CAPES-SIU Programme for Brazil-Norway Cooperation. Call for Applications Joint Cooperation Projects Applications to SIU

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1 CAPES-SIU Programme for Brazil-Norway Cooperation Call for Applications Joint Cooperation Projects Applications to SIU 1. General Norwegian institutions of higher education and research are invited to apply for funds for joint cooperation projects between higher education and research institutions in Brazil and Norway, within the CAPES-SIU Programme. The project funds are provided by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and administered by the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU). SIU is a public Norwegian agency that promotes international cooperation in education. SIU s call for applications relates to the Norwegian Government s strategy for cooperation between Brazil and Norway, which highlights the importance of increased cooperation in research and higher education, and to the Memorandum of Understanding on Science and Technology between the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. A total of 4 million Norwegian kroner (NOK) is available for allocation from SIU. The maximum allocation from SIU to each project is NOK The project duration is two years, and all projects shall be completed by 30 June The Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) of the Ministry of Education in Brazil issues a separate call for applications to the CAPES-SIU Programme, with a maximum allocation of USD to each project for the two-year period. It is a prerequisite for support from SIU that an application is also submitted by the Brazilian project partner to CAPES for funding of proposed activities within the same project. The selection of projects to be supported by CAPES and SIU will take place in a joint meeting between CAPES and SIU, scheduled for April It is an aim that projects that are selected for support by the joint meeting will be allocated funding from both CAPES and SIU at the approximate same financial level for the two-year period. The projects may have the possibility of applying for financial support for an additional two-year period, however only if proper funding is made available both at CAPES and SIU for the continuation of the CAPES-SIU Programme from

2 2. Objectives With the aim of developing and strengthening academic collaboration between Brazil and Norway, the objectives of SIU s call for applications are: To support the development of collaborative activities between higher education and research institutions in Brazil and Norway. To promote the mobility of students and academic staff. To encourage the exchange of teaching methodologies and cooperation in provision of education. To stimulate the development of innovative technologies. 3. Eligibility and basic principles SIU and CAPES can support projects in all academic fields. All accredited Norwegian higher education institutions, or institutions with accredited programmes, public and private, are eligible applicants for project funds. The projects shall include a Brazilian main partner institution. Relevant Norwegian and/or Brazilian third party institutions may also be included in the project (network). The applications should be based on proposals jointly prepared by the collaborating institutions. The projects should be supported by academic leaders at the partner institutions, indicating institutional interest in the project. Higher education collaboration is the focus and priority of SIU s call. SIU can only support projects that aim at developing and/or strengthening collaboration within higher education, with focus on Master s and/or PhD level. 1 Projects may include additional measures targeting Bachelor level students. It is an advantage if the projects contribute to a broader collaboration leading to highlevel research results and innovation. Cooperation with business and industry is appreciated. 4. Requirements and application procedures for applications submitted to SIU The project coordinator at the Norwegian institution must be a researcher/academic staff member employed by the institution. The application shall include a Brazilian main partner institution and project coordinator who should also be the project coordinator in an application to CAPES for funding from the CAPES-SIU Programme. Applications to SIU must be submitted in SIUs online system for applications and reporting, Espresso: 1 Financial support from CAPES is limited to PhD level or higher. 2

