Erasmus+ in Iceland Organisation of the programme María Kristín Gylfadóttir E+Programme Manager Iceland

Erasmus+ in Iceland – two national agencies RANNÍS Responsible for:  Education & training  Sports Number of staff: > > 10 FTE Evrópa Unga Fólksins Responsible for:  Youth Number of staff: > 3 FTE

Organisation of the E+ Team (1) the idea!  Main aim to create a well functioning team to ensure:  maximum transparency of activities - functional work processes  sharing of responsibilities/tasks – „backup system“  optimal use of experience & talent within the team  opportunities are created for individual staff to grow  Three field specific teams in division: Adult Education & VET; School; Higher Education  Funds/programmes/tasks related to a „target group“, including E+  Main function is „targeted“:  coordinate approach towards target group & plan activities;  address policy priorities & organise „thematic“ policy events

Organisation of the E+ Team (2)  staff within division work on E+ and E+ supporting projects (some part time)  Erasmus+ coordination focused on actions, not fields – KA1 & KA2 Coordination Teams  less field specific focus – more horizontal view on all fields for each action  KA1/KA2 coordination team: desk officers from all fields + IT/Admin/COM desk officers and E+ Manager when needed  KA1/KA2 coordinators responsible for ensuring proper implementation as set out in EU´s Road Map and the E+ Programme/NA Guides  Meetings on regular intervals; „FLASH minutes“ from each meeting  KA1/KA2 report to Erasmus+ Programme Manager  Horizontal Teams based on function – Communication & IT tools & finances…..  Desk officers from different fields participate in different teams  Meetings on regular intervals - FLASH minutes“ from each meeting

Organisation of the E+ Team (3) Coordination of E+ Team  Joint Erasmus+ staff calendar with all events, travel, holidays…other important dates  Updated weekly by team secretary  Aim for Weekly Monday morning meetings with ALL E+ staff (45 minutes)  What´s up next week/two weeks! Tour-du-table  Idea to rotate chairing/rotate writing „FLASH“ minutes  Ad Hoc E+ coordination meetings with different teams – E+ Programe Manager participates when needed  Monthly E+ Coordinators´ meetings with:  NA Director  Erasmus+ Programme Manager  Field coordinators (KA1 & KA2 coordinators)  Communication & Finances coordinators

Erasmus+ team organisational chart

Challenges in creating a well functioning E+ team  Different cultures in NAs prior to merge in 2013  Staff very experienced - traditionally low staff turnover at both NAs  tradition of independence in work – new framework can feel like „barrier“ to independence  Focus on specific fields – „tunnel vision“  Similar education background of staff  „ same strengths….sometimes same weaknesses“ This calls for: a) focus on human resource management; b)transparent processes; c) targeted staff training; d)regular team-building and & social activities

Erasmus+ in Iceland Operational & policy priorities

Cooperation mechanism with Erasmus+ Youth NA (1)  A well functioning relationship between the two NAs in place  Both NAs also actively participate in “Evropusamvinna” collaboration(see  The main elements of cooperation framework are:  Regular coordination meetings  senior management to coordinate cooperation and prepare regular consultation meetings with National Authority  thematic meetings of other staff.  Cooperation of communication officers: to ensure a harmonized image of the programme in Iceland  ensure access of all target audience to the programme  regular meetings of communication officers  create joint website,

Cooperation mechanism with Erasmus+ Youth NA (2)  Regular “sharing of information” meetings between NA staff: on thematic basis  Joint information meetings across Iceland:  Joint activity plan for information meetings on Erasmus+ to stakeholder groups  Joint NA staff trainings:  several joint training sessions for NA staff are planned in 2014, e.g E+Link/Mobility Tool; expert assessment; project management; working with social media.  Participation in Evaluation Committees and collaboration on monitoring beneficiaries (primary checks)

