Participation in projects financed by the Leonardo Da Vinci vocational training programme brings substantial social and economic benefits, a recent study funded by the European Commission has shown. It demonstrates that international mobility of this kind is a strong incentive for personal, linguistic, social and professional development.

 What is Leonardo da Vinci

The Leonardo da Vinci programme gives financial assistance to a wide range of actions, notably involving transnational mobility, European projects focusing on the development or the transfer of innovation and networks. The Leonardo da Vinci programme focuses on the teaching and training needs of those involved in vocational education and training. In doing so, it bolsters the competitiveness of the European labour market by helping EU citizens to acquire new skills, knowledge and qualifications in European countries outside their home country. It is part of the Commission's flagship funding programme in education and training, the Lifelong Learning Programme.

58% of unemployed people received a job after their training abroad,

32% of employed people found a workplace in another country

86% of all former participants are interested in another stay abroad, or in a professional life in another country,

The only negative critical point concerns the duration of placement: In 48% of cases participants complained that the stay was too short.

Fulls details of results are available from http://ec.europa.eu/education/doc/reports/index_en.html