Science and Society Initiative
Science and Society - European Science Education Initiative
Proposals must involve existing science teachers networks; to combine expertise across relevant professions (science education, research, technology, industry); and provide an openly accessible resource infrastructure for the dissemination of information. Proposals must also demonstrate an understanding of how science is taught in schools.

It is envisaged to support an integrated approach, either through a single project, or a number of projects which will be clustered. Want to fund a pan-European initiative with several well-articulated sub-projects.

Seeking one or two very large initiatives with a European focus, with the integration of all actors - associations, organisations, teacher trainers.
Call closes 8th October 2003, budget 7 million euro

Two types of activities (not a research project)
· Specific Support Actions
· Coordination Actions
National contact points http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/ncps
Additional information contact stephen.parker@cec.eu.int

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AUNP - ASEAN-EU UNIVERSITY NETWORK PROGRAMME
Global budget 3 million euro
Amount awarded per project between EUR 100 000 and 200 000
Closing Date(s) June 19 2003

AUNP has been designed to enhance higher education cooperation between EU and ASEAN countries and to promote regional integration within ASEAN members.
Domains concerned Education - Training - Co-op & Development
Regions Member States - ASEAN countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.

Objectives:
· Facilitate partnership projects between higher education institutions in European Union Member States and the eligible ASEAN countries in order to initiate/strengthen coordinated and sustainable relations in the field of higher education
· Promote joint academic activities, such as the creation of common curricula and courses/modules, and the development/improvement of course material
· Upgrade the skills of postgraduate students, academic and administrative staff through the provision of in-country and overseas training, and through the exchange of experience
· Facilitate reciprocal access to higher education
· Encourage mutual knowledge and recognition of study programmes; agreements on credit transfer and mutual degree recognition
· Foster collaborative applied research focusing on fields of study of demonstrable EU-ASEAN mutual interest, with the subsequent sharing of research output and publications
· Increase the availability of information about the higher education systems in the European Union and ASEAN
· Raise awareness of opportunities in the higher education sector and develop links that can ultimately lead to mutually beneficial economic cooperation

Financed activities: are common applied research, human resource development, AUNP curriculum development
A proposal may be submitted by a minimum of four partners, minimum higher education institutions from at least two different EU Member States and two different eligible Asian countries
The programme strongly encourages partnerships involving participation from the least developed eligible countries (Cambodia, Laos).

Call Text:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/dat/2003/c_043/c_04320030222en00130015.pdf
Guidlines:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/aunp/aunp_guidelines_2003_en.pdf
Application form:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/aunp/aunp_application_form_annexes_en.doc

European Commission Person in charge Sylvain TARREAU
DG EuropeAid Cooperation Office D2
Rue de la Loi, 200, B-1049 Bruxelles, Belgium
Tel. 32 2 295 07 52 Fax: 32-2-299 1062
europeaid-aunp@cec.eu.int

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ASIA-LINK
Global budget 10 million euro
Amount awarded per project between 200 000 and 300 000 EUR
Closing Date: September 25 2003

Grants for cooperation and exchange activities between students and staff of higher education institutions in EU and South-east Asia and China
Domains concerned Co-op & Development - Education - Training
Regions EU Member States, South-east Asia and China

Objectives:
· Foster cooperation in the field of higher education between the European Union and south and south-east Asia and China
· Upgrade and enhance the skills and mobility of postgraduate students, teaching staff and administrators of higher education institutions through the provision of in-country and overseas training,
· Promote the exchange of experience and encourage mutual knowledge and recognition of study programmes and reciprocal access to higher education,
· Encourage the creation of a basis for future development, including: common curricula and courses/modules; agreements on credit transfer and mutual
· Increase the availability of information about the EU higher education system in the participating Asian countries in order to enhance the attractiveness of European higher education,
· Provide Asian students with a broader choice of study-abroad opportunities,
· Raise awareness of opportunities in the sector and develop links that can ultimately lead to mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

Eligible Asian countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, People's Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macao), Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand or Vietnam.

Application Documents (EN):
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/asia-link/apply_en.htm
Backround information:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/asia-link/index_en.htm

As a minimum requirement, partnerships must involve higher education institutions from at least two different Member States of the European Union and two different eligible Asian countries

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eCONTENT
Global budget 19 million euro
Amount awarded per project between 50% and 75%
The eContent call includes permanent action lines open until May 2004.

Objective is to stimulate the development and use of European digital content on the global networks and to promote linguistic diversity in the information society
The eContent programme is based on three action lines:
(a) improving access to and use of public sector information
(b) enhancing content production in a multilingual and multicultural environment
(c) increasing dynamism in the digital content market

Financed actions:
Action line 1:Improving access to and use of public sector information
Action line 2:Enhancing content production in a multilingual and multicultural environment
Action line 3: Increasing dynamism in the digital content market
Sub-line 3.1: Exchange of good practices

Part 2 — Continuous submission scheme (Call part identifier: EC-Y03-C3-P2)
Feasibility projects
Deadline: 28 May 2004 at 17.00

Regarding part 2: Proposals may now be submitted at any time up to May 2004, the selection of projects is made every 4 months. Please note that deadlines apply to receipt by the Commission.

