EU and Canada renew their Programme in Higher Education and Vocational Education
The European Union and Canada signed a revised cooperation programme in in the fields of higher education, training and youth at the informal meeting of EU ministers of education in Helsinki on Tuesday. The agreement was signed by Mr Antti Kalliomäki for the EU Presidency, by Commissioner Jan Figel' for the European Commission and by Ambassador Anne-Marie Bourcier for Canada.
The revised programme will be in effect until 2013. It widens cooperation between higher education and vocational institutions and expands exchanges. As a new element, it covers cooperation in the field of youth in order to include actions outside the formal education structures. Apart from student exchanges, the new EU-Canada programme provides for varied diffusion of information, the development of partnerships and better mutual recognition of qualifications and periods of study and training.
The purpose of the programme is to promote closer understanding between the peoples of the European Community and Canada, including broader knowledge of their languages, cultures and institutions. The backdrop in the EU is the new Education 2010 programme and the EU-Canada relations, which require wider cooperation in the education field. The effort to expand cooperation with the foremost higher education institutions in North America is an important part of the development of the European higher education area.
The internationalisation of vocational education and training needs special support both in Finland and in other EU member states. In this respect, the renewal of the EU-Canada programme is of particular importance.
Further information:
- EU Advisor Johanna Haahtela mobile +358 400 874 135, Ministry of Education
- Public Affairs Program Manager Peter Lönnberg tel. +358 9 228 53310, Canadian Embassy in Helsinki
- Press Officer Tiina Palomäki, tel. +358 9 160 77484, mobile +358 40 704 2545, Ministry of Education