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Tempus: modernising higher education in EU neighbours
Tempus supports the modernisation of higher education and creates an area of co-operation in countries surrounding the EU. Established in 1990, the scheme now covers 27 countries in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.
Tempus funds two types of actions:
- Joint Projects: partnerships between higher education institutions in the EU and partner countries. They can develop, modernise and disseminate new curricula, teaching methods or materials, as well as boosting quality assurance and management of higher education institutions.
- Structural Measures: to develop and reform higher education institutions and systems in partner countries; to enhance their quality and relevance, and to increase convergence with EU developments.
Partnerships are made up of consortia of organisations including higher education institutions, businesses, ministries, NGOs, and other organisations working in higher education, in both EU and partner countries.
Launch of Tempus IV
The latest phase of the programme, Tempus IV, started in 2008 with an annual budget of around 50 million euro. Individual projects receive funding of between 0.5 and 1.5 million euro. All conditions and criteria to apply for Tempus funds are detailed in the annual call for proposals (available in English, French and German).
The EU’s Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the management of all Tempus actions, under the supervision of the European Commission. Read more about Tempus on the EACEA website.
Erasmus Mundus Partnership is a complementary programme that funds higher education student and staff exchanges and visits between European universities and universities from other countries.