International educational programme - TEMPUS IV

The Trans-European mobility scheme for university studies is the EU programme that supports the modernisation of higher education in the partner countries of the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. It contributes to creating an area of cooperation in the field of higher education between the European Union and partner countries surrounding the European Union.

Established in 1990 following the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tempus has been renewed four times (Tempus II, Tempus IIbis and Tempus III - 2000 to 2006).

Launch of Tempus IV

The first Call for Proposals under the new phase of the programme, Tempus IV, invites the submission of cooperative projects under two actions types, Joint Projects and Structural Measures, from partnerships comprised of higher education institutions, enterprises, ministries, NGOs, associations etc., from the EU and the partner countries.

The indicative total budget for this Call amounts to approximately € 51 million in total, and for individual projects from €0.5 to €1.5 million. The deadline for the electronic submission of proposals is 28 April 2008.

Tempus promotes the voluntary convergence with EU developments in higher education deriving from the Lisbon Strategy to create more jobs and growth, and the Bologna Process to establish a European Area of Higher Education.

Actions

Tempus finances two types of action:

1) Joint Projects are based on multilateral partnerships between higher education institutions in the EU and the partner countries. They can develop, modernise and disseminate new curricula, teaching methods or materials, boost a quality assurance culture, and modernise the management and governance of higher education institutions

2) Structural Measures contribute to the development and reform of higher education institutions and systems in partner countries, to enhance their quality and relevance, and increase their convergence with EU developments.

The European Commission has launched a complementary higher education cooperation programme with countries surrounding the European Union: the Erasmus Mundus “External Co-operation Window”. It funds higher education student and teaching staff mobility activities between European universities and universities from targeted third-countries.