CALL FOR PROPOSALS — DG EAC/36/2006

EU-US Cooperation in Higher Education and Vocational Training

ATLANTIS Programme

(Actions for Transatlantic Links and Academic Networks in Training and Integrated Studies)

Notice of publication of a call for proposals on the Internet

(2006/C 128/12)

1.   Objectives and description

The general objective of the call for proposals is to promote better understanding and interaction between the peoples of the EU Member States and of the US, including a broader knowledge of their languages, cultures and institutions, and to improve the quality of higher education and vocational education and training in the EU and in US. There two types of action under this call:

Transatlantic Degree Consortia Projects

This Action provides support for consortia of EU and US higher education institutions (hereafter called ‘consortium’) to implement dual/double or joint degree programmes referred to in the present document as ‘Transatlantic Degrees.’ Support may include mobility grants for students and members of the academic teaching staff (‘faculty’).

Policy-oriented measures

This Action provides support to multilateral EU-US projects and activities designed to enhance collaboration in the higher education and vocational training field.

2.   Eligible applicants

Submission of grant requests under this call is open to higher education institutions and to vocational education and training institutions. For Policy Oriented Measures, the call is also open to other organisations such as accreditation agencies, education agencies or organisations, private companies, industry and business groups, non-governmental organisations, research institutes and professional bodies. Eligible applicants must be established in one of the 25 countries of the European Union.

3.   Budget and project duration

The budget available for the co-financing of projects is estimated at 4 million Euros the majority of which will be devoted to Transatlantic Degree Consortia Projects.

It is anticipated that approximately five degree implementation projects and a small number of policy-oriented measures projects will be funded in 2006.

The maximum amount of funding on the EU side will be EUR 696 000 for a 4-year Transatlantic Degree consortia project and EUR 50 000 for a 2-year Policy Oriented Measure. Projects activities are planned to start in November 2006. The duration for Transatlantic Degree Consortia Project is 48 months and for Policy Oriented Measure 24 months.

4.   Deadline

Applications must be sent to the Commission no later than 7 July 2006.

5.   Further information

The full text of the call for proposals and the application forms are available on the following websites:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/eu-usa/call_en.html

http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/calls/callg_en.html

For more information, you may write to eac-3C-cooperation@cec.eu.int