Call International Training Programme Projects (ITP) 2023

• Short-term and medium-term results are to be achieved within the project duration of a maximum of 3 years, including training modules for short-term periods of a maximum of 6 months.
  
  
• Organised (i) at a Flemish HEI, (ii) in one of the 17 VLIR-UOS project partner countries, or (iii) in a hybrid format.
  
  
• Online and blended training can also be integrated into an ITP.
  
  
• The ITP format allows flexibility in approaches, including preparatory and follow-up activities on top of the actual training.
  
  
• A minimum of 8 scholarships per training edition– no maximum
  
  
• Two types of projects are targeted in this ITP 2023 Call:
  
  Academic training programmes, dealing with topics related to sustainable development challenges/ Agenda 2030/ transversal or priority themes, directed towards professionals from civil society, private or public sector.
  
  Transversal organisational capacity-building training programmes, oriented towards professionals of HEIs (digitisation in higher education, change management, scientific writing, QA, how to set up an international relations office, tech transfer, etc.)

An application for an ITP can involve both a Flemish and a local promoter, but it is the Flemish promoter who submits the application.

When submitting a project proposal, a promoter must meet both the internal criteria and regulations regarding the project promotership of their institution and the minimum conditions set by VLIR-UOS.

Specific details of the eligibility criteria and internal regulations regarding the project promotership of the respective Flemish universities have recently been under discussion. On 10 February 2023, the Bureau UOS took the following final decision regarding the calls SI 2023, ITP 2023, and PSP FYP2.

Affiliation and statute of promoters

Flemish promoter:

For the Flemish universities 

The minimum conditions set by VLIR-UOS for a lead promoter from a Flemish university to submit a proposal are the following:

• one must be able to be an account holder within one's own institution;
• one must have a ZAP status at the time of submission, with a minimum appointment level of 10%;
• o postdocs can also submit, depending on the Flemish institution’s internal criteria and on condition that a ZAP member with at least 50% appointment of the institution with whom the contract will be signed is included in the project team as co-promoter;
• ATP (2) members can also submit, depending on the nature of the project and provided they can be account holder within their own institution, without a ZAP member with minimum 50% appointment as co-promoter being part of the project team.

(1) ZAP: Zelfstandig Academisch Personeel (Independent Academic Personnel)
(2) ATP: Administratief en technisch personeel (Administrative and Technical Personnel)

For the Flemish universities of applied sciences and arts

• The applicant must be a professor/lecturer

For the Flemish universities of applied sciences and arts, most professors/lecturers might not have the permission to be budget holder. Another person, e.g. the director, can be assigned as budget holder for the project.

Only 1 project proposal per Flemish lead promoter can be submitted. Promoters of an ITP 2022 project cannot submit an ITP 2023 project.

The lead promoter will be invited to confirm, when submitting the proposal in the VLIR-UOS tool, to meet both the internal and VLIR-UOS eligibility criteria and regulations.

This framework is considered a pilot project for the 2023 calls. There will be an evaluation of the impact of these new eligibility criteria on the number of proposals and their distribution.

Partner promoter:

• The applicant must be employed at a recognised higher education institution or national public (not-for-profit) research institute located in a VLIR-UOS project partner country.

Additional criteria

• Only 1 project proposal per applicant (Flemish/partner) can be submitted.
  
  
• Promoters of an ITP 2022 project cannot submit any new ITP project.
  
  
• Promoters of an ITP 2022 project proposal that was not selected, can resubmit their proposal, however, on the condition that follow-up was given to the assessment of the commission.
  
  
• At the level of the partner institutions, no further criteria apply. Former and present IUC partner institutions are fully eligible, without any restriction.

The ITP is organised in Belgium, at one or more Flemish HE&SI(s), in one of VLIR-UOS project partner countries or in both.

Activities can be organised in collaboration with / in the following partner countries:

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 150.000 EUR for a maximum duration of 3 years. This period can include multiple training modules and should include a minimum of 8 scholarships per training edition.
  
  
• The overall budget for ITP 2023 allows for a maximum of 9 selectable projects.
   

Financial guidelines for proposal writing

• The VLIR-UOS financial guidelines for ITP projects indicate which expenses are allowed in the framework of a project, how budgets are to be determined, and how expenses have to be accounted for. In order to support the project formulation, we provided you with a basic set of guidelines needed for filling out the budget proposal. (see Call Annex 2, financial guidelines ppt presentation)

• 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 the VLIR-UOS Selection Commission for ICP Connect/ITP in May 2023.
  
  
• The selection decision will be communicated shortly after the ratification of the decision by the Bureau UOS, ultimately in May 2023.

Who?

The Flemish promoter of the proposed ITP 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 via an online submission tool.

If you already have access to this tool, you can click the “Apply now” button below. If you do not yet have access, and wish to create your project application, please contact the responsible person at the Flemish institution of your project application. They will grant you access to the tool.

Please note that we will also organise online trainings on the tool for submitting your proposal. You can register for the final training by clicking the link below:

• 9 March 2023, 10h00 Belgian time

You can find recordings of all previous trainings in the video manual library.

When?

Deadline March 29, 2023, 5pm (CET).