Commission selects 279 training projects for Leonardo da Vinci programme
A record 279 projects have been selected under the Leonardo da Vinci II programme to receive EU grants from the European Commission at a cost of 89.7 million euro, an increase on the 255 chosen last year. The Leonardo da Vinci programme seeks to promote international projects involving cooperation in vocational training, with the aim of fostering innovation and improving the quality of training. Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Education and Culture, said 'Looking at the trends emerging from the projects selected in 2002, I am convinced that issues such as the quality in vocational training [...] are becoming more and more important. It encourages me to go ahead with the so called 'process of Bruges', that aims at creating an integrated European space for vocational training.' Some common trends appear in the 2002 projects. Quality is a recurring theme, in both assessing training and tools, and improving programs for specific professions. The use of e-learning through information and communication technologies is also prevalent. A call for proposals for next year's Leonardo da Vinci programme was launched earlier this year. It set three new priorities for projects for 2003: value learning, new forms of learning and teaching in vocational education, and guidance and counselling. The deadline for submitting pre-proposals is 4 November 2002.