Within the draft of the Operation Programme Slovakia 2021-2027, part of policy objective 4 – “A more social Europe” is providing more comprehensive counselling and support services at universities.

The priority 2.1.2 is: Quality, inclusive education, which includes:

• Vocational training

• Lifelong learning

• Desegregation

Specific objective e): to increase the quality, inclusiveness and efficiency of education and training systems, as well as their labor market relevance, inter alia by validating non-formal and informal learning outcomes to support the acquisition of key competences, including entrepreneurship and digital skills, and also by supporting the introduction of dual training and apprenticeship systems

Specific objective f): to promote equal access, especially for disadvantaged groups, to quality and inclusive education and training, and to promote their successful completion, from early childhood education and care, through general and vocational education and training, to tertiary education and training and adult learning, including facilitating learning mobility for all and accessibility for people with disabilities

Specific objective ERDF ii): to improve equal access to inclusive and quality education, training and lifelong learning services by developing accessible infrastructure, including strengthening resilience to distance and online education and training.

The proposal includes the creation of new support centres or expanding the range of services provided by existing centres, the role of which will also be to develop appropriate strategies (e.g. an inclusive approach to higher education). The role of the support centres will also be to provide counselling activities for those interested in studying, especially for students with special needs and students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and vulnerable and excluded groups, including students from the marginalized and Romany communities (MRC); career counselling, assistance services, including leasing and buddy system in relation to students with special needs and students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and vulnerable and excluded groups. An integral part is the need to provide social, psychological and tutoring counselling for students, even in the context of the impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Providing educational support / assistance services for students, including students with special needs and students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and vulnerable and excluded groups, will increase support for equal access, especially for disadvantaged groups, to quality and inclusive tertiary education. The activity will be implemented through demand-oriented projects.

The Programme Slovakia 2021-2027 (hereinafter referred to as "P SK") is in the stage of informal negotiations with the EC, i.e. it has not yet been formally submitted to the EC for approval. The P SK will be submitted to the EC for approval by the Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation of the Slovak Republic (MIRRI), as the Managing Authority for in the summer of 2022. Subsequently, the announcement of calls for proposal should start, assumption (3Q / 4Q 2022). The activity described is part of the proposal of P SK, but at this time we cannot confirm whether it will remain in P SK in this wording and to this extent that, as negotiations are underway with the EC and we are awaiting the EC's comments.

V P SK also plans to support the activity “Support for the access of vulnerable groups to education”. The activity will support the access and availability of education for vulnerable groups of primary and secondary school pupils and students, either in the form of personnel (tutoring, career counselling) or financial support (e.g. scholarship programmes, transport, etc.).

The current version of P SK has not been publicly available yet. It should be published by MIRRI SR in a short time on www.eurofondy.sk.

More information:  https://www.eurofondy.gov.sk/otvorili-sme-siroku-odbornu-diskusiu-o-novom-operacnom-programe-slovensko/.