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  1. An institution, body, office or agency established by or based on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaties establishing the European Communities.

    All education and training facilities for people of different age groups.

    An intergovernmental organization having legal personality under public international law or a specialized agency established by such an international organization. An international organization, the majority of whose members are Member States or Associated Countries and whose main objective is to promote scientific and technological cooperation in Europe, is an International Organization of European Interest.

    A person with legal rights and obligations. Unlike a legal entity, a natural person does not have a legal act (e.g. association, limited liability company, etc.).

    An NPO is an institution or organization which, by virtue of its legal form, is not profit-oriented or which is required by law not to distribute profits to its shareholders or individual members. An NGO is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that does not represent business interests. Pursues a common purpose for the benefit of society.

    A partnership, corporation, person, or agency that is for-profit and not operated by the government.

    Any government or other public administration, including public advisory bodies, at the national, regional or local level.

    A research institution is a legal entity established as a non-profit organization whose main objective is to conduct research or technological development. A college/university is a legal entity recognized by its national education system as a university or college or secondary school. It may be a public or private institution.

    A microenterprise, a small or medium-sized enterprise (business) as defined in EU Recommendation 2003/361. To qualify as an SME for EU funding, an enterprise must meet certain conditions, including (a) fewer than 250 employees and (b) an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. These ceilings apply only to the figures for individual companies.

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  1. Governance, partnership: Projects aimed at increasing the application of multilevel and transnational or cross-border governance, designing and testing appropriate governance structures and mechanisms. Also cooperation between public institutions on any theme.

    Innovation capacity and awareness-raising: Actions that increase a person’s or organisation’s capacity for innovation (not innovation as such), and that establish the capacity to diffuse and apply innovation; projects that stimulate innovation in different areas and innovation capacities; strengthening and empowering of innovation networks.

    Institutional cooperation and cooperation networks: Projects working on the improvement of institutional cross-border co-operation and capacities, on renewing and simplifying administrative management through long term cooperation between institutions (e.g. Euregion), on establishing and sharing regional knowledge and intercultural understanding and cohesion. It also deals with cooperations between universities, health care facilities, schools and sports organisations, as well as with management and capacity building.

    Activities focussing on agricultural products, organic farming, horticulture, as well as forest management and wood products; furthermore the development of the food sector, food chains, organic food production, and seafood products and any topics related to animals and fishing.

    Agriculture and fisheries and forestry: Projects focussing on agricultural products (i.e. fruits, meat, olives, etc.), organic farming, horticulture, as well as forest management and wood products. Also the development of the agro-food sector, food chains, organic food production, and seafood products. Any topics related to animals (i.e. health, management) and fishing (i.e. sustainable fishery, aquaculture).

    Soil and air quality: Projects that deal with any topic against soil and air pollution, except water pollution, for example, reduction of soil and air contamination, pollution-management systems, but also prevention and eradication of soil erosion, new ways of improving air quality (also indoors) and soil/air knowledge in general.

    Climate change and biodiversity projects assisting mitigation and adaption to climate change and environmental impacts of climate change. Development of low carbon technologies and strategies, reduction of CO2 emissions from all sectors. Promotion of biodiversity, new instruments to enhance biodiversity and natural protection.

    Soil and air quality projects that deal with any topic against soil and air pollution, except water pollution, for example, reduction of soil and air contamination, pollution-management systems, but also prevention and eradication of soil erosion, new ways of improving air quality (also indoors) and soil/air knowledge in general.

    Water management projects about management and distribution of drinking water, integrated sustainable water management, monitoring systems for water supply and improving drinking water quality; also water treatment (wastewater), in particular, innovative technologies to improve wastewater, treatments in the purification of industrial and domestic wastewater and water reuse policies. Waterways, lakes and rivers: This deals with any topics on waterways, lakes and rivers, from improving water quality, protecting and developing of ecosystems or sustainable wetland management.

    Activities that protect, promote and enhance cultural and natural heritage, increase the attractiveness through preservation and valorisation of common cultural and natural heritage in a sustainable manner, and improve and develop cultural and natural heritage objects, services and products. Cultural heritage management, art and culture, (maritime) heritage routes, access to cultural and natural heritage. Also all topics on cultural services such as festivals, concerts, art workshops.

    Cultural heritage and arts projects that protect, promote and enhance cultural and natural heritage, increase the attractiveness through preservation and valorisation of common cultural and natural heritage in a sustainable manner, and improve and develop cultural and natural heritage objects, services and products. Cultural heritage management, art and culture, (maritime) heritage routes, access to cultural and natural heritage. Also all topics on cultural services such as festivals, concerts, art workshops.

