{Last Update: 24.12.2025}

Capacity Building Projects are international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnership systems between organisations active in the field of vocational education and training (VET) in EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme and third countries not associated to the Programme. They aim to support the strengthening, accessibility and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated to the Programme as drivers of sustainable socio-economic development.

Program Objectives

• Strengthening the capacity of vocational education and training centers to enhance cooperation between stakeholders from the private and public sectors; 
• Improving the quality and responsiveness of VET to economic and social developments in order to increase the relevance and alignment of the education provided with the demands of the labour market;
• Alignment of VET systems with local, regional and national development strategies.

thematic areas

Features that characterize the growth of opportunities in VET are given below. Grant applications should focus on one or more of the following topics:

• work-based learning (for youth and/or adults);
• quality assurance mechanisms;
• Professional development of VET teachers/trainers
• core competencies, including entrepreneurship and citizenship;
• Public-private dialogue and partnership in VET;
• Innovation in VET;
• green and digital skills for collaborative transformation;
• in STEM vocational education and training in line with labor market needs;
• Matching skills to current and future job market requirements;
• development of curriculum and training modules;

activities

Funded projects will be able to integrate a wide range of cooperation, exchange, communication and other activities, including:

• Creation and development of cooperation networks and best practice exchange initiatives between EU Member States, third countries associated with the Program and third countries not associated with the Program and their VET providers; 
• In third countries not associated with the program and for capacity building in their VET systems, creation of necessary tools, programs and other materials (practical training schemes, teaching programs and tools for evaluation and validation of VET teaching results, individual action plans of participating institutions; professional training and counseling and guidance methods...);
• Creating mechanisms to support the private sector in developing and implementing training programs and providing VET learners with high-quality work experience;
• Development and transfer of pedagogical approaches, teaching and training materials and methods, including work-based learning, virtual mobility, open educational resources and better use of the potential of informatics;
• Development and implementation of international (virtual) exchange activities for staff, mainly (including teachers and non-teaching staff, such as school leaders, managers, consultants, advisors, etc.).

Regional priorities

Eastern neighborhood

• Priority will be given to projects that contribute to the implementation of the "Economic and Investment Plan" and/or the European "Training Fund Recommendations" within the framework of the Torino Process

Criteria for participation

Who can apply?	The applicant can be any public or private organisation active in the field of VET and legally established in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme. The eligible regions are regions 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11 (see Part A of this Guide). Types of participating organizations (incomplete list): Vocational Education (VET) providers; companies, industry or sector representative organizations; national/regional qualification bodies; employment services; research institutes; innovation agencies; Regional development bodies and others. international organizations Organizations from third countries not associated with the program cannot be coordinators.  The coordinator submits the application on behalf of all participating organizations involved in the project. An organization cannot be the coordinator of more than two proposals submitted under this activity.
Number and profile of participating organizations	The grant application must be submitted by a consortium consisting of at least 4 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities) from at least 3 countries: At least 2 organizations from an EU Member State or a third country associated with the programme; At least one organization from each participating country must be involved in the project; At least 1 country that is not associated with the program  At least 2 organizations not associated with the program from one of the eligible third countries, or Organizations from different relevant regions cannot participate in the same projects. Cross-regional projects are not allowed. The consortium must include at least one vocational education (VET) provider at non-university level. The number of organizations from EU member states and third countries associated with the program should not exceed the number of organizations from eligible third countries not associated with the program.
Place of events	Events should be held in the countries of the organizations participating in the project.
Duration of the project	Projects should usually continue, 36 Month (extension possible if properly justified).
Where is the application submitted?	European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Call ID: ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE
When is the application submitted?	Applicants must submit a grant application March 26, until 17:00:00 Brussels time.

 

Financing conditions

The mentioned program follows the one-time grant (lump-sum) model of funding. The lump sum amount of each grant is determined based on the estimated budget of the action proposed in the application. 

The maximum EU grant per project is 500 000 Euro.