Call for ENLIGHT initiatives
Ghent University intends to support joint cooperation activities in education and research between Ghent University and two or more of the eight other ENLIGHT universities.
In the framework of this call, Ghent University intends to support joint initiatives for developing (new) activities within the ENLIGHT network. The aim is to stimulate Ghent University staff members and doctoral researchers to work together with colleagues across the ENLIGHT network. This call supports both initiatives aimed at collaborating in the field of research as in the field of education.
Criteria
Who can apply?
Staff members (including doctoral researchers) of Ghent University.
Disciplinary field:
The call is open to proposals from any disciplinary field.
Activities eligible for funding:
The present call is targeted at the organization, creation and exploration of (new) joint activities and opportunities between Ghent University and other ENLIGHT partners in both the fields of education and research:
A. Education
Proposals must contribute to the educational mission of ENLIGHT and hence contain one of the following dimensions:
1. Development of mobility initiatives within a stepping-stone path: from a low-threshold Internationalisation@Home experience, over short-term mobility (summer/winter schools, intensive programmes), to credit mobility (traditional semester exchanges and mobility windows), and ultimately degree mobility between the institutions in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions that foster the development of a stepping-stone path. Along this path ENLIGHT will promote the opportunity to combine and accumulate different learning experiences across different institutions and hence stimulate more students (and a more diverse audience) to benefit from an international learning experience tailored to their own personal situation and needs.
2. Development of new/innovative learning formats, course design, activated learning, blended teaching and learning activities, and/or development of innovative teaching and learning practices;
3. Specific measures for realizing inclusive mobility, green mobility, flexible learning paths, and/or structural embedding of mobility in the curricula.
Eligible for funding in the field of education are:
E.1. Outgoing mobility for individual Ghent University staff: (including doctoral researchers) who wish to participate in a meeting organized by one of the other 8 ENLIGHT partners to (further) discuss the opportunities to set up new or enlarge already existing educational collaborations among ENLIGHT partners.The mobility grant covers the travel expenses of the applicant; only expenses in line with the Ghent University sustainable travel policy will be refunded. A maximum funding of €1.000 can be applied for. Only the mobility costs (travel and subsistence) of the applicant are eligible for min. 2 and max. 5 days. Funding is based on proven expenditure. When applicable, we will refer to Erasmus+ staff mobility for teaching and training: https://www.ugent.be/en/ghentuniv/principles/internationalisation/eu-funding/teaching-mobility, https://www.ugent.be/en/ghentuniv/principles/internationalisation/eu-funding/adminmobility.
E.2. Organization of joint ENLIGHT activities (e.g. summer and winter schools, work meetings, seminars,…).
A maximum funding of €2.500 can be applied for. Eligible costs include the organizational costs (venue, catering,.. ) in Ghent. Funding is based on proven expenditures. When other funding is available for the activity, the applicant will be guided to the right funding mechanism by the selection committee.
B. Research
The present call (with the financial support of the Flemish Government Department of Economy, Science & Innovation) is targeted at:
1. The development stage of joint research activities, i.e. the initiation, design and/or development of one (or more) joint research proposals to be submitted to regional, national or international funding agencies including the Horizon Europe framework programme;
2. The creation or further enhancement of research links between UGent and the ENLIGHT partner universities;
3. Young researchers (doctoral researchers, post-docs) who wish to spend a (not result-related) period at an ENLIGHT partner to investigate the partners’ approach on their field of research and/or wish to explore non-existent possibilities of collaboration.
Eligible for funding in the field of research are:
R.1. Outgoing mobility for early career researchers (PhD researchers, post-docs and early career tenure tracks) for a period of max. 3 months (prolongable once for a maximum period of 3 months) for a research visit at one of the 8 ENLIGHT partners. The grant can also be used for short stays (e.g. attend workshops, scientific meetings and seminars, courses and trainings Doctoral Schools of an ENLIGHT partner, etc.) The grant covers the exact travel expenses (based on proven expenditure and in line to the sustainable travel policy of Ghent University, topped with a fixed allowance of € 50,- per day of the applied for and accepted time spent at the ENLIGHT partner.