Cooperation with The National Authority (NAU) 1.Regular coordination/information meetings  NA Directors /Coordinator and the NAU Committee Members to ensure a coherent and harmonized implementation of the programme at national level – preparation of E+ Committee meetings; audits etc.,  When relevant other NA and NAU staff participate in meetings 2.Data collection and analysis  Strengthened collaboration regarding collection and analysis of data – both on mobility activities and on the qualitative objectives of the programme (impact on policy)  The NAU will oversee monitoring of progress towards NA national objectives. 3.Consultative groups on national policy developments/int’l working groups:  NA staff involved in targeted thematic working groups at national and possibly international level, on behalf of the Ministry, e.g. Bologna working groups 4.Thematic events:  Collaboration with NAU and other EU initiatives such as Europass, Euroguidance and Refer Net, two stakeholder events annually on important policy themes in education to support the advancement of EU and national policy priorities (Ministry “White Paper”)

Erasmus+ NA focus areas (1) Aim: more targeted participation in European cooperation activties in education and a clear link with national and institutional policy objectives, such as regarding: Basic skills in reading and math (young people and adults) Early school leaving Shortening compulsory/Upper Secondary education – more efficient school system Teachers´ training – more flexible learning Quality and innovation/creativity in all educational fields Employability  Increase participation of schools in E+ – 60% of compulsory schools have participated until now  Increase participation of students with special needs at all education levels

Erasmus+ NA focus areas (2)  Increased emphasis on quality in student mobility and recognition of internships (vocational education and higher education)  Increased emphasis on quality in staff mobility– teaching/training abroad better linked with needs and objectives of the institutions focus more attention on „formal“ recognition of staff mobility abroad (all educational levels)  Advance the participation of municipalities, social partners and in particular ENTERPRISES in Erasmus+  New opportunities within E+ - strategic partnerships Encourage cooperation between different educational fields, working life sectors and enterprises

Erasmus+ IS National Objectives 1. Improve quality in mobility activities in higher education - % share of ECTS credits for SMS recognised towards obligatory courses in a study programme - % share of placement mobilities recognised with ECTS credits -% share of HE staff mobility applications rated with “high” quality 2. Increase involvement of schools and VET schools in Erasmus+ - fostering internationalisation - % share of schools(pre-primary and primary) and VET schools participating in VET learner/staff mobility - number of VET schools participating regularly in Erasmus+ as part of their international strategy (accreditation of VET schools and consortia) 3. Improve quality of work-based learning mobility activities in VET - number of students (apprentices) participating in work-based learning abroad 4. Advance basic skills in reading and math - % share of KA2 applications received targeting the theme of basic skills in reading and math (schools and adult education only) 5. Increase the attractiveness of VET - % share of KA2 applications received focusing on increasing the attractiveness of VET

Flokkur 2 – samstarfsverkefni Erasmus+ Results of the 2014 Call

Key Action 1 - mobility  79 applications – a very good start!  Highest number of applications in school  Available budget: € 2.875,822  Budget applied for: €  Approved applications: awaiting approval for increased flexibility  Transferring > € to Key Action 2

Key Action 2 – strategic partnerships  22 Applications – a good start!  3 Cross-Field  4 Adult Education  1 VET  6 Higher Education  13 Schools  Available budget: €  Budget applied for: €  Joint assessment of proposals with National Agencies in Sweden and Norway – a pilot project!  Approved projects awaiting approval

Transnational Cooperation Activities Erasmus+ in Iceland

Transnational Cooperation Activities (TCA)  New instrument in Erasmus+  Provides wew opportunities for the NA to:  focus attention on international cooperation – extension of NA network  Benchmarking - increase quality of own work, e.g. cooperation with other NAs on studies  Add European dimension/value to national policy-making  Support potential beneficiaries creating/extending networks and promoting project ideas/project outputs  IS NAs decided to use maximum level operational funds (KA2) for TCA initiatives – 75000€

TCA IS NA plans for  Contact Seminars  Participation in several contact seminars – focus on participation in seminars linked to IS NA national operational objectives – early school leaving, basic skills, work-based learning…..  Plans to host own contact seminar on “work-based” learning in cooperation with Nordic/Baltic VET group (postponed until spring 2015)  Analysis/Studies  Baseline study for schools and Upper Secondary  New model for expert training and joint evaluations: IS,NO,SE  Model for collecting and analysing mobility data; EE, IS, NO, SE  Thematic Seminars  Thematic monitoring seminars – inclusion (UK)/VET(DE)