Programme description

EEA Grants

The EEA Grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe.

There are two overall objectives: reduction of economic and social disparities in Europe, and to strengthen bilateral relations between the donor countries and 15 EU countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics.

The three donor countries cooperate closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The donors have provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. For the period 2014-2021, the EEA Grants amount to €1.55 billion. The priorities for this period are:
#1 Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness
#2 Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Poverty Reduction
#3 Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy
#4 Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights
#5 Justice and Home Affairs

The EEA Grants are jointly financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, whose contributions are based on their GDP.

Eligibility for the Grants mirror the criteria set for the EU Cohesion Fund aimed at member countries where the Gross National Income (GNI) per inhabitant is less than 90% of the EU average.

Education Programme

The Education Programme, where the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE) act as the Programme Operator, is one of the programmes implemented under the agreements signed on the 20^th December 2017 between Poland and the Donor States – Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Kingdom of Norway.

Objective of the Programme

The main objective of the Programme Education is to reduce economic and social disparities within the European Economic Area (EEA) and to strengthen bilateral relations between Poland and the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) at all levels of education.

Donor Programme Partners

Iceland

• The Icelandic Centre for Research | RANNIS

Liechtenstein

• The National Agency for International Education Affairs | AIBA

Norway

• Directorate for Higher Education and Skills | HK-DIR

Programme activities

Programme implementation implies open calls for all four components  and the activities within them, namely:

1. Professional Development of staff:
   • study visits for persons working in the field of formal and non-formal education;
   • intensive trainings for education staff, organized in Poland and conducted by experts from Donor States;
2. Mobility Projects in Higher Education:
   • for students – mobilities and practices;
   • for staff members, in the visiting countries – teaching assignments; participation in seminars, trainings, workshops and conferences; job shadowing;
3. Institutional cooperation for the enhancement of quality and relevance of VET and Continuing Education through:
   • development or modernization of the educational offer of VET/continuing education establishment, inluding redesigned curricula;
   • exchange of experience, organization of joint initiatives by Polish and DS institutions;
   • development or modernization of local/regional/national strategies/policies for VET and continuing education.
4. Instititional cooperation for the enhancement of quality and relevance of education at all levels and forms (excluding VET and continuing education) through the activities corresponding to those listed under the 3. component, wherein, for the final point, eligible can be strategy of the development of the education system.

At the same time activities corresponding with the previously undertaken initiatives will be favourable – implemented both under the Programme Education, as well as those financed from other funds.

For information about pending, planned and closed calls please visit Calls for proposals.

Bilateral cooperation

Strengthening of bilateral relations between Poland and Donor Countries remains vital to the present financial perspective (2014-2020). This goal will be achieved by, among others, builing partnerships with partners from Donor States. Thus, Programme Operator will undertake efforts aimed at establishing partnerships between Polish Beneficiaries and institutions from Donor States. For information about such activities please visit News and Events. Partner search is available through a tool described  in Partner search. Moreover, the fund for bilateral relations assigned to the Programme will support implementation of preparatory visits, which should later on streamline preparation of project proposals in partnerships with Donor States.

Programme budget

The Education Programme has an overall budget of over 23 mln €, where 20 mln € is an EEA Grant contribution and the rest is aquired through domestic funding.