The Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) action supports international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations active in the field of higher education. It supports the relevance, quality, modernisation and responsiveness of higher education in third countries not associated to the Programme for socio-economic recovery, growth and prosperity and reacting to recent trends, in particular economic globalisation but also the recent decline in human development, fragility, and rising social, economic and environmental inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Higher education institutions from the Republic of Moldova can apply directly for the financing of Capacity Building projects, being part of a consortium. The projects last between 2 and 4 years, depending on the objectives drawn and the type of activities envisaged.
The action is expected to contribute to the overarching priorities of the European Commission: European Green Deal (including climate change, environment and energy), digital transformation and data technologies, alliances for sustainable growth and jobs, partnerships on migration and governance, peace and security, and the external dimension of EU internal policies in the field of education. The action will support a successful green and sustainable global economic recovery in third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ programme, linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.
The activities and outcomes of CBHE projects must be geared to benefit the eligible third countries not associated to the Programme, their higher education institutions and systems.
OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTION
Specifically, the action will:
- Improve the quality of higher education in third countries not associated to the Programme and enhance its relevance for the labour market and society;
- Improve the level of competences, skills and employability potential of students in HEIs in the third countries not associated to the Programme by developing new and innovative education programmes;
- Promote inclusive education, equality, equity, non-discrimination and the promotion of civic-competences in higher education in the third countries not associated to the Programme;
- Enhance the teaching, assessment mechanisms for HEI staff and students, quality assurance, management, governance, inclusion, innovation, knowledge base, digital and entrepreneurial capacities, as well as the internationalisation of HEIs in the third countries not associated to the Programme;
- Increase the capacities of HEIs, bodies in charge of higher education and competent authorities of third countries not associated to the Programme to modernise their higher education systems, particularly in terms of governance and financing, by supporting the definition, implementation and monitoring of reform processes;
- Improve the training of teachers and continuous professional development in order to impact the longer term quality of the education system in the third countries not associated to the Programme;
- Stimulate cooperation of institutions, capacity building and exchange of good practice;
- Foster cooperation across different regions of the world through joint initiatives.
PROJECT STRANDS
In order to respond to the various challenges in the third countries not associated to the Programme, the CBHE action is composed of three specific Strands:
Strand 1 - Fostering access to cooperation in higher education
This Strand is designed to attract less experienced HEIs and small-scale actors to the CBHE action to facilitate access to newcomer organisations. These partnerships should act as a first step for HEIs and organisations with a smaller operational capacity located in third countries not associated to the Programme to access and increase means to reach out to people with fewer opportunities.This Strand will finance small-scale projects to reduce the internationalisation gap among HEIs from eligible third countries not associated to the Programme, from the same country or Region. Projects should establish partnerships to develop cooperation ideas as well as to facilitate transfer of know-how, experience and good practices, fostering access to capacity building opportunities and improving social inclusion and the access of students/staff with fewer opportunities to a qualitative higher education offer.
Strand 2 - Partnerships for transformation in higher education
Projects under this Strand shall address the different state of advancement and challenges of HEIs located in eligible third countries not associated to the Programme, enhance the impact of the programme and where relevant complement other sources of funding. They shall introduce new approaches and initiatives in higher education, based on peer learning and transfer of experience and good practice affecting not only the institutions but also the society at large. Partnerships for transformation in higher education are complex and innovative capacity building projects based on a transfer of experience, competencies and good practice with a range of interconnected activities that aim to strengthen the capacities of the targeted HEIs to address the 21st century challenges such as migration, climate change, governance and shifts towards a digital economy. The projects’ outcomes should have a significant and long-term impact on the targeted HEIs beyond the projects' lifetime and as such benefitting the society as a whole.
Strand 3 - Structural reform projects
Projects under this Strand shall support efforts in third countries not associated to the Programme to develop coherent and sustainable systems of higher education to meet their socio-economic needs and broad ambition to create a knowledge-driven economy. Mainstreaming and upscaling of successful results as well as synergies with ongoing or pipeline support in the area under bilateral support programmes are also elements of this Strand. Structural Reform projects will address the needs of eligible third countries not associated to the Programme to support sustainable systemic and structural improvement and innovation at the level of the higher education sector. More specifically, these projects will address the efforts of countries to develop coherent and sustainable systems of Higher Education to meet their socio-economic needs and ultimately create a knowledge-driven economy. By involving the competent National Authorities (notably Ministries of Education) of third countries not associated to the Programme, HEIs, Research institutions and other relevant authorities/bodies and stakeholders, these projects will particularly contribute to the reformation of education systems in third countries not associated to the Programme.
How to apply?
Apply online to the European Executive Agency for Education and Culture (EACEA), based in Brussels, through the Portal of Funding and Tender Opportunities of the European Commission.
A Capacity Building project will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- relevance;
- the quality of the project and the implementation scheme;
- team quality;
- sustainability, impact and dissemination.
Within key action 2, higher education institutions from Moldova can also benefit from the Alliances for Innovation and Partnerships for Cooperation projects. In the case of these actions, universities in our country can only have the status of partners and must demonstrate the added value of the country in the project.
It is expected that the projects developed under Key Action 2 will result in the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices at local, regional, national or European organizational level.