3 All applications must describe the history of cooperation, project goals and expected results (higher education and research/innovation), synergies, plans for future collaboration, and institutional contributions and commitment. The applications must include a proposed budget and a description of activities/measures, a list of included researchers/staff and CVs for the project coordinators in Norway and Brazil, a milestone plan, and a description of risk factors and mitigation strategies. In addition to the online application, two documents must be submitted to SIU: A signature page, available in Espresso when the application is submitted. This page must be signed by the project coordinator and the head of unit (department level or above) at the Norwegian institution. A letter of intent from the main partner institution in Brazil, signed by the relevant academic leader, confirming interest in the proposed collaboration project. Letters of intent from additional partners may also be submitted, but is not required. The final deadline for applications is 26 February 2013 at 14:00 Norwegian time. The signature page and signed letters of intent must be received by SIU on or before 5 March The documents should be ed to SIU at brazil@siu.no. The signed letters of intent can be uploaded in the online application form. Incomplete applications, late applications and applications without signature form and/or letter of intent will not be processed. 5. Financial guidelines The maximum allocation from SIU for each individual project is NOK for a twoyear period. The following activities and expenses may be included in the proposed budget for financial support from SIU: Staff mobility from Norway to Brazil Support can be provided for project coordinator, academic staff members (incl. post doc) or other relevant staff involved in the project. The purpose of the mobility may be: Joint teaching and supervision; development of joint courses, programmes and degrees; networking/conferences/seminars/workshops; joint research activities related to the project applied for; as well as project planning, management and administration. Travel, subsistence and accommodation expenses shall not exceed the rates of the Norwegian Government s Travel Allowance Scale (Statens reiseregulativ). Student mobility from Norway to Brazil The projects can cover expenses related to student mobility not covered by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen), such as short-term mobility and mobility of PhD students related to the project cooperation. The grants must be related to the project applied for. As a general rule, travel-related expenses and mobility grants for Brazilian project participants shall be covered by funding from CAPES. 3

4 Networking/conferences/seminars/workshops Expenses (other than travel-related expenses and mobility grants) related to networking, conferences, seminars and meetings that are included in the project plans and are relevant to the project goals. Promotion and dissemination The project may include costs related to promotion and dissemination of the cooperation project, for example promotion of activities to students, or dissemination of results. Other operating costs This item covers expenditures related to the project s activities which are not covered under the previous items. The project may not include funding for investments in scientific equipment, research publications, and participation in research seminars or conferences not clearly linked to the project goals. Compensation The department at the Norwegian main partner institution may receive compensation for time spent by the project coordinator on managing and coordinating the cooperation project. Compensation is intended to cover substitute manpower at the Norwegian main partner institution and may include salary costs and social costs (taxes, insurance etc.). Other overhead costs should be budgeted under project administration (see below). The project may receive compensation for the project management workload of maximum one month for the project period. Other compensation/salary costs for project participants cannot be included in the budget. Project administration The Norwegian partner may include administrative overhead of maximum 10 per cent of the sub-total budget. Project administrative costs are intended to contribute to added administrative expenses on department or institutional level resulting from the cooperation project. Planned expenses for measures and activities included in the application for project funds from CAPES cannot be included in the application to SIU. 6. Application evalutation and selection procedures The processing of applications submitted to SIU will include the following main stages: 1. Documental control and formal verification of applications. 2. Assessment of applications by external experts. 3. SIU s assessment of applications and proposal of priority order. 4. Final selection of applications at the joint meeting referred to above. 4

5 The activities of the proposed project must contribute to the objectives of the call and will be assessed based on how they respond to the following criteria: Project goals, expected results and feasibility. Academic and institutional foundation and commitment to the project, with focus on commitment for increased higher education cooperation. Involvement at each institution of leadership and staff other than the project coordinator is seen as positive. Plans for sustained cooperation beyond the project. Strategies for encouraging further student mobility Norway-Brazil and Brazil-Norway as well as joint education activities, e.g. teaching, supervision, courses, degrees, etc. Contributions to a broader collaboration leading to high-level research results and innovation, and synergy between higher education, research and innovation. Demonstration of the complementary strengths of the partners, and the added value of the collaboration. Relevance to the Norwegian Government s strategy for cooperation between Brazil and Norway. SIU s Complaint Regulations can be found at 7. Requirements, financial guidelines, application procedures and evaluation applications submitted to CAPES For information about the requirements, guidelines, application procedures and evaluation of applications submitted to CAPES, please see the call for applications at 8. Reporting procedures The partners shall submit a progress report to SIU in 2014, including project accounts for 2013 and a revised project budget. The partners shall submit a final project report to SIU after the completion of the project, along with the final project accounts. The reports shall be submitted in SIUs online system for applications and reporting, Espresso: The institutions will be notified by SIU about the reporting deadlines. For further information, please contact: Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU) Jon Gunnar Mølstre Simonsen, Senior adviser brazil@siu.no, phone: