In the Operational Programme for Human Resource Development the activities for the period from 2007 to 2013 in the fields of education, youth work, research and development, employment and labour market, entrepreneurship and improvement of administrative capacity are planned. These activities will contribute to the knowledge-based economy and to increasing competitiveness. The activities are financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) with 391,517,329 euros and by Estonian public and private sectors with 70,290,199 euros. Ministry of Education and Research is the leading ministry of the Operational Programme.
The planned activities have been divided between the following priority axes:
1. Lifelong learning. Activities for raising the quality of general and vocational education, continuing education and retaining and youthwork. Nowadays, education does not end after finishing a high school or a vocational school or graduating from an institution of higher education. Lifelong learning refers to both, education in the aforementioned institutions as well as participation in refresher courses for professional development or in informal education.
Support can be applied for from the 2nd level intermediate bodies Foundation for Lifelong Learning Development INNOVE and Environmental Investment Centre.
2. Developing human resources for R&D. Estonian society needs world-class scientists and specialists with higher education for the development of knowledge-based economy and for strengthening the competitiveness. The prerequisite for this is cooperation between universities in Estonia as well as abroad and participation of Estonian scientists in international cooperation.
Support can be applied for from the 2nd level intermediate body Archimedes Foundation.
3. Good-quality and long working life. The objective of this priority axis is to ensure high employment rates and satisfactory working life for Estonian people. Special attention is paid to educating people in order to raise their qualifications, to improving the quality of the work environment and employment relationships, creating an integrated network of welfare services and employment, promoting healthy lifestyles and to ensuring gender equality.
2nd level intermediate body: Foundation for Lifelong Learning Development INNOVE.
4. Knowledge and skills for innovative entrepreneurship. The objective is to train the employees and leaders and improve the availability of external consulting services. Start-ups are offered financial support and training courses for individual development, and already going concerns are offered the opportunity to hire a development manager. The assistance can also be applied for raising the business-awareness of the residents in Estonia.
2nd level intermediate bodies: Enterprise Estonia, KredEx.
5. Enhancing administrative capacity. The objective is to raise strategic planning and managing capabilities of the public sector organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as to have better legislative drafting. Attention is also paid to training and raising expertise of the officials as well as employees and social partners of NGOs.
2nd level intermediate bodies: Ministry of Finance, Enterprise Estonia
6. Horizontal technical assistance and technical assistance based on the Operational Programme is for covering the administrative expenses related to providing structural assistance.
