The Commission has proposed today Erasmus+ funding for five new Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence, to meet the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy.

© Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

Funded through Erasmus+ for a maximum budget of €4 million each, these platforms will be active in sectors such as green innovation and urban greening, microelectronics, and the furniture and wood sector. They will also support major European priorities such as the digital and green transitions, sustainable growth, and social fairness and inclusion.

Selected from among 55 applications, the five newly-selected Platforms of Vocational Excellence involve 167 partner organisations from 17 Member States and 4 other countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme.

The selected projects will focus on the development of skills ecosystems, increasing their quality and adaptability by developing innovative curricula and teaching methodologies.

The chosen projects respond to a changing labour market and are aligned with the priorities of the European Skills Agenda and the Commission proposal for a Council recommendation on Vocational Education and Training for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience presented on 1 July.

Background

Centres of Vocational Excellence ensure the supply of high-quality skilled workers and are catalysts for local innovation and business investment. They often act as knowledge and innovation hubs for companies (in particular SMEs), and support the entrepreneurial initiatives, skills and attitudes of their learners, for instance through business incubators.

Centres from different countries which share a common interest in specific sectors can work together through international collaborative platforms.