The European Commission is consolidating the longstanding cooperation with the US and Canada with the launch of a new round of 24 innovative projects involving universities and training institutions on both sides of the Atlantic. The objective is to promote mutual understanding, transparency and quality in higher education and training, by setting up long-term institutional cooperation at bachelor's and master's level, allowing students from Europe and from the partner countries to have a unique experience studying abroad in a global context.

All the projects are jointly funded and supervised by the European Commission and the governments in the partner countries. The 35 projects launched this year involve 189 institutions and more than 2,000 student exchanges. In addition to the cooperation established with the US and Canada, this year 11 joint curriculum development and student mobility projects were agreed and launched with Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

Since the inception of the programme in 1995, 267 projects have been funded involving some 800 European universities and vocational training institutions, 680 institutions in North America and 60 institutions in Asia Pacific. The projects launched to date support over 10,000 students' exchanges.

This year’s projects cover a high number of important and innovative areas such as sustainable development; rural development and agricultural economics; international relations; health promotion; international economics; entrepreneurship education; information systems; etc.

Ján Figel', the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, highlighted the fact that the longstanding cooperation created by the European Union with the EU-US Atlantis programme, the EU-Canada programme and the more recent projects with Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, are a positive signal from the European side about the readiness for qualitative and quantitative improvements which can be achieved by teaming up with higher education partners in North America and Asia Pacific. Commissioner Figel added that “this is an invitation for university professors and especially for students from our partner countries to come to Europe and work together on joint study programmes and joint- and double-degrees which bring our advanced education spaces in Europe and in the partner countries closer together”.

EU-US Atlantis Programme - 3rd edition with new projects

The European Commission and the US Department of Education have jointly launched 16 new cooperation projects involving 73 universities and training institutions from the EU and the US. The European Commission and the US Department for Education each contribute 4.5 M€ – an increase of 18% compared to 2007 – to support 700 students in two-way transatlantic exchanges.

The Atlantis now focuses on innovative courses and degree structures, such as transatlantic joint or double degrees. It seeks to encourage an innovative and sustainable range of student-centred activities, in both higher education and vocational education and training (VET).

New EU-Canada projects

Eight new projects have been launched under the EU-Canada agreement in the fields of higher education, training and youth (2006-2013). They will involve a total of 42 universities and training institutions in Canada and Europe. The European Commission's contribution of 1.1 M€, to be matched by Canadian authorities, will support the joint projects on curriculum development and joint study or training programmes and allow the mobility of 360 students over the course of three years. These exchanges will be supported by the necessary mutual recognition of credits, by adequate linguistic and cultural preparation and a range of essential services and infrastructure.

New joint projects with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea

Building on the experience of the pilot projects with Japan, Australia and New Zealand since 2002, the format of cooperation has been extended this year for the first time to the Republic of Korea. The result is the launch of 11 new joint projects of which 5 with Australia, 3 with South Korea, 2 with Japan and 1 with New Zealand.

The projects are based on the model of Erasmus-like projects implemented successfully with the US and Canada since 1995. The Commission will contribute with 3.6 M€ to these projects with the partner countries providing match funding. The projects will involve a total of 75 institutions and will support the mobility of some 940 students.