The EUPA – European Union Programmes Agency was set up in the year 2000, as a Unit within the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment. On the 4th of May, 2007, the Unit was established as a legal autonomous Agency. The aim of the EUPA has always been to support Maltese individuals and entities in availing themselves of funding under the various educational programmes provided by the European Commission.

Mission Statement

" To reinforce and promote lifelong learning, linguistic and cultural diversity, mobility and the engagement of Maltese citizens within the European dimension, in particular the young."

LIFE LONG LEARNING PROGRAMME

The Lifelong Learning Programme for Community Action in the Field of Lifelong Learning has been established by the Decision 1720/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006. The general objective of the LLP is to contribute through lifelong learning to the development of the Community as an advanced knowledge society, with sustainable economic development, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, while ensuring good protection of the environment for future generations. In particular, it aims to foster interchange, co-operation and mobility between education and training systems within the Community so that they become a world quality reference.

The Lifelong Learning Programme will run for 7 years (2007-2013). The total budget for this period is of 6.970 million euros.

Web Site: www.llp.eupa.org.mt

BOLOGNA PROCESS

The Bologna Process is an intergovernmental initiative which aims to create by 2010 a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) based on three cycles: Degree/Bachelor - Master – Doctorate. It is based on cooperation between ministries, higher education institutions, students and staff from 46 countries, with the participation of international organisations.

YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME

Successing the YOUTH programme, Youth in Action is the new EU Programme in the field of youth, which was implemented from 1 January 2007 until 31 December 2013 with a total budget of 885 million euros.

The Youth in Action Programme makes an important contribution to the acquisition of competences and is therefore a key instrument in providing young people with opportunities for non-formal and informal learning with a European dimension. The YiA Programme is a programme for all young people aged between 13 and 30 and youth leaders, encouraging the involvement of disadvantaged youth.

Web Site: www.yia.eupa.org.mt

EURODESK

Eurodesk is the main information relay for European information to young people and their intermediaries. In performing this service Eurodesk provides information on volunteering or exchange opportunities, how to work or study abroad, how to find European funding and contacts and any other information which the youths might need. This information is offered through different channels and at different levels by its National Co-ordinators distributed all over Europe forming part of this Network.

EURO-MED YOUTH PLATFROM

The Euro-Mediterranean Youth Platform aims at creating a network of all those involved in the youth sector in Europe and the Mediterranean. It strives towards bringing young people from the region together in an environment of tolerance and mutual understanding, facilitating networking between them, assisting in the capacity building of their organisations, increasing their participation, sharing relevant information with one another, and exchanging good practice. The Platform provides various networking facilities such as assistance in finding partners, a Magazine in three languages, a FORUM for discussion, and profiles on the situation of young people in each country. Over 5000 organisations have joined the Platform to date.

Web Site: www.euromedp.org

CITIZENS PROGRAMME

The Europe for citizens' programme provides the Union with instruments to promote active European citizenship. It puts citizens in the centre and offers them the opportunity to fully assume their responsibility as European citizens. It responds to the need to improve citizen's participation in the construction of Europe and encourage cooperation between citizens and their organisations from different countries in order to meet, act together and develop their own ideas in a European environment which goes beyond a national vision, respecting their diversity.

EUROPEAN FUND FOR THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS

The Fund shall in particular give effect to the priorities of the Community with a view to promoting the 'Common Basic Principles for immigrant integration policy in the European Union'. To ensure the consistency of the Community's response to the integration of third-country nationals, actions financed under this Fund should be specific and complementary to actions financed under the European Refugee Fund and the structural funds, in particular the European Social Fund. To that end, co-operation and co-ordination mechanisms have been set including joint programming arrangements, between the authorities responsible for the Fund, the European Refugee Fund and the European Social Fund.