The Leonardo da Vinci programme links policy to practice in the field of vocational education and training (VET). Projects range from those giving individuals the chance to improve their competences, knowledge and skills through a period abroad, to Europe-wide co-operation between training organisations.

The project improving transparency of European Sport Coach Education focuses on the co-operation between training organisations.  The Leonardo da Vinci programme is divided into three separate areas: Partnership, Practical experience and exchange, and Developing projects. The project is a transfer of Innovation project. The innovations utilized comes from an Erasmus awarded EU project, Aligning a European Higher Education Structure in Sport Science (AEHESIS), the EU-commission work in regards to mobility and life-long learning and the work of European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP).

Link to third year report of AEHESIS-project: http://www.aehesis.de/images/FilesForDL/reports/aeh_report_3rd.pdf

Link to European Qualification Framework: http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/eqf/eqf08_en.pdf

Link to European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/default.asp

Link to European Comission on training and education: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc82_en.htm

Link to Swedish National Agency: http://www.programkontoret.se/sv/Program-Stipendier/Program1/Programmet-for-livslangt-larande/Leonardo-da-Vinci/Leonardo-da-Vinci-utvecklingsprojekt/

Link to Danish National Agency: http://www.ciriusonline.dk/

Link to Hungarian National Agency: http://www.mobilitas.hu/flp

On the first of July of 2007 all of Swedish Higher Education would have had to adjust their educational programs to the Bologna-process. This process placed a strong focus on learning outcomes in order to create transparency and comparability between different institutions of higher learning in Europe. The process itself also has a multiple of other consequences. The project manager had a keen interest and a managing responsibility on a program level of this educational end pedagogical process.

The key here is that we had a history tightly connected to what was happening at the European level, and that the project manager saw this advantages as possibilities.

Official link to the Bologna Process: http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/

It is important to understand the organisation of the EU funding system in order to make use of the system. Well ahead of deadline for application the project manager familiarized himself with the different programmes, to understand which program was best suitable for us to apply to. The general idea was inspired in Rio Maior, Portugal at the 9^th ENSEE forum. President Tokarski spoke of the possibility to utilize the EU funding system to enable different interest-groups and stakeholders to realize the work done in the AEHESIS-project.

The key here was both to utilize what others have seen as possibilities and also to take time to become familiar with the funding system.

It was important to develop two strands of networks, first of all to develop one strand concerning the funding system and secondly to develop one strand with potential partners.

The first strand was developed both internally within Malmo University and externally with the National Agency. The key here was to gain a better understanding, and support in order for to increase the chance for an application to be accepted. Malmö University has both a research support system and an international support system, where key individuals have special competencies that were useful. Also, the National Agency has a support system both in the regards to the formalities of application and also in regards to creating a functional application based on the idea of the project. In our case it was crucial to utilize this support system.

The second strand was more of the traditional networking. A few key contacts where made at the 9th ENSSEE forum. Some historical contacts where activated and some new contacts where formed throughout the applications writing process. The new alliances that were formed sprung from the group of natural stakeholders in relation to the project idea.

The second strand of network lead to the formation of a partnership and to the formation of a national track and an international track. The international track was developed based on the partner´s specific needs, and the partnerships ability to fulfil these needs.  The realization that the project could be run parallel with both a national and international track was very helpful.  Both in getting the partners on board, and also utilize the partners current focus in their daily work-plan

 

One key in the application process was the understanding of different objectives within the Leonardo da Vinci programme. Another key was to define the amount of time each potential partner needed to fulfil their obligations to the project. A third key was to utilize the partnership in the application-writing process. Some partners had experience of doing similar applications in the past. This also helped to see how National Agency operate differently, thereby utilizing the strength and possibilities of the EU-funding system rather than viewing the system as bureaucratic. A forth key was to actually understand the project idea from the two simple questions: 1) What do we want to do? 2) How do we do it?   

Link to the application as a pdf.

Based on the evaluation from the National Agency (externally evaluated) of the application, we made some refinements to the working process and the partnership. The external evaluator pointed out some potential weaknesses in the project partnership that we listened to and adjusted, they also asked for clarifications. There were certain items in the application that, because of our working process, had become assumptions that we did not feel a need to clarify that needed clarification. Overall we valued the evaluation process as a learning tool. Potentially the worst thing that could have happened was a rejection for the application period 2008-2010. We always had the possibility of re-applying for project grants the following year.

For further details please refer to specific National Agency websites (see above).