Call Short Initiatives (SI) 2022

• A Short Initiative (SI) is expected to produce short-term results within the 2-year project duration.

• SI projects are very accessible, in particular for new/young project promoters who have been sensitised through the Global Minds framework, or through cooperation in ongoing projects, and/or who are eager to gain a first experience as promoter of a VLIR-UOS project?

• SI projects allow for differentiated objectives (exploration, innovation, valorisation, etc.) and approaches (education, research, policy, outreach, people, networking)

• SI projects can create partnerships that vary in size and composition: one or more Flemish higher education institutions and one or more local higher education and science institutions and/or other actors; one or more disciplines; young/new and/or more experienced academics, ...

An application for SI involves both a Flemish and a local promoter, but it is the Flemish promoter who submits the application.  
  
Affiliation of promoters

• Flemish promoter: employed as a professor/lecturer/specialist at a Flemish university or university of applied sciences and arts

• Partner promoter: employed at a recognised higher education institution or a national public (not for profit) research institution located in a VLIR-UOS project partner country

Additional criteria

• Applicants (Flemish and local) can have up to two ongoing SI/TEAM projects, which means that they can submit a maximum of two projects (two SI, two TEAM or one SI and one TEAM) if they have no ongoing projects after 1 September 2022.

• Since almost all VLIR-UOS projects end on 31 August 2022, only the TEAM 2019 projects should be considered ongoing projects. TEAM 2019 promoters can only submit one new SI or TEAM.

• No further criteria apply at the partner institution level. Former and current IUC partner institutions are fully eligible without any restrictions. 

Higher education and science institutions located in one of the 17 project partner countries listed below may apply for SI projects:  

• Benin
  
  
• Bolivia
  
  
• Burundi
  
  
• Cuba
  
  
• DR Congo
  
  
• Ecuador
  
  
• Ethiopia
  
  
• Indonesia
  
  
• Kenya
  
  
• Morocco
  
  
• Peru
  
  
• Philippines
  
  
• Rwanda
  
  
• South Africa
  
  
• Tanzania
  
  
• Uganda
  
  
• Vietnam

• Project budgets amount to a maximum of 70.000 EUR for two years.
  
  
• Overall budget for the SI 2022 Call amounts to 2.030.000 EUR (approx. 29 projects).

Financial guidelines for proposal writing

• The VLIR-UOS financial guidelines for SI and TEAM projects indicate what expenses are allowed in the framework of a project, how budgets are to be made, and how expenses have to be accounted for. A the time of launching this first call within the new FYP 2 the full guidelines are not yet available, but a basic set of guidelines needed for filling out the budget proposal was made available. (link to background document 2).

The applicable budget lines are:

• A. Investment costs (durable goods with a long life that can be depreciated in the accounts over several years)
• B. Operational costs (“project-related” costs incurred for the purchase and/or operational use of goods that are not depreciated in the accounts and costs directly related to a specific project activity)
• C. Personnel costs
• D. Scholarship costs
• E.1. Coordination cost in Belgium (5% lump sum from A to D)
• E.2. Local coordination cost (5% lump sum from A to D)

Who?

The Flemish promoter of the proposed SI project submits the application to the ICOS of the Flemish university (association) for quality control. The ICOS will validate and submit to VLIR-UOS.

How?

Project applications are submitted online.

*Please note that, although you will be granted access to the VLIR-UOS online tool, the format for filling out a project proposal will not be made available until February 2022. In the meantime, you can use the Word and Excel formats which will be made available from early December.

When?

Deadline March 18, 2022, 5pm (CET).

• All project proposals will be assessed and selected based on four standard selection criteria: (1) relevance and coherence of the project; (2) quality of the project design; (3) implementation set-up of the project; (4) potential impact and sustainability.

• Project proposals are assessed by Regional Selection Commissions (Africa, Asia, Latin America) in May 2022.

• The selection decision will be communicated shortly after the ratification of the decision by the Bureau UOS, ultimately in June 2022.

