Organisations, educational institutions presented with EU-funded grants

Stephen Spiteri, Parliamentary Assistant, Ministry of Education and Employment, this morning presented 38 organisations and educational institutions with funding grant agreements under the EU-funded Lifelong Learning Programme managed by the EU Programmes Agency (EUPA).

The total value of these agreements amounted to 712,000 euros.

The Lifelong Learning programme is a European funding programme enabling individuals at all stages of their life to pursue learning opportunities across Europe, comprising four sectoral programmes: Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig.

In 2010, students that had planned to experience studying abroad for a term or two were in for an abrupt change of plans, as the Lifelong Learning and Youth In Action programmes were suspended by the European Union following administrative issues.

Late last year, statistics published by the EU Commission showed that in 2010, young people from Malta were the least to benefit from EU grants for study, training and volunteering under the Lifelong Learning Programme and Youth in Action.

According to the report, "In 2010, there were only 250 Maltese youths in the Lifelong Learning Programme and 100 in the Youth in Action programme. Luxembourg - which is the same size as Malta - sent 1,000 youths for the Lifelong Learning programme and 900 for the Youth in Action programme. "560,000 young people from all EU countries participated in this programme. Out of these, only 350 were Maltese."

A report by the Malta National Team of Bologna Experts (2011) shows that the number of Maltese students participating in Erasmus was still very low when compared to the total number of students at the University of Malta.

In 2010, the social-democratic student organisation Pulse had expressed "serious concern" on the uncertainty faced by Erasmus students prior to it being halted.

Among the organisations benefitting this year are various State, Church and private primary schools, MCAST, the Directorate for Lifelong Learning, the Malta Health Network, among others.

The partnership projects – Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig – were selected as a result of a call of applications earlier this year.

"Not only NGOs benefit from the LLP, but is also and opportunity for children, youths and adults to experience various educational programmes, helping to further enhance their studies," Dr Spiteri said of such an incentive.

Spiteri emphasised that all funds "should be utilised correctly".

EUPA National Coordinator Robert Debono stated that the agency had been collaborating with educational institutions for the past years through EU-funding and "we consider them as our main stakeholders".

When asked by MaltaToday why such funds were publicised, Jamie Mercieca, EUPA Communications Officer, said that "we owe it to the public to know how the funds were being utilised and what type of opportunities are available".

"There are three deadlines for individual funding a year for such funds to be distributed," Mercieca said, when asked how often NGOs and individuals received such funds.

EUPA photo competition

The EUPA has launched a photo story competition as part of its campaign to raise awareness about the Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action programmes and the opportunities these programmes provide for EU citizens of all ages. The theme of the competition is "Participation in Society".

Members of the public are being invited to enter this competition and put their creativity and cameras (or mobile phones) to the test and explore the myriad of story-telling possibilities which are provided by photography. Competitors are free to interpret the theme as broadly as they like and the participation portrayed can be active or passive, deliberate or spontaneous in nature.

A total of €500 in prizes to be won!

To download the application form visit EUPA's website: http://eupa.org.mt/news.php?act=news_detail&id=96 or call 2558 6130 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Closing date for entries is 10 September 2012 at noon.