Programme of cooperation between the European Community and the United States

The main objective of this programme is to establish cooperation in higher education and vocational education and training between the European Community and the United States of America.

ACT

Council Decision 2001/196/EC of 26 February 2001 concerning the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America renewing a programme of cooperation in higher education and vocational education and training

SUMMARY

Given the success of the first phase of the programme (1995-1999), the Council has decided to renew the programme of cooperation in higher education and vocational education and training between the European Community and the United States of America for the period 2000-2005.

The programme's objectives are to:

• promote closer understanding between the peoples of the European Community and the United States of America;
• improve the quality of human resource development;
• encourage an innovative and sustainable range of student-centred cooperative activities;
• improve the quality of transatlantic mobility for students;
• encourage the exchange of expertise in new developments in higher education and vocational education and training;
• promote partnerships among teaching and training institutions, professional associations, public authorities, the private sector and other associations;
• strengthen the European dimension and the American dimension of transatlantic cooperation in teaching and training;
• complement bilateral programmes between the Member States of the European Community and the United States of America.

The fundamental principles of the Agreement are:

• full respect for the responsibilities of the Member States and the states of the USA and for the autonomy of the education and training institutions;
• the mutual benefit arising from activities undertaken as part of this Agreement;
• the provision of funding for a range of innovative projects establishing new structures and links;
• broad participation across the various states;
• the mutual recognition of cultural, social and economic diversity;
• selection of projects on a competitive basis.

The Annex to the Agreement provides for the following categories of activities:

• projects carried out by joint EC/USA consortia: each consortium (consisting of three active partners from either side of the Atlantic) will receive funding for a maximum period of three years. Eligible activities may include: preparatory or project development activities; student mobility projects, including work placements; structured exchanges of students, teachers, trainers and anyone else involved in the education and training sector; innovative curricula projects; short intensive programmes; joint teaching modules and the dissemination of new teaching methodologies;
• the Fullbright/EU programme, which funds scholarships for studies, research and lectures in European Community affairs and EU/USA relations;
• complementary activities to enhance exchanges of experience in the area of higher education and vocational training (conferences, studies, etc.).

A Joint Committee is established, comprising an equal number of representatives and meeting once every two years to review the cooperative activities planned and to provide a report on the level, status and effectiveness of the cooperative activities.

The cost of funding the cooperative activities is borne by both parties, each being responsible for the funding of its own activities.

RELATED ACTS

Communication from the Commission of 27 June 2005 on the evaluation of the cooperation programmes between the European Community and the United States of America in the field of higher education and vocational education and training and between the European Community and Canada in the fields of higher education and training [COM (2005) 0274 - Not published in the Official Journal]. This is the Commission's interim report on implementation of the EU-US cooperation programme. On the basis of positive external evaluations, the Commission states that the programme has widely succeeded in establishing long-term transatlantic partnerships in higher education and vocational training. Almost all the projects have established student exchanges based on shared or mutually developed criteria. The report notes that the programmes have achieved the objectives of improving the quality of education and training systems.

The Commission presents the suggestions made by the experts with a view to improving certain aspects of the programmes, but emphasises the absence of major shortcomings. It also mentions the unexploited potential resulting from the inadequacy of the available budgetary resources.

See also

For more information please consult the European Commission's website on EU-US cooperation in higher education and vocational training.

Last updated: 30.09.2005