Need inspiration for a Short Initiative (SI) project? Here are some ideas for your project proposal!

Following the various ongoing calls for proposals, VLIR-UOS conducted a short survey among Belgian non-governmental actors to collect their ideas for University cooperation for development in synergy/complementarity with their activities. 

The result is a range of potential initiatives that aim to increase the impact of Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HE4SD) through synergy and complementarity.

Get inspired by these ideas blending various research questions with transversal themes (gender and protection of the environment)! If you are triggered by a topic, feel free to contact the initiating organisation mentioned. You can find the list of contacts here.

01. - Children's Rights: Develop tools to better accompany street children in Africa - together with Dynamo International

02. - Children's rights: Research on the current state of violence against children in Rwanda - together with Humanity & Inclusion

03. - Climate change: Youth engagement in climate-change action: understanding the profile of youth mobilized for climate justice - together with Plan International

04. - Education: Action-based research among school leaders involved in Professional Learning Communities - together with VVOB

05. - Education: Impact research on teachers’ Knowledge, Attitude & Practice regarding foundational literacy skills - together with VVOB

06. - Education: Qualitative research to further explore blended delivery of Continuous Professional Development - together with VVOB

07. - Education: Research for policy development on social inclusion in schools - together with VIA Don Bosco, Light For The World and Plan International

08. - Education: Research on the impact of the professional development trajectory on instructional school leadership - together with VVOB

09. - Education: strengthen measurement tools and techniques to monitor and evaluate gender-transformative learning outcomes - together with Plan International

10. - Entrepreneurship: Results and impact of various financing models to SMEs - together with Trias

11. - Health: Identify social and behavioral factors that affect human and animal health and its management (controlled surveillance) - together with VSF-B

12. - Health: Research into innovative rehabilitation/revalidation techniques adapted to the rehabilitation needs of the populations of Burundi - together with APEFE

13. - Health: Research on conservation and restoration of forests Want to know more? - together with Vietnam Museum of Nature

14. - Health: Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (One Health perspective), Antibiotic resistance, emerging viral infections - together with ITM

15. - Health: Research on safe blood supply with RKV supported by Centre for Evidence-Based Practice (CEBAP) - together with RKV

16. - Human Rights: research on the situation of the exercise of civic space in Burundi - together with ASF

17. - Industry innovation: Follow up on study on the development of the extractive sector - together with ASF

18. - Natural disasters: Research on natural hazards and associated risks in Central Africa - together with Royal Museum for Central Africa

19. - Resilient Ecosystems: Research on the minimum conditions for water source protection and the effect of tree planting - together with Join for Water

20. - Rural development: Evaluate rural development initiatives and provide insight into their effectiveness - together with WWF

21. - Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems: Research on oxo-biodegradable plastic and alternatives to pack potable water - together with Durabilis

22. - Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems: Research on Stevia as an alternative sweetener in beverages - together with Durabilis

23. - Sustainable Agriculture: An analysis of the dairy value chain in Rwenzori sub-region for farmer economic empowerment and sustainability of the sector - together with VSF-B

24. - Sustainable Agriculture: Design and operationalization of a quality management system for the apiculture sector in Uganda - together with Trias

25. - Sustainable Agriculture: Research on trends and impacts of Highly Hazardous Pesticides and their use in Uganda -together with Broederlijk Delen

26. - Sustainable Agriculture: Transforming Small scale Subsistence Farmers (SSFs) into ecologically responsible growth-oriented entrepreneurs in Tanzania - together with Trias

27. - Sustainable cities: Develop value chains and micro-enterprises of non-timber forest products for the local communities in conservation and protected areas - together with WWF

28. - Sustainable cities: Involvement of diasporas in decentralized cooperation in Belgium and in Morocco - together with Echos

29. - Sustainable cities: Street social work from inclusion to decent work - together with Dynamo International

30. - Urbanisation and gender equality: What are the effects of urbanisation on gender equality? - together with VVSG

Click here to find even more ideas!