The overall aim of the Call is to bridge the gap between the worlds of education and business, to improve the relevance of education and training for labour market needs, and to raise excellence.

Beneficiaries shall set-up and implement new cooperation structures on sustainable VET-business partnerships based on a skills needs assessment and possibly taking into account a sectoral dimension. Projects should entail activities such as capacity building, knowledge transfer and exchange of experiences, or make existing engagement more systematic, targeted and sustainable for the improved qualitative and quantitative provision of apprenticeships and work-based learning.

In addition, beneficiaries shall undertake two of the following three activities for both lots:

• Design and implement curricula, courses and modules, training material on work-based learning and apprenticeships according to skills needs and in line with the European transparency instruments (e.g. EQF, EQAVET, ECVET) and using digital and innovative technologies as appropriate;

• Build effective cooperation structures between VET teachers and in-company trainers for the delivery of work-based learning and apprenticeships;

• Set-up and strengthen work-based learning and apprenticeships in higher VET at tertiary level by facilitating cooperation between VET providers at secondary and tertiary level and businesses, including the promotion of research links to universities or universities of applied sciences to respond to skills shortages and foster the excellence agenda.