The 2007 activity overview of Education exchanges support foundation.

1. EDUCATION EXCHANGES SUPPORT FOUNDATION
2007 Activity Overview

2. 2007 Activity
Overview
The Education Exchanges Support Foundation is a Lithuanian national agency entrust-
ed with the task to administer the Lifelong Learning Programme, other initiatives funded
by the European Commission and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in the area
of general education and vocational training. The Foundation was established in 2007
having merged the EU Socrates and EU Leonardo da Vinci support foundations that had
been active in Lithuania since 1998. During that period over one third of the Lithuanian
secondary schools have participated in various European partnership projects, over 7000
students of the Lithuanian institutions of higher education, and nearly 3000 teachers were
afforded a possibility to gain new expertise while studying or working in the EU States
under the Erasmus programme, about 5 000 persons took the opportunity to join the Le-
onardo da Vinci mobility projects. We are proud to see more than 3000 foreign students
since 2000 to choose Lithuania as a temporary place for residence and studies. Socrates
and Leonardo da Vinci programmes have for the first time ever offered Lithuanian teachers
and students an opportunity to participate in the European cooperation and international
mobility projects. Our purpose is to help Lithuanian people to take advantage of the extensive opportunities offered by the interna-
tional cooperation projects. The specialists at the Foundation offer advice to all those interested and provide information about a
range of educational and vocational training programmes, actions and activities.
While maintaining close cooperation with the EC Representation in Lithuania, other institutions in charge of managing various EC
initiatives and jointly with organisations implementing other programmes the Foundation has been an active participant of various
other events: every year it hosts the already traditional meetings of the Baltic national agencies that have become an excellent fora
for the discussions of the most topical issues related to the administration of the Lifelong Learning Programme, exchange of informa-
tion and best practice, dissemination of news on other initiatives offered to education, research and vocational training institutions.
The year 2007 was the first year of the activity of the Foundation, and, a rather dynamic one. It is for you now to judge whether
the year was a success: 1,672 applications received, 782 grant agreements concluded. In excess of 1,050 various projects are
correctly in process and managed, the staff members of the Foundation have hosted 90 events for applicants and project execu-
tors, published the promotion and information items of nearly 100 titles, provided personal advice on almost 6,000 occasions.
We have assisted in obtaining more than 98 percent of all funds required for the projects. The staff members of the Foundation
participated in 6 international promotion projects and have joined three associations – ŽEF (Knowledge Economy Forum), LPVA
(Lithuanian Project Management Association) and ACA. We feel fully justified to believe to have worked efficiency after the ISO
9001:2000 Standard compliant Quality Management System was implemented and certified in the autumn of 2007.
While planning our activities we are confident that the experience gained and accumulated while working with the programmes
and the projects supported by the European Commission will become rather instrumental in successful administration of Nordplus –
the new cooperation programme within the Nordic countries and the Baltics. December 2007 was marked by a solemn opening-day
of the programme held in Vilnius, and we are accepting the applications for various activities starting from March.
We are confident that the Lithuanian education specialists will never lack ideas and the energy to develop new projects and
will manage to take advantage of all possibilities generously offered when being part of the international cooperation network.
Daiva Šutinytė,
Director

3. 2007 Activity
Overview
Programmes and projects under
the administration of the Education
Exchanges Support Foundation
LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME:
Comenius – school education,
erasmus – higher education,
Leonardo da VinCi – vocational training,
GrundtViG – adult education,
study Visits – visits of education specialists and decision makers,
european CertifiCate is a programme designed to assess and award the innovative language teaching and
learning projects.
EUROGUIDANCE – vocational guidance and consultations;
EUROPASS – the common European skills and qualifications recognition documents;
CEDEFOP – study visits for vocational training managers, business representatives actively involved in the vocational
training area;
ERASMUS MUNDUS – joint master degree programmes and mobility;
TEMPUS – education reforms development in partnership countries;
BOLOGNA PROCESS – information about the creation of the European area of higher education;
ACADEMIC EXCHANGES – State grants and research study placements under bilateral agreements.
EUROSKILLS – vocational skills competition.
During 2007, the employees of the Education Exchanges Support Foundation were actively participating in various activi-
ties. We are the members of the ESF 2.4-085 project “The development of the data base of the science and studies institutions
activities and the assessment of qualifications acquired abroad“, actively disseminating the information about the activities
of the European Centre for Modern Languages, we have also participated in five projects EC-launched projects for the pro-
motion of Comenius, Grundtvig and Erasmus programmes and two Leonardo da Vinci Thematic monitoring working groups.
Nevertheless, our main assignment and activity is the administration of international programmes and projects.

