Brussels, Belgium. The European Commission has today decided to allocate 30.4 million euro to support higher education projects in the European Neighbourhood countries and Russia. This will enable enhanced networking and joint projects and partnerships between higher education institutions in EU and ENPI countries.

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle commented: "Investing in people is key objective to our neighbourhood policy. The fruitful cooperation between EU and European Neighbourhood higher education institutions will be continued, enhancing the exchange of knowledge, experience and ideas."

The announcement was also welcomed by Androulla Vassiliou, the Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth. "Cooperation is a win-win for the EU and our partners. It makes the European Higher Education Area more visible and attractive in the world, while also helping European Neighbourhood countries to modernise their universities and improve teaching skills."

The money allocated under the Tempus Programme will support approximately 50 multilateral partnerships aiming at modernising curricula, teaching methods and management of the higher education institutions and systems in the neighbouring countries. More than 350 institutions from these countries will have new opportunities to collaborate in a structured way with a similar number of institutions from the EU within the framework of projects that will start next year.

Tempus promotes the development of higher education in the EU's neighbouring partner countries and provides mechanisms to offer new learning opportunities for students and new career perspectives for academic staff. Launched in 1990 and now in its fourth phase, Tempus IV (2007-2013) supports the modernisation of higher education in particular in Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. (ENPI Info Centre)