Twinning is a European Union instrument for institutional cooperation between Public Administrations of EU Member States and of beneficiary or partner countries and a part of European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Twinning projects bring together public sector expertise from EU Member States and beneficiary countries with the aim of achieving concrete mandatory operational results through peer to peer activities. The mandatory results are usually articulated in components corresponding to the expected results and foresee a number of activities including workshops, training sessions, expert missions, study visits, internships and counselling. Twinning lies on learning by doing principle and sharing of best practices.

Two Project Leaders (one on behalf of the EU Member State leading the project, the other of the beneficiary administration) and a Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA) are the backbone of Twinning projects. The RTA is seconded to the beneficiary administration throughout the entire duration of the implementation period of the project and coordinates the project's activities. A Twinning project must also have a RTA counterpart in the beneficiary administration.

Twinning has been very popular and successful in Azerbaijan. To date 28 Twinning projects have taken place in Azerbaijan, covering most sectors of administration. In education sector, EHEA Twinning is the first EU-Azerbaijan Twinning project in the field of Higher Education.

In addition, the EU also provides thematic and regional programmes, such INOGATE in the sector of energy, TRACECA in the sector of transport, or TEMPUS and ERASMUS MUNDUS in the sector of education, Youth in action for the youth.  You can find out more about these projects in the homepages of the EUD (go to Useful links)

No, this is not the case. Student exchange cannot be funded in Twinning projects. Please, take a look at the home pages of Erasmus+ programme (go to Useful links)

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) was launched in 2003, with the objective of strengthening the prosperity, stability and security of all. It is based on the values of democracy, rule of law and respect of human rights and avoiding new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and its neighbours. The ENP was reviewed in 2011. Under the revised ENP, stabilisation of the region, in political, economic, and security related terms, has been at the heart of the policy. The revised ENP puts a strong emphasis on the principles of a differentiated approach to EU Neighbours, respecting their different aspirations and responding better to EU and its partners’ interests; and an increased ownership by partner countries and Member States.

The EU cooperates with Azerbaijan in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy and its eastern regional dimension, the Eastern Partnership. The key goal is to bring Azerbaijan closer to the EU.

The European Neighbourhood Instrument is the key EU financial instrument dedicated to the Neighbourhood for the period 2014-2020. It replaces the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) of 2007-2013. Other funding sources are the EU thematic programmes, focused on human rights and civil society.

EU assistance to Azerbaijan takes mainly the form of country Action Programmes funded every year under the ENI. Azerbaijan benefits also from regional and multi-country Action Programmes funded under the ENI.

The EHEA Twinning project reflects strategic objectives under the EU-Azerbaijan ENP Action Plan (AP), as set out in article 4.7.1 Education, training and youth. Here, support is foreseen for the reform and modernisation of the education and training systems within the framework of Azerbaijan’s reform programme, including

• Higher education sector reforms in line with the principles of the Bologna process;
• Quality enhancement and improvement of the accreditation system for higher education institutions;
• Enhanced policy dialogue between EU and Azerbaijani authorities in the field of education, training and youth;
• Enhanced international cooperation, mobility and exchange.

Twinning is a European Union instrument for institutional cooperation between Public Administrations of EU Member States and of beneficiary or partner countries. The partner countries include Pre-accession countries and European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) Georgia, Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

Twinning projects are meant for cooperation of public administrations, not for, say, universities, researchers or students as such, although universities, researchers and students may take part in various activities of some Twinning project and benefit their results.