4. Comenius 2007 Activity
Overview
The purpose of the Comenius programme is to achieve 2001–2007. Comenius projeCts:
submitted and finanCed
the overall improvement of the secondary education appLiCations ratio
quality and reinforce the European dimension while submitted
financed
supporting the international school cooperation and
mobility. 2001 146
108
2002 148
121
Comenius partnership shall be school cooperation Project jointing the edu-
cation institutions from the States participating in the Lifelong Learning pro- 2003 182
89
grammes. The projects are arranged as bilateral or multilateral projects with two
years in duration. Comenius partnership budget for 2007 – EUR 1,423,772.00.
2004 292
183
The Lithuanian general education institutions in total filed with the Educa- 2005 385
195
tion Exchanges Support Foundation 365 applications of which 32 applications
were intended for Comenius bilateral partnerships and 333 for Comenius multi- 2006 398
203
lateral partnerships.
2007 365
144
The largest number of applications foe the bilateral Comenius partnerships
was filed by institutions from Kaunas and Vilnius counties (6 applications each),
5 applications were received from Panevėžys County, 4 applications were re-
ceived from each of Alytus and Šiauliai counties. In respect of Comenius mul-
tilateral partnerships the Foundation was filed the applications from Kaunas
County (85), Šiauliai– 68, Vilnius – 66, Klaipėda County– 36 applications.
In 2007, the European Commission amended the Project funding rules. The
duration of all projects is two years and the grant shall be also allocated for
a period of two years, as opposed to the previously applicable one year grant
period. For that reason, the number of funded projects in 2007 decreased and
in total the grants were allocated to 145 Comenius partnerships of which 9 were
bilateral and 136 multilateral partnerships.
The Education Exchanges Support Foundation allocated the grants to bilat-
eral partnerships from Panevėžys County. The largest number of funded multi-
lateral Comenius partnerships was from Kaunas County (38), in Vilnius County
27 grants were allocated, 23 in Šiauliai County and 17 in Klaipėda County.
Secondary schools proved to be most enthusiastic about the participation
in the Comenius partnerships, as they have filed 28 applications for bilateral
partnerships and 258 for multilateral partnerships. We have been observing a
growing interest in the matter on the part of the preschool educational institu-
tions. In 2007, among the applicants there were 16 such institutions in addition
to 19 applicants from vocational training institutions.

5. 2001–2007 preparatory Visits 2001–2007 Comenius improVement
under Comenius: submitted and of quaLifiCations: submitted and
finanCed appLiCations ratio finanCed appLiCations ratio
submitted submitted
financed financed
2001 43
21 2001 76
39
2002 54
33 2002 54
38
2003 71
37 2003 59
31
2004 90
55 2004 207
113
2005 118
70
2005 207
136
Preparatory visits. The objective of this activity is to help the representatives
2006 122
61
axis under the Comenius programme. The Commission has introduced three
2006 175
120
of schools willing to draft a Comenius partnership project get better acquaint- application filing periods, thus bringing into uniformity the procedure for fil-
2007 90
50
ed with the future partner institutions and offer a possibility to jointly prepare ing of these application in all countries participating in the Lifelong Learning 2007 215
116
the project. The budget allocated for the preparatory visits under Comenius Programme. The largest number of applications for this kind of activity was
programme for 2007 – EUR 55,500.00. During 2007, the largest number for the received from the general education institutions of Vilnius County (67), fol-
2001–2007 Comenius assistant
Comenius preparatory visits was received from the Kaunas County (22 applica- lowed by Kaunas (47), Šiauliai (30), Klaipėda (19) counties. The recipients of traineeship proGramme:
tions), Šiauliai County – 20, Vilnius County institutions filed 19 such applica- the grants for the Comenius improvement of qualifications activity were most submitted and finanCed
appLiCations ratio
tions. In terms of the number of grants under this axis Šiauliai County was lead- numerous from Vilnius County (39), Kaunas (27), Šiauliai (18) and Klaipėda
submitted
ing having received 13 grants, followed by Kaunas (11) and Vilnius counties (9). (19) counties. 180 applications for the participation in the Comenius qualifica- financed
Like for the partnerships under Comenius, secondary schools were most active tions improvement activity were filed by specialists from secondary schools,
applicants for Comenius partnerships, having filed 74 applications, of which 38 and 100 of them were awarded. 2001 24
11
were awarded and received funding. 4 applications were filed by pre-school and
2002 19
10
primary educational institutions that were allocated the grants to visit the part- Comenius Assistant Traineeship. The purpose of this activity is to pro-
ner institutions or participate in inception workshops. vide a possibility for the future teachers to enhance their awareness of the 2003 35
10
European dimension, improve the knowledge of foreign languages, get famil-
Improvement of qualifications. The purpose of the activities is to pro- iar with and learn about other European States and their education systems,
2004 25
20
vide a possibility for teachers and other specialists of educational institutions further improve their teaching habits and skills. The Comenius assistant train- 2005 25
19
to enhance their knowledge, develop professional skills and competences, eeship programme budget for 2007 – EUR 92,454.00. Most of the applications
get better familiarised with the education systems and trends within Europe. for the Comenius assistant traineeship programme were received form Vilnius 2006 27
19
The budget allocated for the Comenius improvement of qualifications activi- County, and the grants were allocated to 4 future teachers. Participants from
2007 25
12
ties for 2007 – EUR 277,365.00. In 2007, the European Commission amended each of Panevėžys and Kaunas counties filed 3 applications, respectively, and
the procedure for filing the applications for the improvement of qualifications were granted 3 and 2 grants.
10 11