    Tourism projects dealing with the promotion of natural assets, and the protection and development of natural heritage, as well as increasing the touristic attractiveness through the better use of natural, cultural and historical heritage. Also projects about improved tourist services/products, development of ecotourism models, tourism development strategies.

    Sustainable management of natural resources projects focussing on the protection, promotion and valorization, and sustainable management and conservation of natural areas (habitats, geo parks, protected areas, etc.). Also projects focussing on preserving and enhancing cultural and natural heritage and landscape, as well as protecting the marine environment.

    Projects on waste management (innovative services and strategies), ecological waste treatment, treatment techniques/systems; waste disposal and recycling (improvement of recycling, innovative recycling technologies, recovery of organic waste, repair & re-use centres and networks); also prevention of pollution and pollution control (ecological and circular economy, marine littering, etc.).

    Labour market and employment: creating employment opportunities and/or optimising jobs, academic (un)employment and job mobility, workforce attraction and improvement of employment conditions for different groups.

    SME and entrepreneurship: strengthening SME capacities, boosting entrepreneurial activities in different sectors and for different groups, supporting social entrepreneurship, creating business support/advisory systems for start-ups/spin-offs/incubators, improving the competitiveness of SMEs, and promoting new business processes.

    Community integration and common identity projects that build identity, create a more cohesive society, promote positive relations through an increased provision of shared spaces and services.

    Demographic change and immigration is about projects tackling major societal challenges like demographic change in different areas and migration, in particular, aging society (active aging, best agers, silver economy strategies) and related new public services (adaptation of key services and infrastructure), social and spatial segregation, and brain drain. Also all topics on migration (policy tools, strategic planning, integration).

    All projects where ICT has a significant role, including tailor-made ICT solutions in different fields, as well as digital innovation hubs, open data, Internet of Things; ICT access and connecting (remote) areas with digital infrastructure and services; services and applications for citizens (e-health, e-government, e-learning, e-inclusion, etc.); services and applications for companies (e-commerce, networking, digital transformation, etc.).

    This is about the mitigation and management of risks and disasters, and the anticipation and response capacity towards the actors regarding specific risks and management of natural disasters, for example, prevention of flood and drought hazards, forest fire, strong weather conditions, etc.. It is also about risk assessment and safety.

    Education and training projects on expanding educational opportunities, reducing barriers in the field of education, improving higher education and lifelong learning, training and labour mobility, educational networks, higher vocational education, common learning programmes.

    Topics on energy management, energy-saving methods, evaluating energy efficiency measurements, energy rehabilitation/efficiency in buildings / public infrastructure, promotion of energy efficiency, cooperation among experienced energy efficiency firms, institutions and local administrations, co-generation.

    Projects focussing on wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal and other renewable energy, increasing the production of sustainable renewable energy and improving research capacities in biomass. Also projects focussing on storage and management of renewable energy, new technologies, sustainable regional bioenergy policies and financial Instruments for investments on renewable energy.

    Social projects concerning people with disabilities and excluded groups; enhancement of the capacity of children, young people, women and elderly; creation of infrastructure to improve access for disabled people, integration of socially vulnerable people; innovate in the care of victims of gender violence, social inclusion of women, etc.

    This deals with the development of health and social services and improved accessibility and efficiency for different groups (elderly, children, etc.). It is also about new healthcare models and medical diagnosis and treatments (dementia, cancer, diabetes, etc.), hospitals, care management, and rare diseases, as well as improving wellbeing and promoting sports.

    Projects about (organised) crime, efficient and secure borders, such as enhancing the effectiveness of the police in the prevention of drug crimes, the development of safety services, or tackling security and organised crime issues.

    Activities related to:

    • Transport and mobility covering all sorts of transport (incl. urban transport) and mobility.
    • Improving transport connections dealing with traffic and/or transport connections, rehabiliation/modernisation, better connectivity, improving accessibility/connections, but also public transport.
    • Multimodal transport and logistics and freight transport focusing on using different means of transport, developing multimodal connections, optimising intermodal transport chains; offering multimodal logistics solutions and providing access to clean, efficient and multimodal transport corridors and hubs; establishing cooperation among logistic centres and developing multimodal mobility strategies.

