tenders and grants

partnership

COMENIUS —SCHOOL EDUCATION
COMENIUS 1: SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Applications are welcome under all three types of projects under ‘School Partnerships ’, namely Comenius school projects, Comenius language projects and Comenius school development projects. Among these three types, proposals for Comenius language projects and Comenius school development projects will be particularly welcome.

COMENIUS 2: INITIAL AND FURTHER TRAINING OF SCHOOL EDUCATION STAFF
Comenius 2. 1: European cooperation projects
Priority will be given to projects making a significant contribution to innovation in the training of school education staff, with particular emphasis on new aspects of the role of the teacher. The following is an indicative list of topics which such projects might address:
—a framework for mobility activities of student teachers , including the provision of practical training periods and the recognition of these activities by the institutions concerned,
—preparing student teachers and teachers to use the new information and communication technologies as a pedagogical tool and as a new means to support teachers' cooperation;stimulating and maintaining the teacher's ability to learn,
—the role of the teacher as a ‘facilitator of the lear ning process ’, helping and guiding pupils to develop their knowledge and a portfolio of skills often partly acquired from outside the classroom (‘learning to learn ’),
—preparing teaching staff to use specific methodologies for the teaching of othersubjects through the medium of a foreign language and for the teaching of a for eign language in pre-primary and primary education (especially a less widely used and less taught foreign language),
—school leadership teams and the role of the head teacher, including such aspects as the changing role of school in society;the importance of evaluation and quality assurance systems in school education;ensuring efficient use of resources;strategies for creating a safe school environment and for combating racism and xenophobia,
—raising interest for the study of scientific and technical subjects ,
—strengthening links with working life and research and improving the transition from school to the world of work, with special emphasis on vocational guidance and counselling,
—developing cooperation between a network of different players who can give support to pupils both inside and outside the school environment (educational staff in schools, parents, pupil peers, career counsellors, guidance personnel, youth workers, mediators, street educators, social services, health services, police, business sector, associations, sport and youth clubs etc. )including the development of teamwork,
—developing methods for improving school attendance and achievement levels with particular attention to the needs of the children of migrants, Gypsies, travellers and occupational travellers.

Comenius 2. 2: Individual training grants
Priority will be given to persons who, in addition to fulfilling the training-oriented objective of the mobility, can also demonstrate that their mobility activity has the potential to:
—support them in their role as multipliers within their respective institutions and contribute to achieving their institution's policy objectives, —promote the creation of new school partnerships under Comenius 1 in the future.

The following section (in italic ) replaces the corresponding section of the guidelines for applicants‘
C. Individual grants for in-service training
The objectives of this action are to encourage participants to improve their knowledge and skills, to gain a broader understanding of school education in Europe and to gain an understanding of the European dimension to their work.
Grants are available to enable teachers or other categories of staff working in the school education sector to participate in in-service training activities (“courses ”) lasting between one and four weeks in a country other than the country in which these teachers normally work.
Courses in teaching foreign languages should normally but not necessarily take place in a country where the target language is spoken and taught.
The course may in some cases take the form of a placement in commerce or industry, where this is considered to be conducive to achieving the objectives mentioned above.
Each course is preceded by a period of preparation and followed by a period of follow-up. These phases of work take place in the participant's home country.
In some respects arrangements for language teachers differ slightly from those for teachers of other subjects. Details are given at the appropriate places in the text below. ’

COMENIUS 3: COMENIUS NETWORKS
Priority will be given to:
—networks designed to promote European citizenship ,
—networks focussing on interdisciplinary topics, such as: basic skills, learning of languages, science and technology, environmental education, art education and the stimulation of creativity,
—networks focussing on aspects of school improvement, such as: the involvement of parents in school education , the management of schools , the future role of the teacher , the education and integration of specific target groups (children of migrant workers, Gypsies and travellers, occupational travellers, pupils at risk of social exclusion and pupils with special educational needs).
Applicants will be especially encouraged to propose networks in areas related to priorities which are not covered by existing networks.

