On 10 September 2020, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Hon Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and Parliamentary Secretary for Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisations, Clifton Grima announced that the European Commission launched two new extraordinary calls for the 2020 Erasmus+ programme as a response to the challenges and setbacks experienced by the education and youth, culture and creative sectors as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two calls focus on digital education readiness and skills development and social inclusion through creativity and the arts. The priorities include promoting gender equality, the use of European frameworks on digital competences and addressing differences in relation to the access and use of technology by underrepresented groups. Actions contributing to job creation, sustainable development and social inclusion through the arts and intercultural dialogue are also prioritised.

The Parliamentary Secretary, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi informed that a Eur1.2 million investment is being done by these two new calls, the money of which were added to the funds already allocated for the current programming period 2014-2020. Indeed, these are extraordinary calls which intend to further the development in the digital and creative sector. Digitalisation is one of the main priorities of the European Union, and on which Member States are encouraged to keep working on. The Parliamentary Secretary, thus, emphasised how these two calls will be upturning difficult moments and challenges into opportunities for further development and advancement.  

Parliamentary Secretary for Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisations, Clifton Grima stated that the Erasmus+ Programme is further establishing its role as the European Union’s main instrument in supporting innovation in education and youth, as well as providing opportunities for personal and professional development for Eurpoean citizens. He said that these calls will give young people an opportunity to merge their education with the cultural and creative sectors.

Finally he stressed that as a government we need to see more youths particpiating in these programmes. This Goverment deems youth as one of  his country’s greatest resources and is therefore committed to continue supporting them.

Chief Executive Officer and Erasmus+ National Coordinator,

Mr Schembri advised that the first call for Strategic Partnerships for Partnerships for digital education readiness is open to the Schools, the Vocational and Education Training and the Higher Education sectors and it aims to support projects aiming to contribute to digital education and to mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.

The second call, Partnerships for Creativity, focuses on skills development and social inclusion through creativity and the arts and is open to the Schools, Adult Education and the Youth sectors, Projects aim at enhancing the creative skills of young people and adults and to boost quality and innovative youth work.

The deadline for these calls for proposals is noon of 29 October 2020.For further information and assistance one can contact EUPA on eupa@gov.mt or call 25586130. Application forms can be accessed on http://erasmusplus.eupa.org.mt/guide-to-apply/