    Activities related to:

    • urban development, such as planning and design of cities and urban areas, urban renewal, urban-rural links (climate, sustainable mobility, water efficiency, participation, sustainable land use, smart cities, public urban areas, regeneration)
    • regional planning and development, such as the implementation of regional development policies/instruments and programmes, sustainable land use management plans, integrated regional action plans, spatial planning, and marine protected area management.
    • rural and peripheral development, referring to remote, sparsely populated areas, rural community development, and rural economics, in particular access to remote areas and policies for rural areas.
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Call key data

Centres of Vocational Excellence

Funding Program

Erasmus+ - Key Action 2 – Cooperation among Organisations and Institutions

Call number

ERASMUS-EDU-2025-PEX-COVE

deadlines

Opening
05.12.2024

Deadline
11.06.2025 17:00

Funding rate

80%

Call budget

€ 60,000,000.00

Estimated EU contribution per project

max. € 4,000,000.00

Link to the call

ec.europa.eu

Link to the submission

ec.europa.eu

Call content

short description

Implementing vocational excellence approaches features prominently in the overall EU policy agenda for skills and for Vocational Education and Training (VET). The European Skills Agenda, the European Education Area, the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET, as well as the Osnabrück Declaration all include very clear references to vocational excellence as a driving force for reforms in the VET sector.

Call objectives

The initiative on Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) aims to respond to this policy priority supporting reforms in the VET sector, ensuring high quality skills and competences that lead to quality employment and career-long opportunities, meeting the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy. The CoVE initiative also supports the implementation of the European Green Deal, the Communication on attracting Skills and Talent and the new Industrial and SME Strategies, as skills are key to their success, as well as the Communication on skills and talent mobility adopted in 2023, the Action Plan on labour and skills shortages, and the Council Recommendation ‘Europe on the Move’.

CoVEs operate in a given local context, creating skills ecosystems for innovation, regional development and social inclusion while working with CoVEs in other countries through international collaborative networks. They establish a bottom-up approach to vocational excellence involving a wide range of local stakeholders enabling VET institutions to rapidly adapt skills provision to evolving economic and social needs.

They provide opportunities for initial training of young people as well as the continuing up-skilling and re-skilling of adults through flexible and timely offer of training that meets the needs of a dynamic labour market, including in the context of the green and digital transitions. They act as catalysts for local business development and innovation, by working closely with companies (in particular SMEs) on applied research projects, creating knowledge and innovation hubs, as well as supporting entrepreneurial initiatives of their learners.

The networks aim for "upward convergence" of VET excellence. They will be open for the involvement of countries with well-developed vocational excellence systems, as well as those in the process of developing similar approaches, aimed at exploring the full potential of VET institutions to play a proactive role in support of growth and innovation.

This initiative introduces a European dimension to vocational excellence by supporting the implementation of EU VET policy and actions agreed with member states, social partners and VET providers.

The concept of vocational excellence proposed here is characterised by a holistic, learner-centred approach in which VET:

  • is an integrated part of skills ecosystems, contributing to regional development, innovation, smart specialisation and clusters strategies, as well as to specific value chains and industrial ecosystems;
  • is part of knowledge triangles, working closely with other education and training sectors, the scientific community and business;
  • enables learners to acquire both vocational (job-specific) as well as key competences through high-quality provision that is underpinned by quality assurance;
  • builds innovative forms of partnerships with the world of work and is supported by the continuous professional development of teaching and training staff, innovative pedagogies, learner and staff mobility and VET internationalisation strategies.

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Expected effects and impacts

The gradual establishment and development of European networks of Centres of Vocational Excellence is expected to increase VET systems’ responsiveness to adapt skills provision to evolving economic and social needs, ensuring that VET is at the forefront of providing solutions to the challenges posed by rapidly changing skills needs.

By forming an essential part of the “knowledge triangle” – projects should foster the collaboration between businesses, education and research – and playing a fundamental role in providing skills to support innovation and smart specialisation, the Centres of Vocational Excellence are expected to ensure high quality skills and competences that lead to quality employment and career-long opportunities, which meet the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy.

Through the wide dissemination of project outcomes at transnational, national and/or regional levels and the development of a long-term action plan for the progressive roll out of project deliverables, taking national and regional development and smart specialisation strategies into account, individual projects are expected to engage relevant stakeholders within and outside the participating organisations and ensure a lasting impact after the project lifetime.

