Networking activities in VET
Project managers in exchange projects have the opportunity to ensure the quality of an ongoing exchange project in the fields of vocational education and training through on-site visits. Or they can meet new potential project partners to further develop an exchange project.
Overview
For whom
- People who are responsible for exchange projects in vocational education and training
Duration of activity
- 2 to 60 days
Where
- Worldwide for persons from Switzerland (outgoing)
- In Switzerland for persons from abroad (incoming)
What we fund
- Financial support for organisation, travel and accommodation
Procedure
- Participants contact their institution
- Institutions plan the networking together with the partner institution and submit a funding application
Deadlines
- Application deadline: 5 March and 1 October
- Project start: 1 June or 1 December
In detail
Networking enables people who are responsible for planning or carrying out an exchange project in vocational education and training to travel abroad during a project funded by us. This allows you to visit partner institutions on site, establish direct contacts with them and discuss the current or future project. You can also visit the participants (e.g. VET students/apprentices on a work placement or teachers on a job shadowing programme) on site to assess whether the objectives set can be achieved. If you have already started an exchange project, you also have the opportunity to expand your network for any future projects by visiting new potential partner institutions.
We also finance network visits by responsible persons from abroad who are carrying out an exchange project in the field of vocational education and training with a Swiss institution (incoming).
The aim of networking is therefore, on the one hand, quality assurance in the project and, on the other, further project continuation and development.
This activity is funded by the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+. This programme allows Swiss institutions to organise activities similar to the ones funded by the European education programme Erasmus+.
Requirements
For participants:
- You are responsible for exchange projects in VET programmes or are involved in their planning and implementation. E.g. directors, teachers and vocational trainers or representatives of cantonal vocational education and training offices or professional associations.
For institutions:
- Your institution is involved in basic vocational training, e.g. vocational schools, training providers, professional organisations or cantonal vocational training offices.
- Your partner institution abroad is active in vocational education and training or directly offers traineeships in Switzerland for Swiss participants.
- The applying institution is based in Switzerland.
To the networking you are planning with the partner organisation:
- The networking lasts between 2 and 60 consecutive days.
- It always takes place as part of a planned or existing exchange project that promotes traineeship abroad for VET students, apprenticeship graduates or VET staff. The existing project is supported by us.
- It includes project-related work on site by the person(s) responsible for the project, such as monitoring learning progress, project-related partner visits and partner maintenance, partner search and project development.
- It takes place abroad (outgoing) or in Switzerland (incoming).
Funding amounts
- Organisation fee for the institution: CHF 450 (per person, only for outgoing students)
- For the journey: CHF 400 to CHF 1,000 (per person, depending on the destination country)
- For the stay: CHF 120 to CHF 180 (per day, per person, depending on destination country)
- For the specific needs of individuals with disabilities or those suffering from physical, mental, or chronic illnesses: Max. 12,000 CHF (actual costs based on the note of requirements)Insurance and any visa fees are at your expense.
You can find all the funding contributions and the calculation in detail in our grant table:
Procedure
For participants (outgoing and incoming)
Contact the Swiss institution. They will submit the funding application to us, regardless of whether you are going abroad or coming to Switzerland.
For institutions
In principle, all collaborators can initiate networking. The funding application is submitted in the name of the Swiss institution.
Networking abroad is supported by the [Link] Swiss Programme for Erasmus+. In addition to networking, this programme also includes continuing education activities, Teaching activities and Job Shadowing in VET abroad for VET staff as well as Project work in VET and project work abroad for VET students/apprentices. We recommend that you bundle several activities in one funding application.
Follow these steps to carry out your project:
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1. Find a partner institution
In order to carry out a networking activity, a project does not yet have to exist. However, the activity should relate to a planned exchange project. If you do not yet have a partner institution, the following tips will help you:
- Activate your personal or professional environment.
- Find a partner institution abroad through your network and the school's network, by attending Movetia networking events or international conferences.
- Networking activities in VET are generally possible worldwide, with a few exceptions. Make sure that the desired partner institution is located in an eligible programme country.