6. Leonardo da Vinci 2007 Activity
Overview
2000–2007 Leonardo da VinCi
Leonardo da Vinci programme is designed to promote and proGramme mobiLity projeCts:
support cooperation between the EU States in the area of submitted and finanCed
appLiCations ratio
improvement of vocational training. The underlying goal received
of the programme is to bring together the institutions of financed
different European States including the vocational train- 2000 90
41
ing institutions of all levels, local authorities, employer
2001 68
45
organisations and other public organisations for the pur-
pose of designing of the future vocational training policy. 2002 102
56
2003 185
58
Mobility projects. The mobility projects provide for a possibility to visit 31
2004 193
59
European countries participating in the programme for the purpose of profes-
sional development, improvement or professional knowledge and skills, also go 2005 162
65
to practical traineeship in enterprises; get better familiarised with the novelties
in vocational training area, the most state-of-the-art technologies, exchange ex-
2006 148
78
perience with colleagues, etc. The total duration of the mobility projects is from 2007 93
65
6 to 24 months. In 2007, the allocations for the mobility projects amounted to
EUR 1,289,586. Funding was provided to cover the project-related administra-
tive, travel, subsistence and language and cultural preparation costs.
13
12

7. 2001–2007 m. Leonardo da VinCi During 2007, applications for the participation in the mobility projects un- 2000–2007 proCedure b (sinCe
proGramme mobiLity projeCts: 2007 – innoVations transfer
ratio of appLied and awarded der the Leonardo da Vinci programme were received from all 10 counties of projeCts) under the Leonardo da
Grants (eur) Lithuania. The largest number of such applications were received from Viln- VinCi proGrammes: submitted and
finanCed appLiCations ratio
ius County (30), however counties of Kaunas, Šiauliai and Klaipėda were also
gant applied applied projects
grant awarded quite active having submitted 10-18 applications each. funded projects
Currently, the Education Exchanges Support Foundation is administering 143
2001 1 590 195
554 763 of mobility projects under the Leonardo da Vinci programme (in 2006 – 78, and in
2000 34
2
2002 2 329 495
593 692
2007 – 65 projects), the grants allocated to the projects total EUR 2,862,386. 2001 16
4
August 2007 marked the launching of new projects – the preparatory visits
2003 2 569 310
609 600 designed to ensure the preparedness for the new Project under Leonardo da 2002 27
4
Vinci programme by participating in kick-off workshops hosted by foreign na-
2004 4 702 013
1 226 606
tional agencies or going to meet the potential partners from foreign countries.
2003 32
4
2005 3 888 819
1 323 000
The preparatory visits are being funded from the general programme budget. 2004 25
6
This year 75 applications have been received applying for the grants for the
2006 3 269 076
1 572 800 preparatory visits, of which 34 were awarded by allocating total EUR 30,256.
2005 17
4
2007 2 091 566
1 289 586
2006 16
4
The Innovations Transfer Projects. The innovations transfer projects are
the multilateral projects designed to contribute to the improvement of instruc- 2007 11
5
tion systems focusing upon the transfer of innovations in the area of voca-
tional training including the linguistic, cultural and legal adaptation of various
2000–2007 proCedure b (sinCe
innovative products developed under diversified conditions. The maximum 2007 – innoVations transfer
support for the programme per year has been fixed at EUR 150,000. projeCts) under the Leonardo da
VinCi proGrammes: appLied for
In Lithuania for 2007, the total allocations from the European Commission
and aLLoCated Grants ratio (eur)
funds for the innovations transfer projects amounted to EUR 1,171,847.
grant applied
Currently, the Education Exchanges Support Foundation is managing 20 funding granted
projects of the Procedure B (since 2007 – the innovations transfer projects)
2005 4 837 197
958 733
under Leonardo da Vinci programmes (in 2004 – 6, 2005 – 4, 2006 and
2007 each – 5 projects), the total grant allocations for such projects amounted 2006 3 526 705
899 254
to EUR 4,282,407.
2007 2 507 177
1 171 847
14 1

8. Grundtvig 2007 Activity
Overview
The objective of the Grundtvig programme is to 2001–2007 GrundtViG projeCts:
submitted and finanCed
improve the quality of education of adults and appLiCations ratio
the accessibility of education by supporting the
submitted
international cooperation among the adult education financed
institutions and mobility initiatives. 2001 10
9
2002 26
16
Grundtvig Learning Partnerships. The purpose of the activity is to further
improve the adult education process according to the European Union stand- 2003 42
20
ards. The Grundtvig learning partnerships budget for 2007 – EUR 585,077.00.
The Education Exchanges Support Foundation was filed by the Lithuanian
2004 69
48
adult education institutions total 132 applications. The most numerous were the 2005 109
57
applications filed by the institutions from the Vilnius County (59), while Kaunas,
Šiauliai and Klaipėda counties filed, respectively, 20, 12 and 10 applications. 2006 122
80
In 2007, the European Commission amended the Project funding rules. The
2007 132
58
duration of all projects is two years and the grant shall be also allocated for
a period of two years, as opposed to the previously applicable one year grant
period. For that reason, the number of funded projects in 2007 decreased and
in total the grants were allocated to 59 Grundtvig learning partnerships.
1
16

