Applications are now open for the UP Higher Education 2024 Program, a 100.000 euro funding line for higher education institutions that present projects to be developed in partnership with US institutions, with a view to promoting the development and internationalization of Portuguese higher education.

Last year, FLAD selected four projects from institutions from the North to the South of the country, which were awarded 25.000 Euros each to develop projects in partnership with reference institutions in the USA, such as Duke University or Virginia Tech.

In 2024, continuing the path of support for the promotion of internationalization of Portuguese higher education institutions that it has been developing with a wide range of activities, FLAD will once again open the UP Higher Education Program, with a funding line of up to 100.000 Euros, so that Portuguese higher education institutions can develop their projects aimed at the internationalization of their own institutions, learning of best practices, and curricular cooperation, among others.

“The creation of active partnerships with American Higher Education Institutions is important for Portuguese Institutions to gain the visibility they deserve. We hope that these partnerships will also pave the way for innovation and experimentation with new teaching approaches.” – Michael Baum, FLAD administrator

The selected projects may receive up to a maximum of 30.000€ in funding for projects that include, in a combined or isolated way, for example:

  • Cooperation and/or curricular articulation (ex: development of double or joint degrees; financial support for the development of new consortia between Portugal and the USA; etc);
  • Adoption and use of technology (e.g., International Collaborative Online Learning – COIL, virtual mobility, etc.);
  • Training and development of teachers and staff (e.g. short stays for immersion training);
  • Joint research (e.g. joint projects, multilateral networks);
  • Talent acquisition (e.g. joint hires/joint appointments);

Proposals may be directed at any level of higher education, including bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, executive education, etc., alone or in combination, and in any area of knowledge.

Universities, Polytechnics, Faculties, Research Centers or Higher Schools may submit applications involving two or more universities (consortia) on both sides of the Atlantic.

*Proposals from HEIs located in the interior of the country, or islands, will receive a positive mark-up in their evaluation.

Calendar

  • Applications between May 15 and September 15, 2023;
  • Applicants will be notified by October 24, 2023.

The winning proposals will receive the support at a time to be determined.

Support will be made available during the year 2023 for initiatives starting during the academic year 2023/24.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applications must be submitted by Portuguese HEIs;
  • Applications can be submitted in English or Portuguese;
  • Each application submitted, individually or in consortium format, must have a Principal Investigator/Project Director representing the involved HEI(s) in Portugal, and the indication of a reference contact point in the involved HEI(s) in the USA;
  • The application must clearly demonstrate in the budget what the financial involvement of the parties is. It is a requirement that the contribution of the US partner HEI is equivalent to that of the Portuguese HEI.

Applications are submitted via the online form, available here: https://flad.my.salesforce-sites.com/CandidaturaMain?language=en

Selection

  • The evaluation of the proposals is the responsibility of a jury selected by FLAD;
  • Preference will be given to applications that demonstrate a path to overall sustainability of the institutional partnership in the medium/long term;
  • Applications that demonstrate match funding structures, either from the HEIs involved and/or other existing support/funding programs;
  • In case of a tie, proposals from HEIs located outside the large national coastal centers will be given a positive mark-up.

Funding

  • Up to 30,000 euros per selected project to be attributed to the Portuguese HEI (regardless of the total global value involved in the initiative);
  • The selected proposals may be supported in their entirety, or in a lower value than requested;
  • FLAD does not bear institutional overheads, so the budgeted investment figures should reflect these costs as institutional co-funding for the HEIs involved.

To know all the conditions to apply for this call, please consult the notice (NOTICE UP HIGHER EDUCATION 2024 PROGRAM).

Additional questions or clarifications, please contact: ricardo.pereira@flad.pt