Erasmus+ is not just about student exchanges. Included in the many other areas of funding is capacity building in the field of Vocational Education and Training (CBVET). The Erasmus+ programme encourages cooperation between educational institutions in 33 countries (27 EU countries and six countries associated to the programme) and those in the Western Balkans, Neighbourhood East, Africa and the Southern Mediterranean, Latin America and the Caribbean.

What is CBVET?

CBVET aims at enhancing the quality, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET systems in the above regions. It does this by reinforcing the capacities of VET staff and teachers and by strengthening the link between VET providers and the labour market.

The pivotal role of VET organisations contributes to other critical Erasmus+ and EU priorities, particularly those related to the green transition and digital transformation.

More than €22 million has been allocated to these 62 projects, selected from 145 eligible project proposals.

Supporting VET further afield

Multilateral partnerships formed through the funded projects will enable

• organisations to learn from each other and enrich their VET practices
• all parties to strengthen VET education tailored to their specific needs
• interactions between different partners in teacher training, transfer of pedagogical approaches, and a curriculum design or adaptation involving the private sector

Some examples from the 2023 selection

• enhancing nurses' digital skills in the Western Balkans
• building the capacity of VET providers in preserving and restoring cultural heritage sites in the Neighbourhood East
• improving the digital skills of workers in the footwear and leather industry in the South Mediterranean
• developing climate-smart agriculture and agripreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa
• sharing knowledge and expertise to boost women’s employability in the construction sector in Latin America
• enhancing vocational education and training in the arts and culture in the Caribbean