Inter-institutional cooperation projects between higher education institutions
This Measure supports bilateral or multilateral institutional cooperation among higher education institutions (HEIs) in Slovakia and in Donor states (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein). The objective is to support balanced partnerships based on reciprocity of activities performed and bilateral or multilateral interest and benefit from cooperation.
Eligible activities
Various types of activities may be combined to form a comprehensive project proposal.
Minimum 2 student/PhD student mobilities and at least 2 mobilities of HEI academic, top management, administrative staff must take place within every project between Slovakia and the Donor States.
a) Support for faculty-based cooperation between institutions in Slovakia and in Donor States aiming at long-term relations. The elements for such cooperation could be for example student exchanges, development of common curricula and joint study programmes.
b) Development of common study modules with the aim of offering common study programmes at a later stage. Such modules should encompass at least 30 ECTS.
c) Development or preparation of new teaching aids and teaching methods (with special focus on ICT-based learning) on the basis of experience sharing.
d) Intensive courses for students and PhD students: short courses lasting from 2 (14 days) to 4 weeks within a specified field. Participants should have the course recognised through ECTS credits and counted towards their degree.
e) Preparation of joint scientific papers and publications as the output of a common project.
f) Organising conferences, seminars, training, workshops, and summer schools as a part of the project. Summer schools must last for at least 7 days.
g) Internships, practical placements, professional training of students and PhD students in research organisations, hospitals, companies, non-profit organisations and in other organisations cooperating with accredited educational institutions - at 1st, 2nd, 3rd level of higher education from 2 (14 days) to 8 weeks. Mobility shall take place within one academic year (from August/September-till July/August). The condition of this activity is the international mobility between Slovakia and the Donor States and vice versa.
h) Short-term mobility of students, PhD students from the organisations of applicant and eligible partners with the objective of receiving specialised expertise and experience (e.g. thesis preparation, participation in conferences, competitions, summer schools, workshops, trainings, language courses - focused mainly on native languages of Donor States and Slovakia, etc.). The mobility may take from 3 days to 6 weeks.
i) Mobility of academic staff from the organisations of applicant and eligible partners with the objective of expertise and experience exchange (e. g. teaching assignments of five teaching hours per assignment, participation in conferences, seminars, workshops or other training events, job shadowing, research cooperation and other activities of this Measure). The mobility may take from 3 days to 6 weeks.
j) Mobility of experts from research organisations, hospitals, companies, non-profit organisations and other organisations cooperating with accredited educational institutions with the aim of sharing the expertise and experience with HEIs and mutual cooperation. The mobility may take from 3 days to 6 weeks. This activity may be used also in order to fulfil various activities of this Measure.
k) Short-term two-way mobility of top management and administrative staff of HEIs with the aim of institutional relations development, exchange of experience with the organisation management and development strategies. The mobility may take from 3 days to 2 weeks.
Every project must involve at least 1 of the activities a) – e) and 2 of the activities g) – k).
Condition of mobility activities is the international mobility between Slovakia and the Donor States and vice versa.
Inland/domestic mobility and mobility related to the participation of associated partners from other countries within the EEA Scholarship Programme area is allowed in justified cases.
Duration of projects is 9 months minimum, 16/12 months maximum (depending on respective call for proposals).
Eligible applicant and partner
The eligible applicant is an organisation (not an individual), namely higher education institution with the seat Slovakia. An eligible applicant must have at least one partner from at least one Donor State – Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein.
An eligible partner
- from the Donor States may be a HEI and/or another organisation authorised to provide education at the higher education level
- from Slovakia may be a HEI with the seat in Slovakia and/or external educational institution with the seat in Slovakia authorised to train PhD students
Associated partners may be
- HEI from other countries within the EEA Scholarship Programme area recognised by the relevant country according to its legislation.
- research organisation, hospital, company, non-profit organisation or another organisation of practic
It is possible to establish a consortium of at least 3 members: eligible applicant, eligible partner from Donor State and another eligible or associated partner organisation.