9. 2001–2007 GrundtViG and non-profit organisations filed in total 21 applications, of which 10 were 2001–2007 GrundtViG preparato-
improVement of quaLifiCations ry Visits proGramme: submitted
proGramme: submitted and funded, the higher education establishments filed 20 applications of which 8 and finanCed appLiCations ration
finanCed appLiCations ratio were awarded.
submitted
submitted financed
financed Preparatory Visits. The objective of this activity is to help the representa-
2001 15
10
2001 10
4
tives of adult education institutions willing to draft a Grundtvig learning part-
nership project get better acquainted with the future partner institutions and
2002 20
9
2002 15
11 offer a possibility to jointly prepare the project. The budget allocated for the
preparatory visits under Grundtvig programme for 2007 – EUR 20,000.00. 2003 19
2003 16 6
10 In 2007, the largest number of applications in respect of the Grundtvig prepara-
2004 26
2004 48
28
tory visits were received from Vilnius County, totalling 14, Šiauliai County 7 18
applications and Panevėžys and Kaunas County institutions filed 5 applications 2005 44
2005 80
34 each. Accordingly, the Vilnius County institutions were allocated most of the
20
2006 61
2006 44
39
grants - 7, while the Kaunas, Šiauliai and Panevėžys County institutions were 36
allocated by 4 grants each.
2007 39
2007 96
30
22
Improvement of qualifications. The purpose of this area of activity – to en-
able the teachers, instructors and other persons engaged in adult education
to participate in the professional development courses on the European level.
Grundtvig improvement of qualification programme budget for 2007 – EUR
67,231.00. In 2007, the European Commission amended the procedure for
filing the applications for the improvement of qualifications axis under the
Grundtvig programme. The Commission has introduced three application fil-
ing periods thus bringing into uniformity the procedure for filing of these ap-
plications in all countries participating in the Lifelong Learning Programme.
The Education Exchanges Support Foundation allocated 24 grants to part- The largest number of applications for this axis of the activity came from
nerships from Vilnius County and to 9 partnerships from Kaunas County. the adult education institutions operating in the Vilnius County – 50 (22 appli-
The adult education and continuous education institutions total filed 25 cations awarded), Kaunas County – 18 (10 applications awarded), Klaipėda –
project applications of which 10 were awarded the funding. The non-State 12 (4 applications awarded).
18 1

10. Erasmus 2007 Activity
Overview
Erasmus programme has been dedicated to the pro- institutions partiCipatinG in the
erasmus mobiLity proGramme in
motion of cooperation institutions of higher educa- 2007/2008. breakdown by types
of hiGher eduCation institutions
tion, ensuring of the quality of studies, exchange of
students, teachers and administrative personnel,
development of intensive studies programmes, and Research
institutes
the provision of support to language course hosting. Colleges 1
26
The year 2007 marked the beginning of the new Erasmus programme stage. Universities
During this period some new types of activities have been successfully integrat- 18
ed, such as the students‘ placement in foreign enterprises, training and place-
ments of the academic and administrative personnel of higher education insti-
tutions in foreign countries, Erasmus preparatory visits and Erasmus intensive
programmed projects.
Seeking to become participants in the Erasmus programmes in 2008–2013,
mobiLity proGramme appLiCati-
as many as 49 Lithuanian higher education institutions filed the applications ons awarded in 2007 (by types of
with the European Commission, of which 46 institutions were awarded the Er- aCtiVities)
asmus University Charter. The Erasmus University Charter is a document cer- Activities under Erasmus AMI
tifying that the institution complies with the criteria stipulated by the Erasmus mobility programme
programme, and granting the right to participate in activities under the Eras- Total institutions implemen-
mus programme. As many as 33 Lithuanian higher education institutions were ting the students‘ studies
44
mobility programme
awarded the extended Erasmus University Charter that entitles the institution to
organise the students‘ traineeship placements in foreign enterprises under the Total institutions implemen-
ting the students‘ traineeship
Erasmus programmes. 23
mobility programme
The total managed budget for the year 2007 amounts to EUR 4,478,199 of Total institutions implemen-
the European Commission funds to be allocated for the implementation of the ting the students‘ with disabi-
1
lities mobility programme
Erasmus programme in 2007/2008. Each year some additional funding is allo-
cated by the Ministry of Science and Education, thus in 2007, LTL 13,836,000 Total institutions implemen-
ting the teachers‘ teaching
additional budget funding was granted for the implementation of Erasmus and 45
mobility programme
other EU programmes.
Total institutions implemen-
Erasmus mobility programme represents the activity enabling the Lithua- ting the teachers‘ with disabili-
1
nian higher education institutions and research institutes authorised, in coop- ties mobility programme
eration with the universities, to organise doctoral studies, organise the student, Total institutions implementing
teacher and other specialist exchanges with the foreign higher education estab- the personnel training/place-
ment mobility programme 38
lishments and enterprises.
21
20

