – The Series and the Hub

Each webinar is followed by a Partnership in Focus bulletin/article summarising the main information exchanged during the online event, highlighting the relevant field of intervention identified and possible scopes and actors for partnerships.  

Additionally, we have launched a dedicated hub within the AER website – the Partnerships in Focus Hub to ensure that all the information concerning the relevant fields of partnerships are well stored and available to all interested parties. The hub will be updated after the release of each Partnership in Focus bulletin/article and we encourage you to check the hub regularly as to be dully informed about the ongoing work and available opportunities for you!

– Coming Soon –  

The upcoming webinar on EU funding opportunities is close! On October 21st experts will meet to discuss  “Lifelong Learning: Up-skilling and Reskilling 50+”. Read the article to know more!

Stay tuned! We will continue our informative campaign on the SKILLNET’s activities and opportunities for members and stakeholders. The upcoming contribution will cover:

  • SKILLNET Opportunities II: Peer Learning Clubs and Youth Policy Forum 
  • SKILLNET Opportunities III: Skillman International Forum

If you want to know more, contact AER team:

  • Birgit Sandu, European Projects Manager [email protected]
  • Johanna Pacevicius, Policy and Knowledge Sharing Coordinator [email protected]

Photo from Unsplash.

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AER Projects

  • Ongoing projects
    • EU-BELONG: An Intercultural Approach to Migrant Integration in Europe’s Regions
    • Includ-EU: Regional and local expertise, exchange and engagement for enhanced social cohesion in Europe
  • Partner search
  • Completed projects
    • SCIROCCO Exchange project
    • SKILLNET – Sector Skills Network of VET centres in Advanced Manufacturing: a coalition of transnational VET providers
    • CUBES – Cultural Administration Boosting with the Engagement of Sustainability for Local Communities
    • Y-FED: Europe is what we make of it
    • AMiD – Access to Services for Migrants with Disabilities
    • AER Summer Academy 2016
    • Alcohol Prevention Peer Reviews
    • ECREIN+
    • Engaged
    • Joint Efforts to Combat Dropout (JET-CD)
    • Let’s REUnite! Together for cohesion project
    • MOCHA
    • MORE4NRG
    • PRESERVE
    • PYE – Promoting Youth Employment
    • PRO-I3T
    • REALM – Regional Adult Learning Multipliers and the Europe 2020 Flagship Initiatives
    • Regions4GreenGrowth
    • Road to the Future
    • SEED European Silver Economy Awards
    • Smart Care
    • Smart Europe
    • YES – Youth Entrepreneurship Strategies

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