Funding
The calls for Measures of Inter-institutional cooperation project in HEI and upper secondary schools will be launched jointly. There shall be two calls for proposals, making available €1,357,176 (jointly). Contribution from EEA Grants represents 85% and contribution from the state budget of the Slovak Republic is 15% of the total amount.
Grants from the Programme will cover 90% of total eligible project costs. The remaining costs of the project (10% of total eligible project costs) shall be provided or obtained by the Project Promoters.
Eligibe expenditures
The minimum amount of grant assistance applied for per project is €50,000; the maximum amount is €120,000.
Eligible direct expenditures of the project are the expenditures identified by the Project Promoter as special expenditures directly linked to the project implementation.
Eligible expenditures related to mobility activities are:
a) Travel expenses and insurance
Travel expenses up to 700 EUR per person both ways. Travel expenses and travel insurance are covered based on actual incurred expenditures (invoices and bills documenting travel costs are required).
b) Scholarships and daily allowances (per diems, accommodation, local travel, necessary additional expenses)
For mobility participants the following monthly scholarships apply:
- From Donor States to Slovakia
- Students and PhD students: €600/month
- Staff: €1,000/month
- From Slovakia to Donor States
- Students and PhD students: €1,125/month
- Staff: €2,100/month
For shorter mobility periods rates of daily subsistence allowances apply:
- From Donor States to Slovakia
- Students and PhD students: €80/day
- Staff: €100/day
- From Slovakia to Donor States
- Students and PhD students: €150/day
- Staff: €210/day
For people holding a disability certificate, scholarships may be increased by up to 40%, however the maximum amount of grant assistance applied for per project shall not be exceeded.
Indirect costs are all the eligible costs which cannot be identified by the Project Promoter and/or by the Project Partner as being directly attributed to the project, but which can be identified and justified by its accounting system as expenses being incurred in direct relationship with the eligible direct costs attributed to the project. They may not include eligible direct costs. Indirect costs of the project shall represent a fair apportionment of the overall overheads of the Project Promoter or the Project Partner. They may be identified according to one of the following methods:
a) based on actual indirect costs for those Project Promoters and Project Partners that have an analytical accounting system to identify their indirect costs as indicated above;
b) a Project Promoter and Project Partners may opt for a flat rate up to 20% of its total direct eligible costs, excluding its direct eligible costs for subcontracting and the costs of resources made available by third parties, not used on the Project Promoter's premises.
How to apply?
Submission of the grant application
The completed application form with uploaded electronic version of all annexes must be submitted electronically via on-line application system accessible from this webpage, and its signed version must be sent in 1 original and 1 copy latest on the day of deadline of the respective call for proposals. The hardcopy must be delivered (post, courier, personally) to the seat of Programme Operator latest 5 working days after the deadline of the call for proposals. The stamp is decisive.
Selection process
Every application will be assessed in terms of formal requirements based on the administrative compliance criteria and the applicant's eligibility criteria. Subsequently, each project application is assessed on the basis of the expert criteria by two independent and impartial evaluators (experts). A decision on awarding the grant to the individual projects will be taken by the Selection Committee. Specific selection criteria will be annexed to the relevant call for proposals.
There exists no legal entitlement for the applicant to be awarded the grant applied for.
Payment of the grant and reporting
Grant beneficiary will be provided with an advance payment in the amount of 80% of the total approved funds after signing the contract. The Project Promoter may receive additional interim payments which combined do not exceed 90% of the grant awarded, provided that at least 40% of the total project costs have been incurred. The remaining 10% of the contribution will be paid to the Project Promoter after the approval of the final balance report by the Programme Operator.
when to apply?
There are planned two calls for proposals, one will be launched no later than in the second quarter of 2014 and one in the first quarter of 2015.
For detailed information see the section Calls for propsals.
Last modified: 2015-03-02