tenders and grants

partnership

On 18 December 2000, the European Community and the United States of America signed an agreement renewing the 1995-2000 cooperation programme on higher education and vocational education and training.
The programme aims primarily at promoting understanding between the peoples of the European Community and the United States of America and improving the quality of their human resource development.
To achieve these objectives the programme supports innovative, multilateral, student-centred projects with the potential to stimulate substantive and long-lasting structural transatlantic cooperation in higher education and vocational education and training. It may also support international education projects that give rise to new forms of cooperation between the United States and the European Community.

What are the types of projects supported?
Consortia implementation projects are three-year projects fostering institutional partnerships centred on students. Students benefit from international curriculum and cultural dimension being added to their studies through a combination of curricular innovation and study or training abroad.
Consortia preparatory projects are one-year projects which provide opportunities for developing international innovative cooperation as well as opportunities for giving access to the programme to institutions with little or no international experience.
Complementary activities are one or two-year projects designed to support the overall purpose of international curriculum development and preparing students for work in a global workplace.
Fulbright/EU grants provide support for a full academic year or a one-semester research or lecturing on EU affairs or US-EU relations at an accredited institution in the US or in the EC. This scheme is not the subject of this call. For information please consult the following Internet address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/ec-usa/usa.html
Who is eligible for funding and what is the minimum number of partners in a project?
The main type of projects under the EC-US programme are based on the development of a consortium of higher education and vocational education and training institutions or organisations in the 15 Member States of the European Community and in the United States. Membership may involve higher education or vocational education and training institutions and organisations including industry and business groups, non-governmental organisations, publishers, government departments, chambers of commerce, and research institutes as defined below. Complementary activities may also involve as partners other education institutions, organisations and associations.
For the purpose of this programme:
- "higher education institution": means any establishment according to the applicable laws or practices which offers qualifications or diplomas at the higher education level, whatever such establishment may be called,
- "vocational education and training institution": means any type of public, semi-public or private body, which, irrespective of the designation given to it, in accordance with the applicable laws and practices, designs or undertakes vocational education or training, further vocational training, refresher vocational training or retraining, and
- "students": means all those persons following learning or training courses or programmes that are run by higher education or vocational education and training institutions.
Consortia implementation projects and consortia preparatory projects must have a minimum of three higher education or vocational education and training institutions or organisations as partners on each side from at least three different Member States of the European Community and three different states in the US.
Complementary activities must have more than one EC and more than one US partner and it is expected that competitive proposals will reflect geographic diversity, educational entities, and disciplinary methodologies.
All projects must have a non-profit higher education or vocation education and training lead institution or organisation in the EC and in the US. These institutions are responsible for submitting a common proposal, for directing the project and for grant management or fiscal control.
In all three types of projects partners may represent business and industry groups and may help give your project the national and international visibility necessary for it to succeed beyond the funding period. These organisations may collaborate to offer internships or may offer professional advice and expertise.

Who administers the EC/US programme?
The EC/US programme is administered jointly by the US Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Post- secondary Education (FIPSE), and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC).

How much financial support is available in 2003?
The European Community supports the EC lead and partner institutions. The amount of EC funding available for this programme in 2003 is expected to be EUR 1 650 000.
The United States of America supports the US lead and partner institutions.
Consortia Implementation Projects will be funded up to EUR 150 000 for EC partners and USD 200 000 for US partners.
A small number of consortia preparatory projects will be supported with a limit of EUR 25 000 for the EC partners and USD 25 000 for the US partners.
Complementary activities will be funded for one or two years. The maximum grant for a one-year project is EUR 35 000 for the EC partners and USD 35 000 for the US partners.
The maximum grant for a two-year project is EUR 75 000 Euros for the EC partners and USD 75 000 for the US partners.
For the three types of projects above the total amount of funding granted by the European Commission may not normally exceed 75 % of the approved budget.

What is the application procedure?
Common guidelines and application forms are available in the European Community at:
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture, "Tempus programme - cooperation with the USA and Canada", B7 8/20, B-1049 Brussels (mail address),

- European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture "Tempus programme - cooperation with the USA and Canada", Rue Belliard 5-7 (Office 8/24), B-1040 Brussels (office address),

- the Europa server Internet address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/ec-usa.html.

- the Commission Representation Offices in the Member States.
The lead institution in the EC and the lead institution in the US must submit the common proposal to DG EAC and FIPSE. EC lead institutions should apply to the Commission for funding covering expenses incurred by the lead and partner institutions.

Submission of proposals in Europe
The EC lead institution must submit the original and four copies of the EC application forms, which include the common proposal. Copies should be stapled and not bound in any way. Proposals sent by fax will not be accepted. The common proposal submitted to DG EAC may be in any of the official languages of the European Community.

European Commission
Directorate-General for Education and Culture Attention:
Ms Nicole Versijp - B7-8/30 ‚
"Tempus programme - cooperation with the USA and Canada" B-1049 Brussels.
Applications delivered in person, by an authorised representative or private courier service, may be submitted to the secretariat of the EC/US programme (Rue Belliard 5-7, Office 8/24, B-1040 Brussels) no later than 16.00 on 28.03.2003. You should obtain a receipt as proof of submission, signed and dated by the official who took delivery.

For EC applicants seeking further information, please contact:
Nicole Versijp
European Commission
Directorate-General for Education and Culture
B7 8/20
B-1049 Brussels
Tel. (32-2) 296 66 64,
fax (32-2) 295 57 19
E-mail: nicole.versijp@cec.eu.int

For US applicants seeking further information, please contact:
Frank Frankfort, Ph.D. Coordinator, EC/US programme Fund for the Improvement of Post-secondary Education (FIPSE)
1990 K Street 8th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20006-8544
Tel. (202) 502-75 13,
fax (202) 502-78 77
E-mail: frank_frankfort@ed.gov

How are project proposals and grant requests selected?
Consortia projects and complementary activities
DG EAC and FIPSE will select projects for funding on a bilateral basis assisted by panels of independent experts. While overall attention will be paid to supporting a diverse range of institutions, the proposals will be judged primarily on the basis of the following three selection criteria, weighted equally:
1. The significance of the proposed project, as determined by the:
- demonstration of promising new strategies,
- likely utility of the that will result from the proposed project, and
- importance or magnitude of the project's results or outcomes.
2. The quality of the design of the proposed project, as determined by the:
- clarity in specifying measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes, and
- matching of project design to the needs it is supposed to address.
3. The adequacy of resources, as determined by:
- a budget proportionate to the objectives, design, and significance of the project,
- the potential for continued support of the project after funding ends, and
- the relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the project.