11. teaChers‘ mobiLity deVeLopment This year was the first year when the programme was joined by research and Vilnius University organised such EILC courses in January 2008. inCominG and outGoinG students
( VisitinG teaChers) under erasmus proGramme in
institutions. Erasmus mobility programme attracted the interest of 3 research Erasmus intensive programmes are a short-term study programme joining 1999–2006 (*2006/2007 sChooL
institutes, however, the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics was the only students and teachers from various universities representing the participant year number are preLiminary)
1999/2000 89
institution that was granted support in 2007 for activities under the mobility countries. The purpose of the activity is to provide the conditions to students
2000/2001 174
programme. Currently the activities under the mobility programmes are being and teachers to work jointly in international groups, in a specifically tailored
incoming
outgoing
2001/2002 258 pursued by 45 higher educations institutions: 18 universities, 26 colleges and teaching and learning environment, look at the subject from a different per-
1999/2000 36
361
2002/2003 332 1 research institute. spective, exchange experience about the contents of the studies and the
2003/2004 427
In the school year of 2006/2007, 42 higher schools participated in Eras- methods of the studies programmes. The target group of the activity are the 2000/2001 56
624
mus mobility programmes. The preliminary total number of students visiting institutions of higher education and studies. The intensive programmes (IP)
2004/2005 571
foreign institutions under the programme activities in 2006/2007 – 2082 stu- are the short-term undertaking bringing together the students and teachers 2001/2002 85
829
2005/2006 648 dents and 755 teachers. from different participant countries. Prior to 2007, the Erasmus intensive pro-
2002/2003 137
2006/2007 755 Although the number of students outgoing from Lithuania has been nota- gramme projects were managed by the European Commission, in 2006/2007 1001
bly increasing with every year, in earlier years there have been very few for- school year there were only 2 projects approved under the management of the 2003/2004 218
1194
eign students coming to study to Lithuania. However, during the recent years Lithuanian higher education institutions.
students‘ mobiLity deVeLopment Lithuania has become one of the leading States in Europe in terms of the per- As of 30 March 2007, the Education Exchange Support Foundation had
2004/2005 414
1473
( VisitinG students)
centage increase in the number of students coming to study to the country. been filed 6 IP project applications, of which one application concerned the 2005/2006 628
1910
Erasmus intensive language courses (hereinafter – EILC) represent the project to be renewed, and 5 applications concerned new projects, of which 3
2000/2001 624
specialised language courses designed to study the less known and rare lan- projects were selected and funded including the renewed project. 2006/2007 1008
2082
2001/2002 829 guages of the countries participating in the Erasmus programme.
2002/2003 1001 As of 30 March 2007, the applications to organise the EILC courses were filed Coordination of Erasmus preparatory visits. The purpose of Erasmus
approVed projeCts under the
2003/2004 1194 by 9 institutions: 8 higher education institutions and one language and commu- preparatory visits is to facilitate visits to future partner institutions to discuss
erasmus intensiVe proGramme (ip)
2004/2005 1473
nication centre, of which 5 institutions were selected and awarded the funding. cooperation under the Erasmus programme and conclude the inter-institu- projeCts 2007
In summer of 2007, the language courses were organised by three higher tional agreements, also the visits to foreign enterprises to discuss the future
2005/2006 1910
education institutions: the Vilnius Pedagogical University, the Vytautas Mag- cooperation when organising the Erasmus students’ placements, meeting the Institution Project title
2006/2007 2082
nus University and the LCC International University. The Vilnius Pedagogical partner institutions when intending to participate in the Erasmus intensive
Klaipėda MUSTUFE. ”Play Music,
University, the Vytautas Magnus University had two groups of students, and programme activities. University Study and Enjoy“ –
the LCC International University organised one group of students. Total 80 stu- By 30 November 2007, the Foundation had received the applications from The International Festival
of Chamber Music
dents from 14 and other countries enrolled the courses, including Germany, 9 higher education institutions of which 7 were selected as eligible for fund-
Vilnius MULTISTUDIES Multidiscip-
Denmark, Austria, France, Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Poland, ing. Certain priority was allowed to institutions participating in the activities Gediminas linary multinational
Finland, Turkey, Spain, Estonia and Norway. Kaunas University of Technology for the first time. Technial studies in Informatics–
University Automation–Robotics
Klaipėda A BETTER TOMORROW
University
Mykolas WASPOLSS Tracking
Römeris New European Ways in
University Social Policy, Legal and
Social Services
22 23

12. Cedefop 2007 Activity
Overview
the number of subsidies
Cedefop visits are visits intended for political decision- aLLoCated to Lithuania for
taking persons, training specialists (researchers and Cedefop Visits in 2000–2007
(number of subsidies)
practicians), designed for facilitation of information
subsidies granted
and expertise exchange. used
2000 2
1
Cedefop visits are visits intended for political decision-taking persons,
training specialists (researchers and practicians), designed for facilitation 2001 2
2
of information and expertise exchange.
The target group of the Cedefop Project: vocational training develop-
2002 3
3
mental process specialists, representatives of vocational training centres, 2003 3
2
employer organisations, enterprises, directors of personnel departments,
owners of small and medium-sized companies, researchers, etc. 2004 8
8
Annually two calls for submission of applications are announced under
2005 11
11
Cedefop Programme. In 2007, the first call for submitting applications was an-
nounced until May 18, 2007 (the deadline for submission of applications). 2006 12
12
For Cedefop tender, 54 applications were submitted. Six places were giv-
en to Lithuanian vocational training managers, social partners, representa-
2007 12
tives of business enterprises, actively participating in the vocational training
process, while at the meeting of the Cedefop visit selection commission it
was decided to grant funding to the six applications, which were best evalu-
ated by the experts.
From January 1, 2008, the Cedefop Programme has been joined to the
Study Visit Programme, therefore the second call for submission of applica-
tions was announced until October 15, 2007 (the deadline for submission
of applications) together with the study visits. Since 2008, this programme
will be titled the Study Visit Programme and it will be intended not only for
vocational training specialists but also for the specialists of the entire edu-
cational system.
2
24