All necessary documents for application:
http://www.cordis.lu/econtent/calls.htm

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SOCRATES II: EC-JAPAN PILOT COOPERATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Global budget not communicated
Amount awarded per project 300 000 euro
Closing Date(s) June 27 2003

Partnerships with Japan funded by DG Education. Domains concerned Education - Training - Co-op & Development
Who can apply? Schools - Training centres - Universities Regions EU Member States - Candidate countries - EEA countries

Objective is to set up a framework for student mobility at postgraduate (Masters) level but the project may include upper undergraduate (3rd year or higher) level students.

Funded actions:
The pilot project will be composed of the following actions:
- Common study programme
- Student mobility
- Evaluation plan

Priority fields include:
- Life sciences
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Social sciences and Education

The project should bring together at least three higher education institutions from three of the countries participating to the Socrates programme. The pilot project will be funded for three years.

Call text:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/japan/guide_en.pdf
Application form:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/japan/form_en.pdf
Background information:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/japan/japan.html

The project should bring together at least three higher education institutions from three of the countries participating in the Socrates programme.

European Commission Person in charge Mr Augusto Gonzales
DG Education and Culture, European Commission
r ue de la Loi, 200 (B7 8/20), B- 1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tel.: 32 2 296 63 19 Fax: 32 2 295 57 19
augusto.gonzalez@cec.eu.int

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SOCRATES II - OBSERVATION & INNOVATION
Global budget EUR 1 700 000
Amount awarded per project up to 75% of total costs
Closing Date(s) May 28 2003

This call is launched to finance projects aimed at helping develop innovations in the field of education.

Objectives:
· Facilitate the implementation of the ‘Report on the future objectives of education and of training systems’ according to the conclusions of the Education Council and of the ‘Detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems in Europe’.
· Give financial support to educational, lifelong learning and research institutions that mobilise their innovation potential around the key issues related to the implementation of the ‘Detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems in Europe’.

Priority themes:
— Making best use of resources
— Opening up the education and training systems to the wider world
— Education and training for teachers and trainers

Financed actions:
- Studies, analyses
- Pilot projects
- Seminars
- Exchanges of experts
- Other appropriate actions aimed at improving knowledge and facilitating an innovative exchange of expertise and experience

Priority will be given to projects based on studies already available on this area.

Call Text:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/dat/2003/c_081/c_08120030404en00340038.pdf
Application Forms:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates/observation/particip_en.html#doc
Back round information:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates/observation/index_en.html

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LEONARDO DA VINCI - Vocational Training
MOBILITY, PILOT PROJECTS, LANGUAGE COMPETENCIES, TRANSNATIONAL NETWORKS, REFERENCE TOOLS
Closing Date(s) October 3 2003, February 13 2004

Call Text:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2/call/call_2003/call_2003_en.pdf
Guidelines:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2/guides/en_1.pdf
Application Form for mobility projects:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2/forms/en_mob.doc
Application Form for other projects:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2/forms/en_pil.doc
Informations générales:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2_en.html

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FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

ERASMUS WORLD 2004-2008
Global budget: 200-300 Million Euros

Grants for the enhancement of quality in higher education and the promotion of intercultural understanding through co-operation with third countries

Education - Training Research centres - Training centres - Federations - Unions - Universities - Associations
European Union - Central and Eastern Europe - European Economic Area - Mediterranean countries - European Free Trade Association – Worlwide
Qualifying activities Transnational cooperation - Mobility actions - Teaching, Training

Objectives :
Promote the emergence of a distinctly European offer in higher education, attractive both within the EU and beyond its borders
* Enhance the profile and visibility of, and improved accessibility to, European education by the creation of EU master, that become an acknowledged label for studies in Europe
* Encourage a greater world-wide interest in the acquisition of European qualifications and/or experience among highly qualified graduates and scholars from all over the world, and to enable them to obtain such qualifications and/or experience
* Strengthen a more structured co-operation between EU and third country institutions and a greater EU outgoing mobility as part of European study programmes
* Promotion of languager skills and intercultural dialogue

Financed actions:
* EU Masters involving at least 3 Member States
* A Scholarship scheme
* Partnerships with third country higher education institutions
* Enhancing the attractiveness of Europe as an educational destination
* Technical support measures
Programme open to candidate, associated countries and third countries

Responsible: European Commission, SOCRATES & YOUTH Office
Hilde BRANDT, DG Education and Culture A2
Rue de la Loi, 200, B-1049 Bruxelles, Belgique
Tel. 32 2 299 63 80 Fax: 32 2 299 41 53
holger.helrer@cec.eu.int
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/world/index_en.html

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OTHER LINKS
Framework 6: http://www.cordis.lu/en/home.html
List of Tenders http://ted.publications.eu.int/static/home/en/homepage.ini

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Further s upport and advice in putting applications together can be obtained from Karl Donert