ITP are projects that focus on short- to medium-term, intensive, interactive, and practice-oriented training courses, distinguished by topic. These topics can be about sustainable development, transversal skills for higher education (HE) management, transversal or priority themes (e.g., gender, sustainable development, human rights, digital 4 development, decent work, etc).

Through International Training Programme projects, HE Institutions (HEIs) aim to systematically integrate global perspectives. In doing so, they create a supportive, inclusive and networked learning environment in which individual scholars, professionals, and academics acquire transversal skills and state-of-the-art knowledge on sustainable development. This enables them to become experts and critical global citizens, motivated to act as change agents in their network.

Information sessions about the online platform are organized by VLIR-UOS. The next session will take place on 4 december 2023, 15h CET. Registration is possible via the website.

How does it work?

Short-term and medium-term results to be achieved within the project duration of 3 years, including training modules for short-term periods of a minimum of 7 consecutive days and 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.
Two types of projects are targeted in this ITP 2024 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.)

A minimum of 8 scholarships per training edition– no maximum

Who can apply?

Affiliation and statute of the promoters:

Flemish promoter: professor/specialist employed at a Flemish university or a professor/lecturer at a Flemish university of applied sciences and arts. Details on the eligibility requirements can be found in the call document.

Optional: in case there is a partner promoter: 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 or ITP 2023 project cannot submit any new ITP project.
Promoters of an ITP 2023 project proposal that was not selected, can resubmit their proposal.
At the level of the partner institutions, no further criteria apply. Former and present IUC partner institutions are fully eligible, without any restriction.

Which partner countries are eligible?

In case the ITP project includes a partnership with a partner institution, it should concern a higher education or science institution located in one of our 17 project partner countries.
An ITP training can be organised in Belgium and/or in one of the 17 project partner countries, with the option of it being held online or blended:

Budgetary framework

The project budget amounts to a maximum of 150,000 EUR for a 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 2024 allows for a maximum of 7 selectable projects.

How does the assessment procedure work?

All project proposals will be assessed and selected by the VLIR-UOS Selection Commission for ICP Connect/ITP, based on four standard selection criteria: Relevance and coherence of the project; Quality of the project design; Implementation set-up of the project; Potential impact and sustainability.

The selection decision will be communicated ultimately by the end of May 2024.

How to submit a proposal?

Who? An application involves a Flemish and a partner promoter in one of the project partner countries, or can be limited to a Flemish promotor (with no partner promotor). In both cases, it is the (main) Flemish promoter who submits to the ICOS (Institutional Coordinators for Development Cooperation) of the Flemish university (association) for quality control. The ICOS will validate and submit your project to VLIR-UOS.

Each Flemish institution has its own internal deadlines. Please reach out to the respective ICOS.

How? Project applications are submitted via the VLIR-UOS online submission tool.

Information sessions about the online platform are organized by VLIR-UOS. The next session will take place on 4 december 2023, 15h CET. Registration is possible via the website.