European Commission allocates over 30m euro to deepen cooperation in higher education in ENP countries

"Investing in people is a key objective of our neighborhood policy. The fruitful cooperation between the EU and the higher education institutions in the ENP countries will continue, enhancing the exchange of knowledge, experience and ideas," Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle said in a statement.

The announcement was also welcomed by Androulla Vassiliou, the education, culture, multilingualism and youth commissioner.

"Cooperation is a win-win for the EU and our partners. It makes the European Higher Education Area more visible and attractive in the world, while also helping ENP countries to modernize their universities and improve teaching skills," said Vassiliou.

The money allocated under the Tempus Program will support approximately 50 multilateral partnerships aiming at modernizing curricula, teaching methods and management of the participating institutions and systems in the neighboring countries, namely Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine.

According to the Commission, the allocation will enable more than 350 institutions from the ENP countries to collaborate in a structured way with a similar number of institutions from the EU within the framework of two and three-year projects that will commence in 2011.

Launched in 1990 and now in its fourth phase, Tempus IV (2007-2013) supports the modernization of higher education in particular in Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.


/AzerTAc/