13. Study Visits 2007 Activity
Overview
the number of subsidies
Study visits are visits of education specialists and aLLoCated to Lithuania for
decision-taking persons, aimed at facilitating transna- study Visits in 2000–2007
(number of partiCipants)
tional information and expertise exchange. The target
group of the Project: specialists from the Ministry of 2000 5
Education and Science, administration staff of town 2001 7
and regional educational departments, heads of edu- 2002 7
cational institutions, inspectors, teacher trainers, 2003 8
high-quality education specialists, etc. 2004 34
2005 35
In 2007, subsidies for the Study Visit Programme of Lithuania totalled EUR 2006 33
46,093 (31 subsidies). In 2007, two calls for submission of applications were an- 2007 31
nounced for a study visit tender. During the first call to submit applications, 37
applications for study visits were received. Since in total 31 subsidies were allo-
cated for Lithuania in the 2007 academic year, at the meeting of the commission
for selection of study visit applications during the first call for submission of ap-
plications it was decided to grant funding to 17 best applications (the remaining
14 subsidies were left for the second call to submit applications).
In 2007, the first call for submission of applications was participated by 23
organisations, of which 13 are educational institutions (kindergartens, second-
ary and basic schools, colleges, and universities), 5 town and regional munici-
palities, and 15 training and educational centres.
During the second call for submission of applications, 47 applications for
study visits were received. At the meeting of the commission for selection of
study visit applications, funding was granted to 20 applications (14 from the
Study Visit Programme and 6 from Cedefop Programme).
In 2007, in the second call for submission of applications, 47 organisations
took part, including 32 educational institutions (kindergartens, secondary and
basic schools, colleges, and universities), 2 town and regional municipalities,
6 training and educational centres, 3 institutions providing vocational consul-
tancy services, 2 private capital companies, and 2 other establishments.
Since January 1, 2008, the two programmes – the Study Visits and Cede-
fop – have been merged into one (called the Study Visits) programme, and from
January 1, 2008, it has been coordinated in Europe by the Cedefop (European
Vocational Training Development Centre) agency.
2
26

14. European Certificate 2007 Activity
Overview
The objective of the Programme is to evaluate and 2006–2007 number of
appLiCations for european
award the innovative language teaching and learning CertifiCation Competition
projects, present them to teachers, pupils and lectur- Nomination Appli- Appli-
ers, to encourage the wider application of innovative cations cations
received received
teaching methods and forms in the diverse fields and in 2006 in 2007
institutions of language teaching.
Language 3 4
Teacher of the
The 2007 programme priorities were the preparation of teachers, qualifi- Year
cation improvement and stimulation of diversity of the languages offered for Language 2 6
Project of the
learning. The ceremony for the European Certificate Programme awards was Year
held on December 14, 2007 in Vilnius, where the 2007 European Certificate
Language 15 2
Programme winners were given awards: Language Learner of the Year 2007, Learner of the
Language Teacher of the Year 2007 and Language Project of the Year 2007, Year
other competitors for the 2007 European Certificate Programme were awarded Total: 20 12
with the letters of gratitude and prizes.
Margarita Santos Cuesta, the laureate of the nomination of the Language
Learner of the Year, during the event told of how it was most difficult when
learning the language to learn to stress the words correctly and to persuade
Lithuanians to speak Lithuanian rather than English with her.
The title of the Language Teacher of the Year was awarded to Lionė Galinienė,
an English language teacher from the Marijampolė College. The teacher, award-
ed with the European certificate, underlined the importance of the role of the
teacher in motivating students to study languages and that today a good teach-
er not only teaches languages, but also teaches how to learn them.
The Language Project of the Year nomination went to the Project of the
Institute of Foreign Languages of Vilnius University – Socrates Lingua 1 ”Open
to Every Citizen“.
2
28

