EC/Canada agreement: cooperation programme in higher education and training, renewal

PURPOSE: Co-operation programme in higher education and training with Canada. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Decision 2001/197/EC. PURPOSE: The Council adopted the Decision concerning the conclusion of the Agreement signed at the EU-Canada summit on 19 December 2000 renewing the Agreement from 1995 establishing a co-operation programme in higher education and training. The objectives of the Co-operation Programme are in particular to: - promote closer understanding between the peoples of the European Community and Canada, including broader knowledge of their languages, cultures and institutions; - improve the quality of human resource development, including the acquisition of skills required to meet the challenges of the global knowledge-based economy; - encourage an innovative and sustainable range of student-centred higher education and training co-operative activities that have a durable impact; - improve the quality of transatlantic student mobility by promoting transparency, mutual recognition of qualifications and periods of study and training, and where appropriate, portability of credits; - encourage the exchange of expertise in e-learning and open and distance education and their effective use by project consortia to broaden Programme impact; - form or enhance partnerships among higher education and training institutions, professional associations, public authorities, private sector and other associations as appropriate; - reinforce a European Community and a Canadian value-added dimension to Transatlantic co-operation in higher education and training; - complement bilateral programmes between the Member States of the European Community and Canada as well as other European Community and Canadian programmes and initiatives. ENTRY INTO FORCE: The Agreement enters into force when the parties notify one another of the procedures necessary to this effect. It remains in force for five years unless one or other party decides otherwise. It may be amended or extended with common written agreement.