Our goal
Enhanced quality, access and relevance of education and training for the digital and green transitions, human rights, democracy, and youth employment.
Rationale for the support
Quality education and training are fundamental to the well-being of individuals and their personal development and lay the ground for active citizenship and democratic culture. Lifelong access to education and training supports the employability and professional development of individuals. Access to education, training and apprenticeship adapted to young people’s needs is key to a successful transition from school to work.
Quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling are crucial to achieving the green and digital transitions, remedying labour shortages, bridging the skills gap, and addressing the ongoing transformation of jobs due to technological development. Quality education and training fuel research, innovation, and social and economic development, as well as competitiveness.
Areas of support
- Innovative approaches in formal and non-formal education and training.
- Capacity building to enhance youth employability.
- Professional development of teachers, educators, trainers, school leaders and administrative staff in education.
How the objective will be addressed
The programme area aims to strengthen the knowledge, skills and attitudes learners need to participate in the green transition, promoting increased understanding of global societal challenges and their interconnectedness.
Enhanced digital capacity will be supported, as well as the strengthening of transversal skills that enhance civic competences and democratic participation such as creativity, critical thinking, media, and digital literacy. Empowering learners to build a universal culture of human rights and equipping them with skills to combat disinformation will be emphasised.
Emphasis will also be placed on increased cooperation with the labour market to enhance the relevance of education and training and support youth employability.
The programme area will build the capacity of teachers, trainers, school leaders and administrative staff at all levels of education.
Programmes may address both formal and non-formal education and training and may include interventions at institutional as well as national levels. Cross-sectorial collaboration is encouraged.
Rather than addressing the areas of support broadly, each programme will focus on specific challenges or gaps to make an impact on institutional capacity and learning communities in the Donor and Beneficiary States.
An important aim is to strengthen the participation of the Donor and Beneficiary States in the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport and in the European Education Area, as well as to achieve synergies with European funding.
Key actors and beneficiaries
Key actors are educational institutions, school providers and institutions involved in decision-making and public policy, at all levels, addressing both formal and non-formal education, training and youth employment.
Partnerships with industry and organisations, both in the private and public sectors, including international organisations, civil society organisations, and non-governmental organisations, are encouraged. The end beneficiaries are pupils, students, teachers, and other staff at all levels of education and training, as well as enterprises and employees. Specific attention will be given to persons in vulnerable situations.