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Expected results

This action supports the gradual establishment and development of international collaborative networks of Centres of Vocational Excellence. The Centres of Vocational Excellence aim at achieving the following objectives:

  • to ensure high quality skills through flexible and learner-centred VET provisions that lead to quality employment and career-long opportunities, swiftly responding to the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy as well as to societal needs;
  • to support and act as drivers for local and regional development, innovation and social inclusion in the context of the green and digital transitions;
  • to contribute to upward convergence on VET excellence, to increase the quality of VET at system level in more and more countries;
  • to ensure that outputs and results are taken into use and have impact beyond the project partner organisations and beyond the project period.

Centres of Vocational Excellence 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. They could contribute e.g. to the delivery phase of the New European Bauhaus initiative by collaborating with the communities involved in the local transformations fostered by the initiative.

CoVEs achieve their objectives by bringing together and working closely with a set of local/regional partners such 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.

This call will thus support projects bringing together local or regional partners from various countries developing a set of activities under three clusters; 1) Teaching and learning, 2) Cooperation and partnerships, and 3) Governance and Funding.

CoVEs are required to apply EU wide instruments and tools whenever relevant.

They must include the design of a long-term action plan for the progressive roll-out of project deliverables after the project has finished. This plan shall be based on sustained partnerships between education and training providers and key labour market actors at the appropriate level. It should include the identification of appropriate governance structures, as well as plans for scalability and financial sustainability.

While the Erasmus+ CoVE initiative promotes a European dimension to VET Excellence, the EU policy on VET Excellence also has an international dimension, supported by the European Training Foundation (ETF). ETF has developed a self-assessment tool (ISATCOVE), a concept for a label for excellence, and is providing support services to organisations interested in vocational excellence.

To see the list of CoVEs already funded, please check EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Factsheets for the funded projects are also available on the website of DG Employment, Social Affairs and inclusion.

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Eligibility Criteria

Regions / countries for funding

EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT)
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Liechtenstein, Montenegro (Црна Гора), Morocco (المغرب), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна)

eligible entities

Education and training institution, International organization, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)

Mandatory partnership

Yes

Project Partnership

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

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).

Affiliated entities and associated partners do not count in this minimum configuration of the consortium. They can not be the coordinating organisation.

The coordinating organisation must be from an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme.

Organisations from eligible third countries not associated to the Programme from regions 1 to 3 can also participate as beneficiaries or affiliated entities, to the extent it is demonstrated that their participation brings an essential added value to the project.

Exception: organisations from Belarus (Region 2) are not eligible to participate in this action.

other eligibility criteria

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.

The Clusters are described below in the section “Setting up a project”.

Vocational education and training activities, at any EQF levels from 3 to 8, including the upper-secondary level, the post-secondary non-tertiary level as well as the tertiary level (e.g. Universities of applied sciences, Polytechnic institutes, etc.) are eligible. However, applications cannot include only activities that target learners at tertiary level; if they focus on VET at post-secondary level (EQF levels 6 to 8), they must include at least one other VET qualification level between EQF levels 3 to 5, as well as a strong work-based learning component.

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.

Financial support to third parties in the form of grants or prizes is not allowed. Costs for financial audits are not allowed. Volunteer costs are allowed.

Additional information

Topics

Digitalisation, Digital Society, ICT, 
Education & Training, Children & Youth, Media

Relevance for EU Macro-Region

EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region

UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)

project duration

48 months

Additional Information

Applications must be submitted to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).

To submit an Erasmus+ project, applicants must follow the four steps described below.

  • Registration. Each applicant must be registered as follows:
    • For actions managed by the Executive Agency, applicants, affiliated entities, and associated partners must register in the Funding & Tenders Portal and receive a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Organisations/groups that have already obtained a PIC through their participation in other EU progrommes do not need to register again. The PIC obtained from this previous registration is valid also for applying under Erasmus+;
    • For actions managed by National Agencies, applicants must, if not already done, register through the Organisation Registration system for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps and receive an Organisation ID.
  • Check the compliance with the programme criteria for the relevant Action/field;
  • Check the financial conditions;
  • Fill in and submit the application form.

Applications (Part B) are limited to 40 pages for calls for low value grants (EUR 60 000 or below), 120 pages for calls with high value grants (EUR 4 000 000), and 70 for all other calls. The following actions make exception to this rule: 40 pages for “Capacity Building in Higher Education” (CBHE) and 70 pages for the action Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters. Evaluatorswill not consider any additional pages.

Call documents

Erasmus + Programme Guide 2025Erasmus + Programme Guide 2025(5820kB)

Contact

Erasmus+ National Agencies
Website

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