Commission awards 30 million euro to TEMPUS university cooperation projects
The European Commission has selected 89 new projects for funding and approved 122 grants under the TEMPUS university cooperation programme for 2000 to 2006, which will together receive funding of 30 million euro from the EU. The TEMPUS programme consists of joint actions between universities in the EU's Member States and third countries, and involves the development of sustainable cooperation networks and mobility grants for students and teachers. The projects and grant applications selected under the TEMPUS III/CARDS programme are from countries in the western Balkans, whilst those selected under the TEMPUS III/TACIS programme are from eastern Europe and central Asia. 'I am again impressed by the diversity and quality of the projects selected by the Commission under this new TEMPUS round,' said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Education and Culture. 'Thanks to this programme, networks are springing up linking universities from the Mediterranean to the frontiers of Asia. [...] The time has come to develop our university relations with third countries and create centres of university excellence in Europe to attract more students from all over the world,' she said. In addition to funding joint networks and projects and facilitating mobility, the money will go towards introducing new university courses, improving university management and disseminating best practices.