The Leonardo da Vinci programme offers funding to help European citizens train abroad to acquire new skills, knowledge and qualifications that are recognised across borders. It also supports innovations and improvements in vocational education and training systems and practices. The aim of the programme is to facilitate personal development, employability and participation in the European Labour Market. All subjects covered by vocational education and training are eligible if they support the transnational transfer of knowledge, innovation and expertise.

• ‘Initial vocational training mobility’ is for trainees, apprentices and pupils/ students in vocational education and training.
• ‘Mobility for people in the labour market’ focuses on learning mobility for people with a vocational degree or university graduates, employed or not.
• ‘Vetpro mobility’ supports the mobility of professionals in vocational education and training, such as teachers and trainers, staff dealing with vocational education and training issues, and guidance specialists.
• Partnerships are small-scale cooperation projects between partner organisations in different countries on themes of mutual interest that are linked to vocational education and training.
• ‘Transfer of innovation’ focuses on multilateral cooperation projects to transfer or adapt innovative solutions between countries in vocational education and training systems.
• ‘Development of innovation’ concerns multilateral, transnational projects developing innovative solutions in the vocational education and training systems at European level.
• Multilateral networks put the accent on transnational networks to exchange experiences and information in vocational education and training through a thematic or sectoral approach.
• Preparatory visits can be funded to find partners and prepare a project.

The Leonardo da Vinci programme is open to people in initial vocational education and training:

• Apprentices and people in secondary school-based learning;
• People in the labour market (with a vocational or higher education background);
• Teachers, trainers and other staff responsible for vocational training; Institutions and bodies such as associations and representatives of those involved in vocational education and training, including associations of trainees, parents and teachers’ associations;
• Enterprises, social partners and other representatives of working life, including chambers of commerce and other trade organisations;
• Research centres and bodies concerned with lifelong learning issues and any aspect of vocational education and training at local, regional and national levels.
• Non-profit organisations, voluntary bodies and non-governmental organisations.

Eligible countries are the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, Turkey, Croatia and Switzerland.

Interested individuals should apply via an organisation managing Leonardo funds (their training institution, employer or labour office, for instance).

The national agencies’ websites contain more detailed information.

Training institutions and other organisations should approach the national agency in their country. Their addresses can be found on the website: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc1208_en.htm

Centralised actions such as multilateral networks or ‘Development of innovation’ projects are managed by the Executive Agency for Education, Audiovisual and Culture, based in Brussels. See:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/llp/index_en.php

http://ec.europa.eu/education/leonardo-da-vinci/doc1018_en.htm