SAAM is a European project depending on the EU-AU partnership. Its final aim is to contribute to the improvement and modernisation of VET systems in the Enlargement countries and Africa, as well as reinforcing the links between VET and the labour market. But, which program does SAAM depend on? Who is funding the project and under which conditions? Which are the institutions behind? All these questions and more are explained in depth in this article, so keep reading and don’t miss a single detail!

European Commission

What is EU commission?

The European Commission is based in Brussels. It is the executive power of the European Union. It is responsible for setting up laws, enforcing the regulation of the EU and managing EU policies (1).

What are the EU priorities for VET?

EU institutions, Member States, candidate and European Economic Area countries, social partners and European VET providers have agreed on the following set of deliverables (2015-2020):

• To promote work-based learning in all its forms with special attention to apprenticeships, by involving social partners, companies, chambers and VET providers, as well as stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship
• To further develop quality assurance mechanisms in line with the Recommendation on the establishment of a European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET), and to establish continuous information and feedback loops in I-VET and C-VET systems based on learning outcomes.
• To enhance access to VET and qualifications for all through more flexible and permeable systems, notably by offering efficient and integrated guidance services and by enabling the validation of non-formal and informal learning
• To strengthen key competences in VET curricula and provide more effective opportunities to acquire or develop those skills through I-VET and C-VET
• To introduce systematic approaches to, and opportunities for, initial and continuous professional development for VET teachers, trainers and mentors in both school- and work-based settings

The Commission’s work on VET is supported by two agencies: The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), which helps develop European VET policies. Also the European Training Foundation (ETF) contributes, in the context of EU external relations policy, to the development of professional skills and competences.

Why financing SAAM?

Recent policy developments in Africa highlight the importance of improving education and skills to increase employment opportunities for young people. Through the application CALL (EAC/S34/2018) for piloting a Vocational Education and Training mobility project in Africa, the general objective was to contribute to the improvement and modernisation of VET systems in the Enlargement countries and Africa, as well as reinforcing the links between VET and the labour market. More specifically, the aim of the call was to enhance the capacity of VET providers in Africa by promoting mobility activities aimed at improving the skills and competences of VET teachers, learners and managers, and the occupational prospects of students (2).

The European Commission has made available €8.5 million for two pilot projects (3): one with Africa and one with the Western Balkans in the VET sector, confirming its commitment to invest in young people, education and skills. SAAM, led by the VET training centre San Viator and coordinated by Asociación Mundus, was awarded €4 million to coordinate 32 VET organisations across EU Member States and African countries.

SAAM is a pilot project 100% financed by the EU commission
SAAM is 100% funded under the Annual Action Programme 2018 of the Pan-African Programme for a Component of an AU-EU Skills for Youth Employment Programme entitled “EU-AU VET mobility project”

AFRICA-EU Partnership

What is the Africa-EU Partnership?

The Africa-EU Partnership is the formal political channel through which the European Union (EU) and the African continent work together, engage in political and policy dialogues and define their cooperative relationship. It was established in 2000 at the first Africa-EU Summit in Cairo. The partnership is guided by the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES).

The EU provides dedicated support for the implementation of the partnership, in addition to specific projects financed by EU and African Union Member States and their development institutions. One of them is the Pan-African Programme (4).

What is the Pan-African Programme?

“The Pan-African Programme provides dedicated support to the Africa-EU strategic partnership and is the first ever EU plan for development and cooperation that covers Africa as a whole. It supports projects with a trans-regional, continental or global added-value in areas of shared interest, and offers new possibilities for the EU and Africa to work together”.

(1) https://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/eu-policy-in-the-field-of-vocational-education-and-training-vet_en
(2) https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/education/files/document-library-docs/call-pilot-vet-eac-s34-2018_en.pdf
(3) https://ec.europa.eu/education/news/vet-mobility-results_en
(4) https://africa-eu-partnership.org/en/financial-support-partnership-programme/pan-african-programme