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Leonardo da Vinci
Objectives
The Leonardo da Vinci programme contributes to the implementation of a vocational training policy for the Community, which supports and supplements the actions of the Member States. The programme has three general objectives:
- To improve the skills and competencies of people, especially young people, in initial vocational training at all levels, with a view to facilitating their integration and reintegration into the labour market;
- To improve the quality of, and access to, continuing vocational training and the lifelong acquisition of skills and competencies with a view to increasing and developing adaptability, particularly in order to consolidate technological and organisational change;
- To promote and reinforce the contribution of vocational training to the process of innovation, with a view to improving competitiveness and entrepreneurship, also in view of new employment possibilities.
Under the first two objectives, innovative guidance and counselling approaches are of particular importance.
In implementing the three objectives, special attention will be given to proposals addressing:
- the development of practices to facilitate access to training for people most at a disadvantage in the labour market, including disabled persons;
- equal opportunities for women and men, with a view to combating discrimination in training provision.
 Who's eligible?The programme is open to 31 European countries: the 25 EU Member States, the 3 EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein & Norway) and the 3 remaining candidate countries (Bulgaria, Romania & Turkey).
Proposals may be submitted by public and private bodies and companies, which are involved in training or concerned by vocational training issues, brought within an international partnership. This covers: vocational training establishments, centres and bodies at all levels, including universities; research centres and institutions; the business sector, including SMEs and craft industry; trade organisations; social partners; local and regional bodies and organisations; non profit making organisations; voluntary bodies and NGOs.
Please note that individuals (young people or adults undergoing initial vocational training, or others) may receive a grant from the programme but cannot, as individuals, apply for funding for projects.
 ActivitiesThe programme contains five main transactional measures:
- Mobility
- Pilot projects, including “thematic actions”
- Language competences
- Transnational networks
- Reference material
Mobility
Under this measure support is provided for transnational mobility projects for people undergoing vocational training, especially young people, and for those responsible for training. There are three main types of action, according to the type of beneficiaries involved:
- transnational placement projects: for people in initial training in vocational training institutions or in a company; for students in a company; for young workers and recent graduates in vocational training institutions or in a company.
- transnational exchange projects: targeted at occupational guidance specialists, human resource managers, trainers and mentors in the area of language competencies.
- study visits, organised by Cedefop.
Pilot projects
Support is available for transnational pilot projects to develop and transfer innovation and quality in vocational training, including actions relating to the use of information and communication technologies in training. Within the pilot projects, special support is given to a limited number of thematic actions of particular Community interest.
Language competences
Support is available for projects aimed at promoting language and cultural competencies in a vocational training context including projects on less widely used and taught languages.
Transnational networks
The programme supports transnational networks of European expertise and dissemination. These networks undertake three functions: assembling, distilling and building on European expertise and innovatory approaches; improving the analysis and anticipation of occupational skills requirements; disseminating the networks outputs and project results throughout the Union in the appropriate circles.
Reference material
Community support is available for the creation and updating of Community reference material, more especially for surveys and analyses, the creation and updating of comparable data, the observation and dissemination of good practice, and the exhaustive exchange of information. How to apply?The published calls for proposal are available on the Europa website:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/leonardo/new/leonardo2_en.html
Proposals can be sent in every year by the deadlines specified in the calls for proposals. Proposals submitted under the Community calls for proposals are selected by three types of procedure, known as A, B and C, depending on which measure is under consideration:
Procedure A is applicable to Mobility and is one-step: the proposals must be submitted to the National Agencies.
Procedure B is applicable to Pilot Projects (with the exception of “Thematic actions”), Language competencies and Transnational networks and it comprises two stages. At stage one the pre-proposals must be submitted to the National Agencies. At stage two the promoters whose pre-proposals have been successful submit their full proposal to their National Agencies and send the copy to the Executive Agency.
Procedure C is applicable to Reference material, Thematic actions and Proposals submitted by European organisations (Pilot Projects, Transnational Networks, Language Competencies, Thematic Actions, Reference Materials) and it comprises two stages. At stage one pre-proposals must be submitted to the Executive Agency with a copy to the National Agency. At stage two the promoters whose pre-proposals have been successful submit a full proposal to the Executive Agency and a copy to their National Agency. Advice for individuals wishing to access Leonardo funding Indivuals wishing to undertake a work placement under Leonardo have several options:
Students following a course of vocational or higher education, or recent graduates, should approach the Placement Tutor or International Office in their institution, to find out whether the institution is currently involved in the programme.
Individuals undertaking work-based training (e.g. an apprenticeship programme) who want to benefit from a period of training with a partner company in another European country, should discuss this possibility with their employers and refer them to the respevtive Leonardo National Agency for further details. If the individual is not currently in employment or affiliated to any training institution, there may be a possibility of being recruited onto an existing Leonardo project, although the vast majority of projects are designed for identified participants. This individual should contact the National Agency for details of current projects which may be relevant. Further InformationIf you have a specific question you can contact the Executive Agency by email
You can find more information on the Leonardo da Vinci programme on the European Commission web site:
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