The global objective of this call for proposals is to contribute to the modernisation of the education and training systems in Azerbaijan, enhancing quality, equality, relevance and access in line with European standards and practices.

The aim is to modernise selected VET centres in various regions of Azerbaijan, which will be providing high-quality vocational education and training that is:

• relevant to labour-market needs
• in line with latest economic and societal developments in the country
• equipping graduates with the skills needed in the labour market
• substantially improving graduates´ employment opportunities.

Size of grants
Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between EUR 1,300,000 and EUR 2,000,000.

Who can apply?
Local and Regional authorities, Schools, Training centres, Administrations States, Development NGOs, Universities, Non-profit organisations, International Organisations. 

In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must be established in the Republic of Azerbaijan, a Member State of the European Union, accession or official candidate country of the European Economic Area. This obligation does not apply to international organisations. 

The lead applicant may act individually or with co-applicant(s).

How to Apply
The application procedure consists of two phases:

• Concept notes
• Full applications

In the first instance, only concept notes must be submitted for evaluation. Thereafter, lead applicants who have been pre-selected will be invited to submit a full application. 

Deadline
6 February 2017 

For more information, please visit EuropeAid.

Over €2 billion has been allocated for education, training, youth and sport projects through the Erasmus+ Programme. This year’s budget has increased by almost €300 million since 2016, representing an increase of almost 13%.

The major changes since 2016 include:

• The introduction of the concept of “European priorities in the national context” under KA2 Strategic Partnership. For more information on this, please visit the UK National Agency website.
• The funding rules for some decentralised actions have been fine-tuned.
• The action “Sector Skills Alliances” is no longer covered by this General Call and Programme Guide and will be dealt with separately through a Specific Call for Proposals announced by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

As with last year, there will be a special focus on encouraging projects that support social inclusion, notably of refugees and migrants, as well as projects that prevent radicalisation.

Deadlines

More information on how to apply is available here.

The Competitiveness of Enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) program is seeking applications for Migrants Entrepreneurship Support Schemes with an aim to promote growth and to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises in the European Union.
The objective of this Call for Proposals is to support the creation, the improvement and the wider dissemination of support schemes for migrant entrepreneurs in order to help migrants to become self-employed and build a successful enterprise (profit-generating and/or with social objectives).

Priority Areas
• Outreach to migrant communities and awareness-raising actions
• Business training
• Provision of legal and regulatory advice
• Provision of individual business support
• Mentoring
• Provision of working spaces and related services
• Access to finance
• Access to networks

Activities supported by this call will be aimed at:
• the creation of cross-regional and cross-country networks of migrant entrepreneurship support providers;
• the organisation of face-to-face and on-line meetings, seminars and workshops bringing together representatives of migrant entrepreneurship support organisations from different regions and countries;
• the collection and exchange of data on the results and impacts of existing schemes to support migrant entrepreneurs;
• the evaluation of services to migrants provided by participating organisations;
• the improvement and further development of support for migrant entrepreneurs provided so far, including its extension to additional dimensions of support;
• the transfer or extension to another region/country of existing schemes;
• the establishment of joint projects between participating organisations;
• the dissemination of information, guidance and advice to a wider audience of interested public administrations and migrant support organisations.

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must set up a consortium with a designated coordinator. The consortium (i.e. the coordinator plus its partners) must be composed of 5 legal entities located in at least 3 COSME Participating countries.
Eligible applicants (coordinator and partners in the consortium) are organisations that are active in helping the economic and social integration of migrants, and/or in fostering migrant entrepreneurship and/or in providing support services to entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs such as:
• Public authorities and public administrations (at the national, regional or city level);
• Chamber of commerce and industry and similar bodies;
• Business associations and business support networks;
• Business support organisations and incubators;
• NGOs, non-profit organisations, associations and foundations working with migrants;
• Private and public entities specialised in education and training

EU financing rate: 90% of eligible costs.

The maximum grant per project will be EUR 375 000.

Expected project duration: 36 months.

Deadline: 20 December 2016.

How to apply
Applications need to be submitted online through the Participant Portal. Further details, including the guide for applicants can be accessed here.

There are two upcoming deadlines for activities managed by the UK National Agency:

• 31 March 2016 
  Key Action 2 Strategic Partnerships projects: higher education, vocational education and training,schools, adult education, multi-sector projects (except for those with youth as the main field).
• 26 April 2016
  Youth projects: Key Action 1 mobility, Key Action 2 Strategic Partnerships, Key Action 3 Structured Dialogue

For further details please visit Erasmus+ UK.