Results of the Nordplus 2021 application round
The Covid19 epidemic had a major impact on the Nordplus application process in 2021. Far fewer applications were received than in previous years. This did not come as a surprise as other international programs such as Erasmus + have also experienced this decline.
The Covid19 epidemic had a major impact on the Nordplus application process in 2021. Far fewer applications were received than in previous years. This did not come as a surprise as other international programs such as Erasmus + have also experienced this decline. Due to the pandemic the Nordplus Program Committee met on-line, like last year, on 28th of April 2021 to assess and deliberate on applications rounds February 2021. The Covid19 pandemic also affected the way the individual sub-programs evaluation committees conducted their work. But over all the work went well and no major complications arose with these digital procedures.
There was a total of 331 applications compared to 500 applications last year, applying for a total grant of 14.838.976 €. The result of the administration’s assessment is that 256 applications were proposed for funding, making for a total amount of 8.548.234 € or 54% of the applied amount.
The 331 applications involve a total of 2.254 organizations and with 256 applications proposed for funding, 1.906 of these organizations will be able to proceed with their planned activities.
Due to the high number of mobilities within the Higher and Junior programs they suffered more due to the Covid-19 pandemic than the other sub-programs as shown in this table.
| Nordplus results 2021 v.s. 2020 | |||
| 2020 | 2021 | % | |
| Higher | 208 | 131 | 63% |
| Junior | 132 | 68 | 52% |
| Adult | 93 | 79 | 85% |
| Horizontal | 38 | 31 | 82% |
| Nordic Languages | 29 | 22 | 76% |
| 500 | 331 | 66% |
Number of applications
The amount applied for in 2021 is approx. 31% lower than in 2020 and 33% lower in the number of applications. This is not unexpected due to the pandemic, but is positive in that the three smaller sub-programs, Adult, Horizontal and Nordplus Nordic Languages, have done relatively well.
Success rates 2021 - Rejections and reductions
The success rates 2021 for each of the Nordplus programs are as follows:
The overall success rate is 77% for the number of applications, and 58% for grants, which is higher than the previous three years (2020: 72-48%, 2019: 74-47%, 2018: 65-39%; 2017: 69-41%).
The overall success rate in 2021 reflects differences between the programs. The success rate in applications ranges from 56% for Nordplus Adult to 88% for Junior; while for grants the success rate extends from 51% for Nordplus Higher to 80% for Nordplus Junior. However due to the very unusual circumstances this year, 2021 is not completely comparable with previous years. Because of the transfer of funds, Adult is for example unusually high this year, both in the number of applications that can be funded and the funding of projects.
Country participation
Submitted: 2.254 organisations
For more information on the individual applications, please visit The Nordplus Project Database
Newcomers
Every year the administration examines the level of newcomers in the applications submitted. Participating institutions and organizations are considered “newcomers” if they have not participated in any application within the individual program during the past three years - in this case the period 2018-2021
For the three programs Nordplus Junior, Nordplus Adult and Nordplus Horizontal, the level of newcomers varies between 51% and 68%, which is a rather low difference between the different sub-programs.
In 2021 the level of newcomers for the five programs was:
- Nordplus Adult 51%
- Nordplus Higher Education 20%
- Nordplus Horizontal 68%
- Nordplus Junior 55%
- Nordplus Nordic Languages 62%
Highlight on Greener future
In 2021 and 2022, Nordplus welcomes applications for the program having the theme ”Enhancing educational cooperation and preparing pupils, students and adults for a greener future.” This Nordplus highlight/emphasis relates to all Nordplus programs and to all sectors within the field of education and training. The focus relates to themes, not only in a technical sense, but in a broad societal way. Integrated with this theme is also the Nordic competitiveness based on knowledge, innovation, mobilities and digital integration.
Nordplus received 96 applications under this theme and the administration has proposed to fund 69 such projects. In the Nordplus performance targets for 2021, the aim was to have at least 20 approved applications within the green highlight. This target has hereby been met.
The aim of the highlight concept in Nordplus is to draw attention to the issue of this theme in education without giving formal priority to the applications addressing this. The highlight is presented on the Nordplus homepage www.nordplusonline.org and in the Nordplus handbook.
As part of the assessment procedure, evaluators are asked to identify all applications related to this year’s highlight. The topics of the applications show that the understanding and relevance of the green highlight is very broad. Thus, the topics range from agrobiodiversity and urban gardening through eco-tourism to green financing and food-waste.
Factbox
Nordplus offers financial support to a variety of educational co-operations between partners in the area of lifelong learning between the eight participating countries and three autonomous regions in the Baltic and Nordic region.
The program supports networking, project collaboration and student/teacher mobility between the Baltic and Nordic countries
The proposed program budget for 2021 is € 12.406.140 million. The budget result relates to the regular Nordplus budget and the allocation from returned and unused funding from previous years.
Participating countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Aaland Islands. Beneficiaries from Syd-Schleswig can also participate in the program with a special funding from Denmark.
All countries and territories are well represented in the program.
The next deadline for submitting applications to the Nordplus programs is 1st February 2022.
Preparatory visits in Nordplus Junior, Nordplus Adult and Nordplus Nordic Languages can be applied for in the supplementary application round with a deadline on 1st October 2021.