Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) achieve their objectives by bringing together and working closely with a set of local/regional partners such as, initial and continuing VET providers, higher education institutions including universities of applied sciences and polytechnics, research institutions, science parks, innovation agencies, companies, other employers, chambers and their associations, social partners, social enterprises, sectoral skills councils, professional/sector associations, national and regional authorities and development agencies, employment services, qualifications authorities, social inclusion and reintegration organisations, etc.
Detailed Call Description
This action supports the gradual establishment and development of international collaborative networks of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs).
CoVEs will operate at two levels:
- At national level involving a wide range of local stakeholders creating skills ecosystems for local innovation, regional development, and social inclusion, while working with CoVEs in other countries through international collaborative networks.
- At international level bringing together CoVEs that share a common interest in:
- specific sectors or industrial ecosystems;
- innovative approaches to tackle economic and societal challenges (e.g. climate change, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, sustainable development goals, integration of migrants and disadvantaged groups, upskilling people with low qualification levels, etc.); or
- innovative approaches to increase the outreach, quality and effectiveness of existing CoVEs.
The networks will bring together existing CoVEs, or develop the Vocational Excellence model by linking partners from various countries, that intend to develop Vocational Excellence in their local context through international cooperation.
Projects must choose relevant activities (providing details on the concrete actions and deliverables) indicated under the following three clusters:
• Cluster 1 – Teaching and learning;
• Cluster 2 – Cooperation and partnership;
• Cluster 3 – Governance and funding.
For further information regarding the clusters as well as examples of activities, those interested can visit pages 252-257 of the 2025 Programme Guide.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The maximum EU grant per project is €4.000.000. This action follows a lump sum funding model. The amount of the single lump-sum contribution will be determined for each grant based on the estimated budget of the action proposed by the applicant.
The lump sum value will be limited to a maximum of 80% of the estimated budget determined after evaluation.
Thematic Categories
- Education and training
- Industry
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Educational Institutions
- International Organisations
- NGOs
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- State-owned Enterprises
- Training Centres
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies);
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e., EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme);
- be active in the field of vocational education and training or in the world of work.
Organisations active in the field of vocational education and training or in the world of work from third countries not associated to the Programme in Regions 1 to 3 may also participate – as beneficiary or affiliated entity- but not as coordinator. Organisations from other third countries not associated to the Programme may participate as associated partners. Exception: organisations from Belarus(Region 2) are not eligible to participate in this action.
Participating organisations can be, for example (non-exhaustive list):
- VET providers
- VET provider representative organisations
- Companies, industry, other employers or sector representative organisations
- National/regional qualification authorities
- Research institutes
- Innovation agencies
- Regional development authorities
- International organisations active in the VET field
Consortium composition
The partnership must include at least 8 applicants (beneficiaries) from a minimum of 4 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme.
Each EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme must include:
- at least 1 enterprise, industry, other employers or sector representative organisation, and
- at least 1 vocational education and training provider (at secondary and/or tertiary level).
The coordinating organisation must be from an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme.
The applicant must address 3 clusters of activities (providing details on the concrete actions and deliverables).
For each cluster, a minimum number of activities must be selected from the list below:
- at least 4 activities under Cluster 1 – Teaching and learning,
- at least 3 activities under Cluster 2 – Cooperation and partnership, and
- at least 2 activities under Cluster 3 – Governance and funding
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Foundation for the Management of European (EU) Lifelong Learning Programmes
Website: Erasmus+ – IDEP
Website with Contact details: Εpikoinonia – Erasmus+ – IDEP
Address: Prodromou & Dimitrakopoulou 2, Nicosia 1090, Cyprus
Τelephone: +357 22448888
Email: info@idep.org.cy
EU Contact Point
For help related to this call, please contact: eacea-eplus-vet@ec.europa.eu