15. Academic Exchange 2007 Activity
Overview
under Bilateral Agreements
number of foreiGn students
Lithuania has signed cooperation agreements in the and sCientists who haVe Come to
field of culture, education, science and sports with 31 the Lithuanian institutions of
sCienCe and studies admittinG
countries. Academic exchange programmes with Japan foreiGners for studies sinCe
september 2007
and the Swiss Confederation are annually extended.
3
The objectives of the bilateral cooperation agreements are as follows: to
support the participation of researchers in the joint projects and programmes; 1
1
to stimulate the direct relations of the institutions of science and studies; to 1
exchange students of undergraduate and/or postgraduate studies, teachers of 1
the institutions of science and studies, scholars, summer language and culture 24
course students. Duration of the studies supported by the Academic Exchange
Programme is from 3 to 10 months and of placements from 1 to 5 months.In
2007, the Education Exchanges Support Foundation together with the Ministry
of Education and Science organised competitions for fellowships for studies
and scientific placements (14 competitions), administered agreements on stud- Vilnius University 24
ies abroad, agreements on scientific placements abroad and agreements on the Kaunas University 3
use of funds with the Lithuanian institutions of science and studies admitting Vilnius Gediminas 1
foreigners for studies. Since September 2007, the Education Exchanges Support Technical University 1
Foundation has concluded 24 agreements for studies abroad, 17 agreements on Vytautas Magnus University 1
scientific placements abroad and 6 agreements on the use of funds with the Šiauliai University 1
Lithuanian institutions of science and studies admitting foreigners for studies, Vilnius Pedagogical University 1
into which 31 foreigners have arrived from September.
appLiCations of Lithuanian nationaLs for studies and sCientifiC pLaCements abroad in 2007/2008 aCademiC year
submitted 7 25
approved CHINA DENMARK
6 15
4 20 9
HUNGARY JAPAN CZECH
3 0 8
REPUBLIK
3 16 8
MEXICO ITALY BELGIUM 4
0 7
22 2 3
POLAND ICELAND BELARUS 3
21 0
4 7
LATVIA ESTONIA
4 7
31
30

16. Europass 2007 Activity
Overview
europass doCuments issued in
The Europass Project is aimed at promoting the use of 2005-2007
Europass documents which would help the EU citizens
to get a job more easily, to do practical work or to con-
2005 383
tinue studies in all European Union countries. 2006 695
2007 785
The Europass documents, issued in all EU countries, contain information
in the standard form about education, occupational qualifications, the compe-
tences possessed as well as skills and competences gained during the place-
ment or practical training abroad.
The Education Exchanges Support Foundation in 2007 published once
again 4 publications about Europass documents with the updated informa-
tion and new samples and the joint booklet about Europass and Euroguidance
projects: here the Europass Project and its documents are presented.
On the initiative of the Europass Project coordinators we started cooper-
ating with job search websites www.cv.lt, www.cvmarket.lt, www.visidarbai.
lt, www.naujasdarbas.lt. Those websites gave the opportunity for their clients
alongside the Standard CV form also to fill in the Europass CV form.
In 2007, the Europass language passport was distributed in foreign lan-
guage schools, language departments of universities; this document was also
presented in the joint event with the European Certificate Programme.
Europass documents were distributed in the informative seminars of Le-
onardo da Vinci, Erasmus, Comenius programmes. In the seminar “Youth in
Action”, organised by the Youth International Cooperation Agency, Europass
documents were presented to youth, participating in the activity of the Euro-
pean volunteer programme.
33
32

17. Euroguidance 2007 Activity
Overview
The objective of the Euroguidance project is the de-
velopment of vocational information and counselling
in Lithuania and Europe. In 2007, three informative
publications, designed for project dissemination,
were prepared and published, as well as three me-
thodical publications, intended for vocational guid-
ance specialists.
In 2007, the Euroguidance Project coordinators organised four informative
and five training seminars, participated actively in various events disseminating
information about the Project activity. In 2007, they started cooperating with the
Vocational Information Centres, organising joint seminars for pupils on career
planning and to circulating publications and films about professions, created
during Euroguidance Project. In June-November 2007, events were organised in
Ukmergė, Druskininkai, Vilnius, and Šilalė schools of general education.
In 2007, the Ploteus portal was further administered, information was dis-
seminated about the portal, questions were answered to foreign and Lithua-
nian users on learning opportunities in Lithuania, translations, intended for
integration of Ploteus data bases into AIKOS systems, were made.
In collaboration with Europass Project coordinators a virtual tool “Your Ca-
reer School” was created, it includes all the products created during Europass
and Euroguidance projects.
Two cooperation agreements with the Lithuanian Labour Exchange (LLE)
and Lithuanian Labour Market Training Service (LLMTS) were implemented.
In 2007, under the cooperation agreement with LLE, five films about the most
popular professions were created, and in accordance with the cooperation
agreement with LLMTS, two publications were prepared and published, train-
ings for vocational consultants were also organised. Euroguidance Project
coordinators participated actively in the development of the vocational guid-
ance system, got involved in the activity of the international working groups
“Creation of the Common Euroguidance Website“ and “Training”.
3
34

