Study Visits (former Arion and CEDEFOP)

CALL for Applications are NOW open

1^st Application Round: Study Visits from September 2010 to February 2011:

Start Application Round	8^th February 2010
End Application Round	30^th March 2010

2^nd Application Round: Study Visits from March 2011 to June 2011:

Start Application Round	19^th July 2010
End Application Round	15^th October 2010

What is a Study Visit?

A study visit is a short stay of three to five days in a host country for a group of 10 to 15 education and vocational training specialists and decision-makers, to examine a particular aspect of lifelong learning in another country. A group usually consists of people from seven to ten different European countries. The study visits for education and vocational training specialists, as one of the key actions of the transversal programme of the Lifelong learning programme, aim to support policy development and cooperation in lifelong learning at European level. Study visits provide a forum for discussion, exchange and learning and serve the following objectives:

• enabling those exercising important responsibilities at local, regional or national levels to improve their understanding of specific aspects of education and vocational training policies and themes of common interest in other countries;

• continuing exchange of advice, ideas and information between all those participating in the programme, including both visitors and hosts;

• enriching the flow of information between the participating countries and at European level.

Being a transversal action, the study visits is related to the four large sectoral programmes of LLP, to a different extent, in terms of covering themes which are of interest to the representatives of various education and training fields. It contributes to achieving the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy and the Education and Training 2010 work programme, as well as the Bologna and Copenhagen processes and their successors.

For each call a framework of themes is defined following the priorities agreed by the management committee of the Lifelong Learning Programme.

Depending on the approach to the themes, there are three types of study visits: those that explore the themes from

• a general education perspective;

• a vocational education and training perspective,

• a comprehensive lifelong learning perspective (the mixed type).

The study visits programme is thus a unique tool to support learning about other countries and to develop a European dimension in education and training. Working the entire time together, reflecting together on various job-related issues, sharing points of view, discovering other ways of seeing things, solving problems or simply considering solutions makes both the organisers and the participants feel more like members of a common European space.

Lifelong learning and mobility are fundamental in promoting employability and personal development (in this case). The aim of the lifelong learning is to increase the level of education in Europe, and to accomodate the evolving European challenges in the fields of vocational educational and training systems, such as combatting illiteracy, and competence development of older workers,amongst others. On the other hand, it has to be ensured that the labour market is open to all, thus ensuring a successful enlargement of the European Union and fulfillment of the objectives identified by the European Council in Lisbon.

Aims and Objectives:

To exchange innovative ideas and practices;
To promote the quality and transparency of their education and training systems;
To exchange and learning on themes of common interest and on European and national priorities.

Who can apply?

Company Training Managers;
Directors of education and vocational training institutions, centres or providers;
Directors of guidance centres;
Directors of validation or accreditation centres;
Educational and vocational training inspectors;
Head teachers, teacher trainers;
Heads of departments;
Human resource managers;
Owners/managers of SMEs;
Pedagogical or guidance advisers;
Representatives of chambers of commerce/ industry/ crafts;
Representatives of education and training networks and associations;
Representatives of educational services, labour offices or guidance centres;
Representatives of employers’ organizations;
Representatives of local, regional and national authorities;
Representatives of trade unions;
Researchers.

The Application Forms must be completed and submitted online through the following weblink. http://studyvisits.cedefop.europa.eu

The online application form and instructions for filling one out will be made available on 8^th February 2010.

Applicants should apply only for study visits within one single application round. Instructions for filling out the application form will be provided with the form online. Only applications submitted online until 12:00 (Central European Time) at noon are eligible.

After submitting the online application, applicants should print the completed application form, sign it and send the original to the National Agency, together with the CV and the confirmation of submission receipt by the deadline specified. We also require the signature and stamp by the legal authorised person of your institution as well as a letter which states that you can take part in the study visit.

There will be two application rounds as follows:

1^st Application Round: Study Visits from September 2010 to February 2011:

Start Application Round	8^th February 2010
End Application Round	30^th March 2010

2^nd Application Round: Study Visits from March 2011 to June 2011:

Start Application Round	19^th July 2010
End Application Round	15^th October 2010

What is CEDEFOP?

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) is an agency of the European Union.

Established in 1975, CEDEFOP is located in Thessaloniki, Greece. Its job is to promote the development of vocational education and training (VET) in the European Union. It undertakes this task by analysing and disseminating information on vocational education and training systems, policies, research and practice. This helps specialists throughout the EU to develop and improve vocational education and training in Europe.

In effect, CEDEFOP is the EU centre of expertise for the development of vocational education and training, and of evidence-based policy-making in this field, across the EU. The Centre provides advice, research, analysis, and comparative information, and stimulates inter-European cooperation by organising forums, conferences and workshops on issues of common interest, such as guidance, training for older workers, and recognising learning that takes place outside the education system.

CEDEFOP shares its expertise through electronic and hard-copy publications, and through its websites, "http://www.cedefop.europa.eu" and "http://www.trainingvillage.gr".

CEDEFOP is one of the oldest European agencies. It was founded in 1975 in West Berlin, and moved to Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1995. The Centre is run by a Governing Board on which national governments, trade unions, employers’ organisations, and the European Commission are all represented.

The present director is Aviana Bulgarelli, formerly Director of Vocational Training in the Ministry of Education, Italy.