tenders and grants

partnership

Following the EU/Australia Joint Declaration of 1997 EU/Australian relations have developed steadily and continue to grow closer, resulting in the establishment of mutual links across the whole spectrum of relations. The Joint Declaration recognises the importance of promoting better understanding and interaction between the peoples of the Member States of the EU and the people of Australia, including broader knowledge of their languages, cultures and institutions. To this end the Joint Declaration states that dialogue will be promoted, aimed at the strengthening of mutual cooperation in the fields of education and training, at providing support to actions that further develop links in the field of communication, information, culture and education, including academic and youth exchanges and at exchanging expertise and information including on the recognition of academic and other qualifications, new educational technologies, and partnerships between education and training institutions and practitioners. Against this background, the European Community and Australia launch a joint call for proposals for one or two multilateral, student-centred project(s) with the potential to serve as a model for future substantive and long-lasting structural EU/Australian cooperation in higher education.

duration of the project and activities supported
The pilot project will be funded for three years.
The main purpose of the project will be to set up a framework for student mobility at postgraduate (Masters) level. Projects should be designed to be sustainable beyond the period in which the Programme supports them. An important aspect of every project is the dissemination of products, outcomes and results. Projects should serve as a role model for their discipline or area. Strategies for sustainability and dissemination should be incorporated in the proposal.
The pilot project should have the following components:
Joint study programm: European and Australian higher education institutions should propose a joint programme including a student exchange scheme leading to the award of a diploma at postgraduate (Masters) level by each participating institution. As part of the programme, Australian students will have to spend a period of study in two or more of the participating European institutions. The programme for students from EU Member States ("European students") will involve a period of study in a European institution other than the home institution together with a period of study in one or more Australian higher education institution.
Student mobility
The pilot project should target graduate students. Participation in this programme should lead to a diploma. This can be a joint diploma or alternatively the study credits of the period spent abroad should be recognised by the home institution as an integral part of the study programme.
Student mobility numbers: Between 25 and 40 students will be exchanged between each side. Student flows should be balanced both in numbers and duration.
Length of study: European and Australian students should spend a total period of minimum one academic semester (or five calendar months) and a maximum of 1 academic year (or 10 calendar months) in Australian and European institutions respectively. European students should also spend a study period of minimum 2 weeks in one of the other European institutions as part of their programme.
Agreements on tuition and fees: Students studying abroad will pay tuition and fees at their home institution and should incur no additional payment liabilities to the host institution abroad. This includes fees for tuition, registration, examinations, and the use of library and laboratory facilities.
Recognition of periods of study and training: Study at the host institution abroad should be recognised as part of the home programme. Credit recognition arrangements based on ECTS and UCTS are therefore a requirement. The reality of credit systems in the European Community and in Australia, as well as between Europe and Australia, is a complex matter. A European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) has been used in Europe for more than a decade and has been applied successfully in several international cooperation projects. A limited amount of funding is available for the European side of the consortia to facilitate the correct implementation of the ECTS. Information on this system can be obtained at http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates/ects.html.
The UMAP Credit Transfer Scheme (UCTS) is currently being trialled in the Asia-Pacific region and is directly compatible with the ECTS. Details on the UCTS are available at www.umap.org.
Provision for student services:
Partner institutions will provide the appropriate hosting services to help students’ involvement in the study programme on the same basis as for home students.
Student selection: The responsibility and arrangements concerning student selection rest with European and Australian universities participating in the project. The proposal must indicate the mechanisms envisaged for student selection.
Preparation for mobility: Appropriate measures should be taken in order to prepare students for mobility, including, language and cultural preparation. During the first year project activities should focus on finalising details regarding credit recognition and/or transfer among institutions, fees and tuition waivers, and student’s cultural preparation. Details on student selection, provision of student services, programme development and on the administrative infrastructure necessary for the project should also be finalised during the first year. The second phase, consisting of years two and three of the project, centres on student mobility.
Staff mobility
Teachers, trainers, administrators, and other relevant specialists may participate in structured exchanges and teaching assignments as part of the project. Such exchanges and assignments must be done between the project partners and will be aimed at strengthening university-to-university links at the administration level, at encouraging the development of university cooperation in benchmarking and/or at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of university administration. Staff mobility must be related to the other project activities, such as programme planning, teaching, evaluation, dissemination, and possibly curriculum development.
Evaluation Plan
The project should develop a detailed evaluation plan which states the goals and anticipated outcomes of the project and indicates what qualitative and quantitative indicators will be used to measure the success of the project.
Proof of Institutional commitment
The European and Australian lead institutions should agree with the partners a detailed proposal, including, in particular, a description of the joint programme and provisions for balanced student exchanges, for credit recognition and for tuition and registration fees waivers at the host institution. Each institution must provide written confirmation from senior academic or executive staff (e.g., rector, vice-chancellor, provost, dean, director, or president) of their commitment to respect the terms of the proposal. Letters of support must also describe how the project fits in the general international strategy of the institution.

Submission of proposals in Europe

European Commission
Directorate General for Education and Culture
Martin Westlake
Head of Unit A/5
200, rue de la Loi B-1049 Brussels

Applications delivered in person, by an authorised representative or private courier service, may be submitted to the
secretariat of EAC/A/5
Rue Belliard 5-7 Office 8/24
B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
) no later than 16:00 on 17/6/2002. You should obtain a receipt as proof of submission, signed and dated by the official who took delivery.

For European applicants seeking further information, please contact:
Nicole Versijp
Directorate General for Education and Culture
European Commission
rue de la Loi, 200 (B7 8/30)
B- 1049 Brussels
Tel.: (+32 2) 296 66 64
Fax: (+32 2) 295 57 19
Email: nicole.versijp@cec.eu.int

Submission of proposals in Australia

Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee
Margaret Smith
Project Manager International Relations
GPO Box 1142
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Applications delivered in person, by an authorised representative or private courier service, may be submitted to the offices of the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee at
1 Geils Court, Deakin,
Australian Capital Territory, no later than 16:00 (4pm) on 17/6/2002.
You should obtain a receipt as proof of submission, signed and dated by the official who took delivery. For Australian applicants seeking further information, please contact:
Margaret Smith
Project Manager International Relations
Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee
1 Geils Court
DEAKIN ACT 2601
Tel.: (+61 2) 6285 8200
Fax: (+61 2) 6285 8215
Email: Margaret.smith@avcc.edu.au
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/australia/australia.html