Call for proposals � EACEA/42/11 � Erasmus Mundus 2009-2013 action programme � Implementation in 2012

The overall aims of the Erasmus Mundus programme are: to promote European higher education, to help improve and enhance the career prospects of students, and to promote intercultural understanding through cooperation with third countries.
The  specific objectives of the programme are:

— to promote structured cooperation between higher education institutions and an offer of enhanced quality in higher education with a distinct European added value, attractive both within the EU and beyond its borders, with a view to creating centres of excellence,
— to contribute to the mutual enrichment of societies by developing the qualifications of women/men so that they possess appropriate skills, particularly as regards the labour market, and are open-minded and internationally experienced through promoting mobility for the most talented students and academics from third countries to obtain qualifications and/or experience in the EU and for the most talented European students and academics towards third countries,
— to contribute towards the development of human resources and the international cooperation capacity of higher education institutions in third countries through increased mobility streams between the EU and third countries,
— to improve accessibility and enhance the profile and visibility of European higher education around the world as well as its attractiveness for third country nationals and citizens of the Union.

This call concerns: Action 1 — Joint programmes; Action 2 — Partnerships; Action 3 — Promotion of European higher education.
A. Action 1 — Erasmus Mundus joint programmes
This action that aims at fostering cooperation between higher education institutions and academic staff in Europe and third countries with a view to creating poles of excellence and providing highly trained human resources is composed of two sub-actions:
— Action 1A — Erasmus Mundus Master Courses (EMMCs), and
— Action 1B — Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorates (EMJDs).
The aim of the sub-actions is to support postgraduate programmes of outstanding academic quality, jointly developed by consortia of European and, where relevant, third-country universities and that could contribute to the increased visibility and attractiveness of the European higher education sector. Such joint programmes must involve mobility between the consortia universities and lead to the award of recognised joint, double or multiple degrees.
This call aims to select: around 15 new applications for EMMCs and up to 23 renewal applications; and around 10 new applications for EMJDs.
For each of the selected applications, a five-year framework partnership agreement (FPA) will be issued in the summer of 2012. These FPAs will give rise to the award of annual specific grant agreements starting from the academic year 2013/14 which will include, on the one hand, a financial support to the consortia implementing the joint programmes and, on the other, a yearly defined number of individual scholarships for European and third-country students, doctoral candidates and scholars.
The deadline for Action 1 is 30 April 2012.

B. Action 2 — Erasmus Mundus partnerships
NB The funding and the subsequent award of project grants for lots 1, 2, 3, 5 and 11 are subject to Decisions being adopted by the European Commission.
This action aims at fostering structured cooperation between European and third-country higher education institutions through the promotion of mobility at all levels of studies for students (undergraduate and masters), doctoral candidates, researchers, academic and administrative staff (not all regions and lots may include all types of mobility flow).
Action 2 — Erasmus Mundus partnerships (EMA2) is divided into two strands:
— Erasmus Mundus Action 2 — STRAND 1 — Partnerships with countries covered by the ENPI, DCI, EDF and IPA instruments ( 2 ) (former External Cooperation Window),
— Erasmus Mundus Action 2 — STRAND 2 — Partnerships with countries and territories covered by the Industrialised Countries Instrument (ICI).
The overall available amount under this call for proposals is approximately €170,640 million, aiming at a minimum mobility flow of 6,210 individuals.
The available budget for EMA2-STRAND 1 is €169,440 million aiming at a minimum mobility of 6,185 individuals.
The available budget for EMA2-STRAND 2 is €1.2 million aiming at a minimum mobility of 25 individuals.
The deadline for Action 2 is 30 April 2012

C. Action 3 — Promotion of European higher education
This action aims at promoting European higher education through measures enhancing its attractiveness, profile, image, visibility and accessibility. Action 3 provides support to trans-national initiatives, studies, projects, events and other activities related to the international dimension of all aspects of higher education. These include promotion, accessibility, quality assurance, credit recognition, recognition of European qualifications abroad and mutual recognition of qualifications with third countries, curriculum development, mobility, quality of services, etc.
Action 3 activities may take various forms (conferences, seminars, workshops, studies, analyses, pilot projects, prizes, international networks, production of material for publication, development of information, communication and technology tools) and may take place anywhere in the world.
This call aims to select around six projects. The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects under the present call for proposals is €1.5 million. Grant amounts will vary considerably according to the size of the projects selected (usually between €100,000 and €350,000). The financial contribution from the Agency cannot exceed 75% of the total eligible costs.
The deadline for Action 3 is 30 April 2012.

Reference: 2011/C 381/03

(Added 2011-12-30)