In the framework of the cooperation between the European Union (EU) and Egypt in the field of Higher Education, the National Erasmus+ Office (NEO) in Egypt celebrated the 3rd National Erasmus+ Day at the Social Club of Cairo University’s Faculty of Engineering at on 7 and 8 November 2016.
The Erasmus+ programme is the EU’s flagship programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport—both within the EU, and between the EU and the world. With a total budget of EUR 14.7 billion, it covers the period 2014-2020. Erasmus+ is the result of the integration of well-known European programmes implemented by the European Commission during the period 2007-2013 such as Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, and others. Erasmus+ aims at becoming a more effective instrument to address the real needs in terms of human and social capital development in Europe and beyond.
“Building on the achievements of nearly 30 years of European cooperation in education, training and youth, Erasmus + seeks to enhance opportunities for cooperation through long-term projects by supporting the establishment of partnerships between Higher Education Institutions as well as the mobility and exchange of students and staff”, said Reinhold Brender, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the EU Delegation to Egypt.
The two-day event was an opportunity to focus on the EU’s support to the Higher Education, Research and Innovation sectors in Egypt, as well as to announce the launch of the third Call for Proposals of various key actions under the Erasmus+ Programme. In addition to Erasmus+, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation – Horizon 2020 – was briefly presented. Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly EUR 80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020). Currently, there are 24 projects funded under H2020 with participation of Egyptian universities, research centres, public bodies and NGOs.