1. LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME OVERVIEW.
COMENIUS REGIO
Regio International Conference
Santiago de Compostela, 20 June 2011

2. 30 minutes of COMENIUS
The lifelong learning programme
Comenius Programme
Comenius Regio Partnerships
What is Regio?, Why Regio?
Some Regio results

3. ... with 33 countries involved
1. Lifelong Learning Programme
Lifelong Learning Programme …
…the flagship action programme in Europe in education & vocational training
... with 33 countries involved

4. 1. Lifelong Learning Programme
LLP aims:
To contribute to the development of the EU as an advanced knowledge society, with sustainable economic development, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion
To foster interchange, co-operation and mobility between education and training institutions and systems within the EU so that they may become a world quality reference
In the context of the Europe 2020 strategy, the LLP aims:
Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality
Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training
Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship
Enhancing creativity and innovation at all levels of education and training

5. .. fosters co-operation among the European countries in the programme
1. Lifelong Learning Programme
Lifelong Learning Programme …
.. fosters co-operation among the European countries in the programme
.. fosters mobility between these countries

6. Vocational education and training
1. Lifelong Learning Programme
What’s in
it for me?
Four sectoral programmes + ..
Sectoral Programmes
Comenius
School
education
Erasmus
Higher
Leonardo da Vinci
Vocational education and training
Grundtvig
Adult
learning
Transversal Programme
Study Visits
4 key activities: Policy Cooperation & Innovation in LLL; Languages; Development of ICT-Based Content; Dissemination and Exploitation of Results
Jean Monnet Programme
Teaching, reflection and debate on European integration, involving higher education institutions worldwide

7. 1. Lifelong Learning Programme
33 countries in the programme
the 27 EU Member States
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway (the “EFTA-EEE countries)
Turkey
Croatia
Switzerland
Duration: January 2007 – December 2013
Budget: 6,9 billion euros

8. To encourage the learning of modern foreign languages
2. Comenius Programme
Operational objetives
To improve the quality and to increase the volume of mobility involving staff and pupils
To improve the quality and to increase the volume of partnerships between schools
To encourage the learning of modern foreign languages
To support the development of ICT based content, services, pedagogies and practice
To enhance the quality and European dimension of teacher training
To support improvements in pedagogical approaches and school management

9. 2. Comenius Programme Who can participate in Comenius?
Basically, anyone involved in school education
Schools
Teachers and other categories of staff within schools
Pupils in school education up to the end of upper secondary education
Future teachers
Persons and bodies responsible of education at local, regional and national levels
Teacher training institutions
Others institutions involved in school education

10. 2. Comenius Programme What are the Comenius actions? Partnerships:
Multilateral Comenius school Partnerships
Bilateral Comenius school Partnerships
Comenius Regio Partnerships
eTwinning
Mobility
Individual pupil Mobility
In-service training of staff grants
Assistanships
Preparatory visits
Multilateral projects and networks

11. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
The origins of the action
The European Parliament's 25 October 2005 First Reading amended Art b of the Commission's LLP proposal by adding a new type of action, the development of Partnerships between
"organisations responsible for any aspect of school education, with a view of fostering regional cooperation (Comenius Regio Partnerships)".
Autumn 2006: Comenius stakeholder group provided first recommendations.
November 2007 until March 2008: working group with participation of National Agencies, national authorities, Committee of the Regions and other stakeholders supported the Commission in designing the action.

12. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
The objetives
Comenius Regio Partnerships aim at
enhancing school development and the European
dimension of education
by promoting joint co-operation activities between local
and regional authorities with a role in school education in
Europe.
They give educational authorities, in cooperation with
schools and other actors in education, in different regions,
the opportunity to work together on one or more
topics of mutual interest.

