EU and other International Education Exchange Programmes

The International Programmes described here provide opportunities to develop partnerships and training opportunities in education at all stages, from schools to lifelong learning. Develop ideas, and work with partners in other countries in multinational European educational projects, vocational training, youth work, or with other nations around the world.

The Department for Education and Skills supports many of these programmes which are delegated to national agencies, or partner organisations. All enquiries and applications should be directed to the appropriate agency/organisation.

Participants include pupils, teachers and head teachers, trainees, employees, students, young people and youth workers. The projects can involve collaboration, visits and periods of study or training abroad, or the exchange of best practice.

The EU programmes include Socrates (education), split into actions including Comenius with its focus on schools, Grundtvig (adult education) and Erasmus (Universities). There is also the Leonardo da Vinci (vocational training) and Youth (youth groups and youth work) programmes, all involving up to 31 participating countries.

From 2007 the actions will be combined into Sectoral Programmes and Transversal Programmes, while Youth will be called Youth in Action, but the actions and aims will remain the same.

The International Programmes mentioned at the beginning can also involve European countries, but also include China, Russia, United States and Japan and many other countries. In addition to exchange opportunities, there are comprehensive partner finding and development websites available.

These programmes are linked to the Governments international strategy for education and skills, as set out in the Department’s publication called “Putting the World into World-Class Education: An international strategy for education, skills and children’s services”.

FURTHER INFORMATION

More information on the programmes mentioned above can be found in Schoolsweb under the titles Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci, Youth/Youth in Action and International Educational Partnerships and Links. There is also a page on the International Strategy.