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The Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 (previously referred to as the "Integrated action programme in the field of lifelong learning" or the "Integrated programme") was the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
programme for education and training.
Introduction
The Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 was established by ''Decision No.1720/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006''. It was the single financial instrument available to the Commission for its directly managed education and training policies during the period covered by the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
's 2007–2013
financial perspective. The Programme continued the main actions launched under previous action programmes (in particular, it brings together the various actions financed under the
Socrates programme
The SOCRATES programme was an educational initiative of the European Commission; 31 countries took part. The initial Socrates programme ran from 1994 until 31 December 1999 when it was replaced by the Socrates II programme on 24 January 2000, whic ...
and the
Leonardo da Vinci programme
The Leonardo da Vinci programme is a European Commission funding programme focused on the teaching and training needs of those involved in vocational education and training (VET). The programme is part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learni ...
). It had six sub-programmes:
*The
Comenius programme
The Comenius programme is a European Union educational project. It concerns school-level education, and is part of the EU's Erasmus + 2014-2020 Programme. It aims "to help young people and educational staff better understand the range of European ...
, supporting actions for schools (from pre-primary schools to upper secondary or equivalent)
*The
Erasmus programme, supporting exchanges of students in
higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
, as well as cooperation between universities and colleges, etc.;
*The
Leonardo da Vinci programme
The Leonardo da Vinci programme is a European Commission funding programme focused on the teaching and training needs of those involved in vocational education and training (VET). The programme is part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learni ...
, supporting actions in initial and continuing
vocational education and training
Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade as a tradesman, tradesperson or artisan. Vocational Education can also be seen as that type of education give ...
(including student and apprentice exchanges, cooperation between colleges, etc.)
*The
Grundtvig programme The Grundtvig programme is a European funding programme that is part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 and aims to strengthen the European dimension in adult education and lifelong learning across Europe.
The pr ...
, supporting actions in the field of
adult education
Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralp ...
*The
Transversal programme
The Transversal programme is part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013.
It complements the main sub-programmes of the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013
The Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 (previou ...
covering activities in four themed areas across all sectors of education and training: policy cooperation and innovation in education and training;
foreign language teaching
Language education – the process and practice of teaching a second or foreign language – is primarily a branch of applied linguistics, but can be an interdisciplinary field. There are four main learning categories for language education: ...
; development of ICT-based content and services, such as Euroguidance and
Ploteus
PLOTEUS is an acronym of Portal on Learning Opportunities Throughout European Space, meant to connote ''πλωτηρ'' (ploter) which means "navigator" in ancient Greek. It is a European Union web portal, coordinated by the European's Commission ...
; and dissemination of results of the programme;
*The
Jean Monnet Programme
The Jean Monnet Programme, also known as the Jean Monnet Project or Jean Monnet Actions, is a European Union initiative to encourage teaching, research and reflection in the field of European integration studies in higher education institutions. I ...
, supporting institutions and actions in favour of
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, economic integration, economic, political, legal, social integration, social, and cultural Regional integration, integration of states wholly or partially in Europe or nearby. European integrat ...
.
Objectives
The Programme's objectives are first, to support the development of quality
lifelong learning
Lifelong learning is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated"Department of Education and Science (2000).Learning for Life: Paper on Adult Education Dublin: Stationery Office. pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons ...
(a reference to the first paragraphs of Articles 149 and 150 of the
Treaty of Rome
The Treaty of Rome, or EEC Treaty (officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community), brought about the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), the best known of the European Communities (EC). The treaty was sig ...
, which establish the European Union's duties in education and training in those terms); and thereafter to help
member states of the European Union develop their own
education and training systems. Although the objectives are expressed in somewhat abstract terms, they are underpinned by actions which concentrate on the creation of links between people, institutions and countries in education and training – what the programme describes as the "European Dimension" of education and training.
Actions supported
The programme supports exchanges and connections between people, institutions and countries within the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
and the
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the ''Agreement on the European Economic Area'', an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Ass ...
.
Exchanges between individuals
These include (for example):
*Erasmus Student exchanges of between 3 and 12 months, in which students leave their home university and follow an agreed part of their course at another university in another country. No additional fees are payable, and the course is recognised by the home institution as part of course-work for the degree. Over 150,000 students did Erasmus student exchanges in the academic year 2005/6, and the cumulative total since 1987 is over 1,500,000.
*In-service training courses in school or adult education. The Comenius and Grundtvig programmes support participation in specific short work placements (internships) for vocational students in companies in another country, to help them complete their skills
Exchanges between institutions
These include (for example):
*Developing partnerships between schools in different countries ("Comenius partnerships") to run joint projects for and with their pupils.
*Similar projects are supported in the field of adult education by the
Grundtvig programme The Grundtvig programme is a European funding programme that is part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 and aims to strengthen the European dimension in adult education and lifelong learning across Europe.
The pr ...
.
*Joint projects run by universities in different countries to develop joint curricula, run short-term intensive programmes, or establish thematic networks in different disciplines
Connections between countries
These include (for example):
* Study visits for regional and national administrators in education, training and guidance
* Networks of national experts working together on issues of common interest.
* Publication of comparable statistics indicating how the various education and training systems are progressing.
Programme mechanics
The management of the programme was very largely decentralised to a network of "national agencies", nominated by the participating countries. All individual mobility schemes and partnerships, and many multilateral projects, will be funded through these agencies. A limited number of projects will be handled centrally either by the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
itself or through its
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (formerly the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency), or EACEA, is an executive agency of the European Commission located in Brussels, Belgium. It manages parts of the European Com ...
– a public agency funded by the Commission and operating on its behalf.
Funding
The Programme has an indicative total budget of €6.970 billion over the seven years 2007–2013. Minimum seven-year allocations for each of the four bigger programmes are laid down
[cf. Annex B.11 of the decision] as follows:
#
Erasmus programme: 40% (€2.788 billion)
#
Leonardo da Vinci programme
The Leonardo da Vinci programme is a European Commission funding programme focused on the teaching and training needs of those involved in vocational education and training (VET). The programme is part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learni ...
: 25% (€1.743 billion)
#
Comenius programme
The Comenius programme is a European Union educational project. It concerns school-level education, and is part of the EU's Erasmus + 2014-2020 Programme. It aims "to help young people and educational staff better understand the range of European ...
: 13% (€0.906 billion)
#
Grundtvig programme The Grundtvig programme is a European funding programme that is part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 and aims to strengthen the European dimension in adult education and lifelong learning across Europe.
The pr ...
: 4% (€0.279 billion)
The remaining budget was to be spent on other actions and administrative costs. Experience of previous programmes suggests that the final seven-year budget will slightly exceed the current estimate
Notes
References
External links
European Union — The Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013EST, the database for Partnerships projects in Comenius, Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig*
ttp://www.cliohworld.net/ CLIOH-WORLDCLIOH-WORLD: Network of Universities supported by the European Commission (LLP-Erasmus) for the researching, teaching and learning of the history of the EU, including History of EU Integration, EU-Turkey dialogue, and linking to world history.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013
Educational policies and initiatives of the European Union
Vocational education
Lifelong learning
Erasmus Programme