R.2. Outgoing short mobility for joint ENLIGHT research collaboration efforts. This grant is intended for UGent staff and PhD and postdoctoral researchers who wish to participate in a meeting organized by one of the ENLIGHT partners to (further) discuss the opportunities to set up new, or enlarge already existing, research collaborations amongst ENLIGHT partners. This mobility grant covers the travel expenses of the applicant based on proven expenditure and in line to the sustainable travel policy of Ghent University with a maximum of €1.000. Only the mobility costs (travel and subsistence) of the applicant are eligible.
R.3. Organization of joint meetings or workshops at the premises of Ghent University which are linked to the development of joint PhD programmes, the preparation of new research project proposals for external funding and/or the deepening of existing joint research collaborations between Ghent University and at least 2 other ENLIGHT partners. A maximum funding of €2.500 can be applied for. Eligible costs include the organizational costs (venue, catering,.. ) in Ghent. Funding is based on proven expenditures.
Co-funding requirements:
A financial commitment (co-funding) of the other ENLIGHT partners is required (share in organizational costs or mobility) for proposals aiming at the organization of joint ENLIGHT activities, both in the field of education and research.
As a rule for joint ENLIGHT activities the ‘sending’ university accounts for the funding of travel and accommodation of the own outgoing staff (including PhD and postdoctoral researchers) while the host university accounts for any organizational costs of the activity applied for.
Partner requirements:
The integration of a minimum of three ENLIGHT partners (including UGent) in the proposal is required for proposals aiming at the organization of joint ENLIGHT activities. Activity cycles, previously running within the U4Society network, are advised to extend their initiative to the wider consortium and to include min. two ENLIGHT partners formerly not involved in U4Society. If upscaling of your former U4S project is not possible, for instance if the corresponding research domain or educational programme of interest is not available at other ENLIGHT-partners or some other reason, please describe this situation in your application.
Deadline
The call is open on a permanent basis until the end of the ENLIGHT project phase: November 2023 for ENLIGHT Erasmus+ (Education) and August 2024 for ENLIGHT RISE (Research). Evaluations of proposals will be done 4 times a year: 15 March, 15 June, 15 September and 15 December.
Selection
The selection of proposals will be based on following criteria:
- Accordance with the overall ENLIGHT objective of transforming learning and teaching (see factsheet):
- International learning via flexible international learning paths combining multiple short and longer virtual and physical learning experiences in different countries
- Research-oriented, challenge-based learning experiences around open-ended and real-world problems together with socio-economic actors (living labs, cooperative learning)
- Transdisciplinarity, combining multiple disciplinary approaches with social perspectives
- Versatility, uniting scientific knowledge with transversal skills such as intercultural awareness, inclusive leadership, and multilingualism
- Feasibility
- Innovative character
- Sustainability
- Role of the applicant in the project
- [Education] – for former U4Society initiatives only: upscaling to ENLIGHT partners (If upscaling is not possible, for instance if the corresponding research domain or educational programme of interest is not available at other ENLIGHT partners, please describe this situation in your application)
[Education]: The selection commission will consist of the director of education, the director of internationalisation, the head of IRO and the IRO contact person for this call.
[Research]: The selection commission will consist of the director of research, the head of Research Coordination Office and the ENLIGHT RISE project manager.
How to apply?
Applications are made on the basis of the designated form and sent as a PDF-document to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The document should be named as follows:
- [Education] – surname_MainApplicant_name_MainApplicant_ENLIGHT_EDU-application
- [Research] - surname_MainApplicant_name_MainApplicant_ENLIGHT_RISE-application\\
Awardees of an “R.1 Outgoing mobility for early career researchers” grant wishing to apply for a one-time prolongation of their grant (for a maximum of 3 months) should sent a motivated request thereto by mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. within the first week of the last (3rd) month of their initial grant period. The motivated request (max. 2 A4, calibri 11) should contain a short report on the activities of the first 2 months, and the activities/tasks foreseen to take place during the requested prolongation.
Report
Within one month after the end of the funded activity, a short report (max. 1A4), signed by the main applicant, together with the proven expenditure, must be sent electronically to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