18. Erasmus Mundus 2007 Activity
Overview
erasmus mundus masters
Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility pro- Courses in Lithuania
gramme, intended to enhance the quality of higher (number of appLiCations)
education in Europe and cooperation throughout the submitted
approved
world by organising high-quality Master courses
in the European universities.
2004/2005 7
0
2005/2006 8
0
On March 30, 2007, an informative seminar “Higher Education Programmes and
Individual Mobility” was held. The 2007 call for submission of applications for
2006/2007 4
0
Erasmus Mundus Programme was presented to the staff members of the Lithua- 2007/2008 5
0
nian institutions of higher education and studies, practical information on the
preparation of applications was shared and questions arisen were answered. 2008/2009 7
2
Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses. In 2007, six Lithuanian institutions
submitted seven applications: six for partnership projects and one for coordi- erasmus mundus masters
nating project. Kaunas University of Technology intended to participate in three Courses, approVed in 2007
projects, and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University in two projects. After the in coordination
applications were evaluated by experts, the project “EMSRHS – European Mas- partnership
ter in Sustainable Regional Health Systems”, coordinated by Vilnius University BELGIUM 3
and the Klaipėda University partnership project “EMBC – Erasmus Mundus Mas- 2
DENMARK 2
ter of Science in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation” were approved.
GERMANY 11
GREECE
Scholarships. Scholarships are granted for students and scholars of other 1
(not EU) countries, willing to participate in Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses. SPAIN 3
14
Until this year the Lithuanian institutions have not got the approved Erasmus
FRANCE 6
Mundus Masters Courses, therefore applications for scholarships could be sub- 10
mitted only since the year 2008. ITALY 3
8
Partnership. This is cooperation between the consortium of the approved Eras- LITHUANIAN 1
1
mus Mundus Master Courses (Action 1) and at least one higher education institution
HUNGARY 2
from another country. The Lithuanian institutions until this year have not approved 1
NETHERLANDS
Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses, therefore they could not submit applications. 2
AUSTRIA 1
Enhancing attractiveness of education. The projects under this Action POLAND 6
propagate European higher education. In 2007, four Lithuanian institutions sub- PORTUGAL 2
4
mitted five applications for partnership projects: Kaunas University of Technolo-
SLOVENIA 1
gy, Vilnius Pedagogical University, Vilnius University, and Lithuanian Agricultur- FINLAND 4
al University intended to take part in two projects. After expert evaluation of the SWEDEN 1
UNITED KINGDOM 2
applications, the projects from the Lithuanian institutions were not approved.
3
NORWAY 3
3

19. Tempus 2007 Activity
Overview
tempus projeCts in Lithuania
The Trans-European mobility programme for university
studies (TEMPUS) is one of the European Community Individual mobility
programmes designed to help the restructuring of scholarships
Structural and com-
higher education systems in the countries of Eastern plementary measures
Europe and Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the Joint European
projects
Mediterranean Sea Region countries. The Programme
13
focuses on the development of the higher education 2004 1
systems in these countries and improvement of the
2005
3
process of social and economic reform through coop- 3
3
eration with institutions from the EU Member States.
The call for applications was not announced in 2007. Currently, one project
2006 2
1
for structural measures and four joint European projects are under way, with
the participation of the Lithuanian institutions. In one of these, Kaunas Univer-
sity of Technology is the beneficiary.
The joint Tempus information seminar was organised for the three succes-
sive years in the Baltic countries. On October 5, 2007, it took place in Riga and
was designed to celebrate the 15-year participation in the Tempus Programme.
Of 83 seminar participants, 33 were the staff members from the Lithuanian in-
stitutions of higher education and studies. In the seminar, the European Com-
mission representative Helene Skikos presented Tempus IV stage structure
and the planned action schedule, while the representatives of the national
Tempus offices from Croatia, Egypt, Belarus and Armenia acquainted with edu-
cation systems of their countries and shared experience of participation in the
programme.
Joint European projects are structural projects, organised by the consor-
tium of institutions, possessing the clearly defined goals for restructuring
of higher education institutions. Structural measures are the short-termed
measures, aimed to support national reforms and other needs. Complemen-
tary measures are measures for supporting conferences, organised by the Eu-
ropean Commission, dissemination actions or national Tempus offices.
3
38

20. Lithuanian National 2007 Activity
Overview
Bologna Expert Group
Within 2007/2008 academic year, the Foundation
implements the project “Lithuanian National Bologna
Group”, funded by the European Commission and the
Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of
Lithuania.
The key goals are: to systematically disseminate information, acquainting
the academic community members of the higher education institutions (stu-
dents, teachers, administrators) and the staff of organisations, operating in
the field of higher education, with the Bologna process objectives, regula-
tions, and the most important documents; to train the academic community
members of the higher education institutions and the staff of organisations,
operating in the field of higher education (organising national level events,
meetings of Bologna propagators with the representatives of higher educa-
tion institutions and organisations, operating in the field of higher education),
how to implement the Bologna process regulations in the specific academic or
other activities.
The Lithuanian National Bologna Group is constituted of the representa-
tives of the six Lithuanian higher education institutions and students.
The Bologna experts disseminate information and provide recommenda-
tions, evaluations on the issues of Bologna process implementation in Lithua-
nia, concentrating on the priority areas of Bologna process:
– quality assurance (internal and external),
– three-cycle system (study programme reform, qualifications system),
– recognition (ECTS, diploma supplement, Europass, Lisbon Convention).
The Bologna Process Expert Group activity was launched on May 1, 2007.
More information on the progress of the Bologna expert project and Bolo-
gna process is available at the address www.smpf.lt.
41
40