Take part in the Policy experimentations call 2024

Erasmus+ CZELO

This call is for complex projects expected to have a systemic impact on the policy framework at EU, national and regional level.

The application deadline is June 4, 2024 at 5:00 pm and applications are to be submitted via the FTOP portal. 

Main objectives of the call 

In early February, the European Commission organised an information session on this call, presenting the conditions of the call to participants and providing tips on how to prepare a quality project application. During the webinar, the Commission representatives stressed that the call aims in particular to support evidence-based policies by identifying and developing innovative policy approaches that have the potential to be mainstreamed and testing theoretical assumptions and evaluating their potential. They also underlined that projects should be international, involve private and public organisations and have a strong European dimension.  

During the webinar, the Commission representatives also pointed out that each project must focus on only one priority. Thus, if a consortium wants to address, for example, two priorities, two independent project applications need to be submitted.

Who can participate?

Eligible applicants are legal entities (public or private organisations) active in the field of education, research and innovation or in the labour market. The call is divided into 6 topics (the topics are further divided into specific priorities):  

1. Digital education - Projects can target different education sectors or link distinct education sectors, but must promote high quality and inclusive digital education in line with the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 They can focus on the development of learning frameworks and policies to enhance gender balance in ICT studies and careers, on digital wellbeing or on data literacy in primary and secondary education. 

2. Vocational education and training - Projects can either focus on promoting greater representation of women in GreenTech or on structures and networks supporting apprenticeship mobility. They should contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the European Skills Agenda, the Council Recommendation on VET for sustainable competitiveness, social justice and resilience and the Osnabrück Declaration on VET as a means for a revitalised and equitable transition to a digital and green economy.  

3. Adult education - Projects should support the implementation of the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the European Skills Agenda and in particular the Council Recommendation on Individual Learning Accounts, the Pact for Skills initiative and the Council Resolution on a new European Agenda for Adult Learning 2021-2030. Thematically, they should focus on the re-skilling of workers or support for the Pact for Skills.

4. School education - Projects should meet the objectives of the European Education Area and can focus either on the theme of Pathways to School Success, building competences in sustainability, or on support structures and mechanisms to increase teacher mobility. 

5. Micro-credentials - Projects should aim to support reforms in EU Member States and Erasmus+ associated countries leading to the implementation of the Council Recommendation on a European approach to micro-certificates for lifelong learning and employability. They can focus either on supporting an ecosystem for micro-credentials or on micro-credentials for green and digital transition. 

6. Higher Education - Projects should contribute to national or regional support for European University Alliances, both financial and institutional, through the involvement of Ministries of Education or national accreditation agencies or other relevant public authorities.

The consortium must consist of at least three organisations from three different countries (EU Member States and countries associated to Erasmus+ ), except for tTopic 6, where organisations from the Western Balkan countries can also participate. Organisations from third countries not associated to the programme may participate as associate partners (they do not receive a grant). With the exception of Topics 1 and 2 (Digital Education and VET), other conditions for the composition of the consortium must also be taken into account:

  • under the Topic 3 'Adult Education' - Priority 7 'Supporting the Skills Pact', applicants must be registered partners of existing Skills Pact Regional Partnerships; 
  • under Theme 4 'School education', the project coordinator must be an eligible public education authority (at national, regional or local level); 
  • under Theme 5 'Micro-certificates', each project must involve at least one public body at national, regional and/or local level as coordinator or full partner;  
  • under Theme 6 'Higher education' - Priority 13 'National/regional support to European University Alliances', the project must involve the relevant public authorities whose higher education institutions are involved in the European University Initiative or other similar long-term institutionalised cooperation models, and/or bodies with a mandate from their country in the field of quality assurance, funding of higher education alliances or other specific areas relevant to the success of the European University Initiative.

Although the involvement of a public authority is not a requirement in the Topic 2, the call states that "Cooperation with local, regional and/or national public authorities and education and training providers is essential" in these projects.  

It is therefore appropriate to involve a local, regional or national public authority in all projects to ensure systemic impact at policy level, which is the primary objective of these projects.

Key numbers 

The duration of projects can be from 24 to 36 months, except for Topic 6, where projects last between 36 and 48 months. The deadline for applications is 4 June, with results expected to be announced in November and grant agreements signed with selected projects in January next year. The total budget for the call is €47 million and the maximum grant per project is €1 million. At the same time, a 20% co-financing by the consortium is expected. In order to be considered of sufficient quality for a possible grant award, a project application must score at least 70 out of 100 points in the evaluation criteria (relevance, quality of project design and implementation, quality of partnership and cooperation set-up and impact, dissemination and sustainability). Part B of the project application must not exceed 70 pages.  

More information, including the recording of the webinar and presentations, can be found on the information webinar page or in the call document.