Call for Proposal: Innovative Data Collection and Exchange approaches in Primary, Secondary Education

Data from learners, teachers, parents, school facilities (such as classroom and laboratories) is used to assess teaching and learning strategies (learning outcomes, teacher performance, test scores, graduation rates, etc.), and ultimately, the success of a school. Data is also used for comparative analytics purposes across districts, regions, and countries, and it also informs decision making concerning legislation, policies, funding, and innovative learning and teaching methods.

However, the methodologies and criteria to collect, aggregate, process, and synthesise educational data differs widely between schools, institutions, regions, and Member States. This makes comparing and synthesising educational data challenging, especially across Member States, and it impedes the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies for educational improvement and policy formulation.

In the ‘Council Recommendation on the key enabling factors for successful digital education and training’, the European Commission has stated the intention to improve the transparency and evaluate the progress in implementing digital education and training, by supporting comparative data collection, and by monitoring and reporting on progress on the enabling factors for digital education and training (taking into account Member States’ national strategies).

Therefore, the European Commission wants to support forward-looking ideas, projects and activities that contribute to ethical and privacy-centric data collection methods, the facilitation of relevant data exchange, transnational collaboration agreements, the development of advanced and ethical analytical tools and methodologies, and robust data governance frameworks to ensure consistency and accuracy in collecting and analysing educational data.

Funding Information

• The estimated available call budget is EUR 32 000 000.
• For Digital education: Innovative data collection and exchange approaches in primary, secondary education (including vocational education and training) for data-informed decision-making: EUR 13 000 000
• Projects should normally range between 24 and 36 months.

Eligible Activities

• Research projects and thorough needs assessments that aim to understand the requirements and challenges of data collection and analysis in the European school education context. This involves engaging stakeholders such as education policymakers, school administrators, teachers, students, data experts, and the providers of school and educational content management systems;
• Data governance conceptual model design projects: projects and initiatives that aim to develop frameworks that outlines the principles, processes, and structures for effectively managing data within and across school institutions: functional and technical analyses of data needs for the school education context, transnational data mappings, etc.;
• Data governance development projects for educational data that aim to establish policies, processes, and structures to ensure the effective management, protection, and use of data in the education sector;
• Evidence-based proposals for data governance policies and procedures to govern the collection, storage, sharing, and use of school education data, both on national and EU level.
• The development of frameworks and/or guidelines to support the development and implementation of educational data collection strategies, fostering consistency and accuracy in data analysis.

Expected Impact 

• Transnational mappings highlighting opportunities, challenges, and best practices in data collection across Member States;
• Implementation of pilot projects demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of regional, national, and EU-level data collection initiatives;
• Create or support transparent, secure, ethical and structured comparative data collection (methodologies) for primary, secondary, and vocational education on a EU level;
• Foster consistency and accuracy in data analysis and data driven decision making, through the development and implementation of educational data collection strategies.
• To achieve higher levels of relevant critical data exchange across school infrastructures that enable more informed decision-making in education policy at both national and EU levels (while safeguarding privacy and ethics);

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
  • be legal entities (public or private bodies) active in the fields of education and training, research and innovation or in the world of work.
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • Erasmus+ Programme Countries:
      • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
    • non-EU countries:
      • listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Erasmus+ Programme
      • for higher education institutions (HEIs) established in Erasmus+ Programme Countries: be holders of the ECHE certificate (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education).
    • Organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme can only be involved as associated partners (not as beneficiaries and affiliated entities).
• Exception: organisations from Belarus and the Russian Federation are not eligible to participate in this action.

For more information, visit EC.