Annual national priorities for decentralised actions
The national authorities of the participating countries listed below will apply additional national priorities for the selection of decentralised projects. These national priorities are complementary to the general European priorities mentioned in the otherchapters of this call.
1. France
Comenius 1:
(a)Thematic areas:
For primary schools:
—a new approach to the teaching of science,
—artistic and cultural education appropriate to current cultural and technological issues,
—teaching of modern languages (respect and development of multilingualism and cultural diversity).
for lowersecondary schools:
—classes focusing on artistic and cultural projects (PAC).
for uppersecondary schools:
—civil, legal and social education.
(b)New teaching methods: multi-disciplinary activities and learning to become self-sufficient:
—paths to learning discoveries (‘les itinéraires de découverte ’)(lower secondary schools),
—interdisciplinary group project work (travaux personnels encadrés)(upper secondary schools).

2. Italy
Comenius 1, school projects:
—integration school/territory,
—didactical innovation in science and technology.
Comenius 1, school development projects:
—introduction of collaborative methods in school/territory relations,
—organisation of extra-curricular activities and their integration into pupils'overall education,
—new forms of pedagogic-didactical organisation in case of school failure,
—vocational counselling.
Comenius 1, language projects:
—promotion of the teaching of certain subjects in one or more European languages,
—sociocultural dimension of the learning of languages,
—construction of active citizenship via language learning.

3. Austria
Comenius 1:
—quality development at schools,
—creativity (‘Bildung ist mehr ’),
—citizenship,
—foreign languages.
Grundtvig 2:
—educational data and indicators/identification of need in qualifications,
—motivation to learn, new learning and teaching methods, competencies to learn,
—recognition of learning/certification,
—learning centres/networking,
—funding models and incentive systems,
—vocational and educational information and counselling,
—quality assurance, consumer protection and professionalisation.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
The Socrates decision states in Annex IV. B. 2 that: ‘The Community contribution will not normally exceed 75 %of the total cost of any specific project, except in the case of accompanying measures ’. Participating institutions/organisations are therefore expected to commit other resources to the project and to declare such other sources of funding. The Commission may award a grant of less than the amount requested by the applicant. Grants will not be awarded for more than the amount requested. The rules governing eligible costs are explained in the application forms which are available from the addresses listed in Section V.
The guidelines for applicants provide information on the financial support available within the programme, where the amount of support provided is likely to remain stable. Generally speaking, the level of grants awarded is likely to vary considerably, depending on the type of project, the number of countries involved and so on. The following indications may be useful for developing project proposals:
Comenius
Comenius 2 (projects): Based on previous experience, grants are likely to vary from around EUR 20 000 to EUR 100 000 per annum.
Comenius 3 (networks): Based on previous experience, grants are likely to vary from around EUR 50 000 to EUR 150 000 per annum.

(1 )In the following countries, earlier deadlines apply:
—Germany: dates vary between the different Länder , the earliest being 1 February 2003. Full details of the dates for all the Länder are available from national agencies in all participating countries,
—Greece: 1 February 2003 school partnerships, 15 January 2003 expression of interest to receive a Comenius language assistant,
—Spain: 1 February 2003,
—Italy: 1 February 2003,
—Finland: 1 February 2003,
—United Kingdom: 1 February 2003,
—Romania: 1 February 2003. (2 )In the following country, an earlier deadline applies:
—Spain: 1 February 2003.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURES
Application and selection procedures in Socrates vary, depending on whether the action concerned is managed centrally by the European Commission or on a decentralised level by the national agencies designated by participating countries. This information is given in detail in the guidelines for applicants.
The application forms to be used, the guidelines for applicants and further details on the programme are available:
—from the national agencies for the programme, the list of which appears in Section VI and at the central website for Socrates below,
—from the central website for Socrates at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates.html
—from the Socrates, Leonardo and Youth technical assistance office (TAO), rue de Trèves/Trierstraat 59-61), B-1000 Brussels, tel. (32-2)233 01 11, fax (32-2)233 01 50, e-mail: info@socrates-youth.be , which provides the European Commission (Directorate-General for Education and Culture)with technical assistance in implementing the programme.

For several of the actions within the programme, contact seminars are being organised to help people find suitable partner institutions in other participating countries and to establish projects. Details of these events are available from national agencies on request.
Applicants will be informed of the result of the selection procedures in writing. The Commission will endeavour to ensure that the selection decisions are made known to applicants at the latest five months after the closing date for submission of applications. For projects selected in accordance with the two-phase procedure, this will only refer to the second stage of the selection (full project proposals).

LIST OF SOCRATES NATIONAL AGENCIES
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates/nat-est.html