13. with a role in school education
3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
The structure
Comenius Regio Partnerships consist of 2 "partner regions"
Each partner region must involve:
at least one
school
a local or
regional
authority
with a role in school education
at least one
other relevant local
organisation
or institution
“Other Relevant organisation” can include:
youth or sport clubs, parents and pupils associations, local teacher training institutes, other learning providers, VET institutions and local employers, museums and consulting services/ advisory boards, ONGs, ... … 13

14. First step 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
How to create a Comenius Regio partnership (3 steps)
First step
development of cooperation
among the different actors
in the municipality or region

15. Development of new approaches
3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
How to create a Comenius Regio partnership (3 steps)
Second step
Cooperation Exchange of good practice
Development of new approaches

16. Third step 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
How to create a Comenius Regio partnership (3 steps)
Third step
new practices
dissemination of results

17. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Why an action at regional level?
There are new challenges for schools:
Variety of students (culture, social status, needs, ..)
Need to adapt teaching approaches and content to a new context

18. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Why an action at regional level?
Working directly at local / regional level permits to:
identify and understand the specific problems of schools, teachers and students
adopt best practices from other regions and provide their own
exchange experiences / pedagogical approaches / training content between regions with similar problems
share experiences that will increase the quality and the offer of lifelong learning opportunities for teachers

19. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Why an action at regional level?
Involving different types of organisations permits to:
create local/ regional networks of experts in the field of school education that cooperate among each other promoting and encouraging new initiatives
enhance the link between formal school education and non-formal learning outside school buildings
sport clubs, libraries, museums and youth initiatives provide many valuable learning opportunities for young people

20. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Why an action at regional level?
The cooperation at local / regional level is key to enhance the link of Comenius projects and the European priorities in education policy and to finding solutions to current challenges:
Competences for the 21st Century
Three areas for joint work:
Focus on
competences
High quality
learning for all
Teachers and
school staff
Key competences
Literacy/numeracy
Learning to Learn
Personalised learning
Assessment
Early learning
System equity
Early school leaving
Special needs
School development:
‘learning communities’
Teacher competences
and qualifications
School leadership

21. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Application and Management
How to apply
A list of all eligible institutions can be found at
To find partners for a Comenius Regio Partnership..
.. You could start with existing cooperation with another region or municipality in Europe, a school partnership or contacts through other European Networks and initiatives.
National Agencies will help disseminate requests via their networks so please contact your own!

22. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Application and Management
How to apply
The application form is available on the website of your National Agency
Each partner sends the application to its own National Agency.
The application form is only signed by the local or regional authority on behalf of all partners in the region.
The partners are asked to submit letters of intent confirming that they want to take part in the project.
Deadline for applying is in February every year.

23. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Application and Management
How to apply
Selection by National Agencies (NAs)
Bi-lateral matching procedure: NA coordinating organises the quality evaluation of the project. Both NA establish the list of selected and reserve applications
The NA can decide to negotiate the budget
The project is funded if and only if both NAs approve

24. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Funding
The funding cover costs related to mobility, the implementation of project activities and the dissemination of results.
The funding is based on a lump sum allowance for mobilities AND a grant based on real costs for additional project activities.
The grant amount for additional project costs is limited to a maximum of €25,000 (and to a maximum of 75% of the additional project costs incurred).
Indirect costs are NOT covered
Funding of up to €45,000 available per region
Evidence of co-financing obligatory (it can be in staff work)

25. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Funding
Other (non-mobility) project costs
Mobility
Lump sum
Real costs
Amount: depends on the number of minimum mobilities chosen
Maximum: 25,000 €
Staff costs
Subcontrating
Equipament
Other costs

26. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Regio 2009: some results Themes

27. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Regio 2009: some results Activities

28. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
Regio 2009: some results Dissemination activities

29. 3. Comenius Regio Partnerships
COMENIUS REGIO CONFERENCE - Creating European networks of regions
Bordeaux May 2011
> 300 European participants from local/regional public organisations, government, European associations of cities, regions, trade unions and Comenius national agencies from 28 countries.
Representatives of local/regional authorities, real pioneers in implementing the first round of projects
Plenary sessions on strategic school issues
4 thematic workshops:
Key competences
Early school leaving
School leadership
School cooperation with local community and business
Look here for
inspiration
and for partners

30. Thank you very much andres.ajo@oapee.es
Andrés Ajo Lázaro. Jefe de Servicio Comenius
División Comenius-Grundtvig
OAPEE. Lifelong learning program Spanish National Agency