NOK 70 million for international partnerships
The Research Council of Norway and the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU) are collaborating on the new programme on International Partnerships for Excellent Education and Research (INTPART). The programme's first call for proposals has an application deadline of 27 May.
Funding is intended to expand international partnerships between institutions and thus provide an avenue for international exchange and experience to researchers and students in any phase of their careers.
Eight priority countries
The programme seeks to generate a greater number of world-class Norwegian research groups in higher education, research and innovation. The programme will promote long-term scientific cooperation for researchers and students in eight priority non-European countries: Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa and the US.
"We invite Norwegian research groups to apply for funding for three-year partnerships with relevant groups in these eight countries," says Alf Rasmussen, Director of SIU. "The maximum funding amount is set at NOK 1.5 million per year, and there are no restrictions as to thematic or scientific area. As we see it, the programme will provide a strong, generous incentive for further developing scientific quality in Norway."
From seminar funding to joint study programmes and degrees
Arvid Hallén, Director General of the Research Council of Norway, believes the INTPART programme "can become a very useful instrument for establishing and strengthening contacts between Norwegian and international research groups."
"If we are to cultivate more world-leading research groups here in Norway," continues Mr Hallén, "Norwegian researchers must seek experience abroad, and we need more international researchers to come here. Funding from the INTPART programme may be used to cover seminar expenses, summer courses and exchange stays, as well as the development of long-term research collaborations and joint study programmes and degrees designed to create sustainable ties between top-notch institutions here and abroad."
"We are consolidating a number of funding types into one pot, to stimulate international partnerships. In this way we hope to see a comprehensible portfolio of sustainable and creative institutional partnerships, which may build on more than one research topic, says Hallén
Following government initiative
The INTPART programme is a direct follow-up of the Norwegian Government's initiative to expand the number of world class research groups and centres in Norway. Funding for the programme has been allocated by the Ministry of Education and Research, with a clear objective to strengthen the links between research and higher education in international cooperation.
Call targets elite centres
The first call for proposals under the INTPART programme targets institutions and research groups that either host or are partner in various centre-based schemes, such as the Norwegian Centres of Excellence (SFF), Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME), Centres of Excellence in Higher Education (SFU), Centres for Research-based Innovation (SFI), and industrial clusters participating in Norwegian Centres of Expertise (NCE) and Global Centres of Expertise (GCE).
For more details about target groups and applicant requirements, please see the call for proposals.
The programme will issue annual funding announcements. Subsequent calls may be directed at other target groups, with different project frameworks. Special priorities relating to country and/or thematic area may be set in addition to the general requirements for cooperation on higher education and research. Experience from this first call will be taken into account in the further development of INTPART.
This year's application deadline is 27 May.
Written by: Runo Isaksen and Geir Aas. Translation: Darren McKellep and Carol B. Eckmann.