- Get more information on the topic Find an exchange partner.
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2. Optional Form a consortium
If several Swiss institutions are pursuing the same goal, they can apply for funding for mobilities as a consortium. Find out whether a consortium project brings additional benefit to your project.
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3. Planning the project
- Plan the networking project and the stay together with your partner institution.
- In the project application, you describe the planned activities and provide information on points such as
- Details of all partner institutions
- Brief project description with objectives and measures
- Overview of planned mobility activities
- Information on the preparation, on-site support and follow-up of the mobility activities
- Plan for internal and external communication of the project results.
- Use the award criteria as a guide:
- It is important to us to also enable persons with disabilities or with physical, mental, or chronic diseases to participate. Therefore, we provide additional funding for persons with special needs, for which you can apply in the funding application. You may also submit a request for funding for special needs at a later stage during the project duration. You can find more information inclusion and equal opportunities.
- Consider environmentally friendly means of transport in the planning of your project. Find out more about green Mobility.
- We are happy to provide you with individual counselling to clarify questions about planning, submission and implementation. The consultation can take place over the phone, online or on site.
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4. Submit funding application
- Submit the funding application online. Keep to the deadlines in March and October.
- Open the application as early as possible to familiarise yourself with the requirements. We open the application forms together with the call for projects, usually in December and June. You can save the application temporarily and continue working on it later. If you are submitting an application for the first time, you will need to register once.
- Only one application is required for all persons involved in networking. In the same funding application, you can also apply for funding for Job Shadowing, Teaching activities and Continuing education abroad for staff in VET, as well as for Teaching activities in VET and Project work abroad for VET students/apprentices.
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5. Contract and payout
- We will review your application after the Deadlines have expired.
- You will receive notification at the end of May or the end of November.
- After a positive decision, we will send you a contract.
- The project starts on 1 June or 1 December. You can choose between a project duration of 12 or 24 months.
- Within 30 days of receiving the signed contract, we will pay out 40% of the total amount approved (1st instalment). As soon as you have used 70% of this amount, you can claim the next 40% (2nd instalment). We will calculate the remaining amount after the final report has been submitted.
- Payments are made exclusively to vocational education and training institutions based in Switzerland.
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6. Implement planned networking
- After the start of the project, we organise an information event. You will receive all the information you need to successfully carry out and complete your project. It also gives you the opportunity to get to know your contacts at our company and other project managers.
- You can use the notification of need for persons with special needs to apply for additional funding for participants
with physical or mental disabilities if you have not already done so in the funding application. - Please notify us of any changes to your project (e.g. duration, project partners, budget) with a special application (in the login area)
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7. Submit final report
- At the end of the project period, you submit a short final report within 60 days. Depending on the number of mobilities realised, we will pay out any remaining amounts or make a reclaim.
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8. Spread the word
- Implement the planned communication measures. Be sure to mention the funding from Movetia. We provide the logo and text modules.
- Share the content widely via your institution's channels, e.g. newsletter, social media, blog, etc. In this way, you can present your institution as innovative, open-minded and an attractive employer. You will also stimulate professional exchange in the education sector.
- Contact us to increase your reach, e.g. through a magazine article on our website.
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9. Improve projects and plan new projects
- Thanks to networking, you have found new partners or defined optimisation opportunities in a mobility project. Use them to plan a new project or implement the improvements in an ongoing project.
Q & A
We would like to meet potential partner institutions abroad to plan an initial exchange project with them. Is networking the right activity?
No, networking always involves activities within the framework of an existing or planned project that offers traineeships abroad for VET students and apprentices or for VET staff. The purpose of networking is always to further develop an existing or planned mobility project or to monitor the project.
To meet new contacts and initiate a new exchange project, our funding opportunities for Preparatory visits are suitable.
We would like to expand our network in vocational education and training abroad independently of an exchange project. Is networking the right activity?
No. Networking is not primarily about VET staff networking with colleagues from abroad. It is about networking or quality assurance within the framework of an existing or planned mobility project.