Pictured at the announcement that North West Regional College has secured €1.26M of Erasmus+ Funding – from left to right are Donal Davis, NWRC student, Leo Murphy, NWRC Principal and Chief Executive and Bronagh Fikri, NWRC European Projects Officer. (picture by Martin McKeown, Inpresspics)
The college recently received the news that they have been awarded €1,145,995 in the category of Key Action 1 VET – Staff & Learners Mobility, €30,995 as part of a Consortium bid for VET learners €40,044 of Higher Education Funding, €26,950 for Strategic Partnerships (Schools project), and €17,285 for Vocational Education Training.
This is the highest figure of funding received by any college in Northern Ireland, and the second highest funding to any college in UK (excluding VET Charter holders).
The news follows on from last year’s funding announcement of €1,023,127, representing an investment of more than €3million by Erasmus in North West Regional College over the past two years.
Bronagh Fikri, European Projects Officer at NWRC said: “We are delighted with the news of another substantial award from Erasmus+ which will allow staff and students to study and work across Europe to develop knowledge and Skills.
“Over the next two years participants will have the opportunity to visit a number of countries including the Republic of Ireland, Germany, Malta, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Belgium and Sweden.
“The mobilities will be designated in a number of forms. Four staff will travel to take part in an advance planning visit for ErasmusPRO and this will be followed up 54 trainee placements in I.T., Creative Industries and Hospitality.
“It will also include 142 short term traineeships for Vocational Education Trainees, 73 staff training mobilities and 53 teachers/training assessments.
“During the mobilities, which will range in duration from two weeks to 12 months, participants can develop their knowledge and skills as well as developing competencies.
“All of the staff mobilities, will be with the aim of developing the curriculum, and linking to industry with a large focus on entrepreneurship.
“I’d like to thank staff who are involved in coordinating the mobility activities for students, those staff who accompany students on the mobility trips and those who put in the extra hours working on partnership projects helping NWRC to build and develop international relations, as without their dedication to the projects they would not be as successful.”
Leo Murphy, Chief Executive and Principal of North West Regional College said: “I would like to congratulate Bronagh Fikri for the huge work undertaken to secure the funding for these exciting opportunities for staff and students.
“Since 2014 we have watched our European funding increase from €200,000, to this year’s figure of in excess of €1.26 million.
“These traineeships have been extremely beneficial in broadening the horizons of our students, many of whom had gone on to work and study in places such as China, Belgium and Spain.”
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