Funding for Vocational Training Centers and Their Development into Competence Centers

This funding is aimed at public bodies responsible for vocational training centers in Saarland who wish to develop them into innovation and future centers. The goal is to increase the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the commercial sector, including tourism, by establishing competence centers and to sustainably support structural change in Saarland. The geographical focus is exclusively on Saarland.

The program supports investments for the qualitative further development of vocational training centers into innovation and future centers, particularly in the areas of mechatronics, robotics, and innovative energy technologies. Necessary new and supplementary acquisitions, as well as associated services and construction measures, are funded, while certain operating and personnel expenses are explicitly excluded. The funded projects contribute to preparing for a green, digital, and stable economic recovery and strengthen the infrastructure for basic services.

The funding is provided in the form of a non-repayable grant as part of co-financing. The amount of the grant is generally 75 percent of the eligible expenditures, with the total costs of the project not exceeding 1.2 million Euros. The funding requires a 25 percent own contribution from the beneficiary.

The funding is tied to various conditions, including a certified quality management system of the vocational training center and the submission of a development concept. It is crucial that the overall financing is secured and that the measure has not yet begun. Furthermore, an own contribution of 25 percent must be provided, and the funded investments must be in addition to the original school tasks.

The application procedure requires early submission of a comprehensive concept and detailed plans to the Ministry of Education and Culture before the measure begins. The approving authority decides on the grant at its dutiful discretion, with external experts potentially being consulted to examine the necessity and appropriateness of the costs.

The funding is based on the guideline of the Ministry of Education and Culture dated January 4, 2022, and is embedded in European and state legal provisions. In particular, it relies on EU regulations concerning the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and REACT-EU, as well as on the Budget Code of Saarland.