Finansieringskilde: Forskningsrådet, SIU, UD

SØKNADSFRIST: 1. desember 2005

Prosjektperiode: 2006-2009                                               

Budsjett:

Varighet på prosjektene: Opptil 4 år

Søknadsskjema

Guidelines

Programdokumenter

Beskrivelse:

Programme Document 2006-2009

1. Background
The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education (SIU) and The
Research Council of Norway have established, under the agreement with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Cooperation Program on Research and Higher Education with
the countries on the Western Balkans. The programme will span the time period 2006-2009.
This programme document is based on the principles for Norwgian support to countries of the
Western Balkans outlined in St. prp. 1 (2004-2005) and has been developed by SIU and the
Research Coucil of Norway. The document provides basic information to universities,
university colleges, research institutions and organisations that are planning collaboration
with the countries of the Western Balkans in research and/or higher education. The document
presents the objective, the concept and the design of the programme, as well as the
programme’s thematic priorities and geographic scope.
Norway and the cooperation countries of the Western Balkans all participate in the Bologna
process for a common European higher education area. The goals of the Bologna process will
represent an important framework for the programme.
Further information is available from the application form and the guidelines.

2. Objective
The overall objective of the agreement is through collaboration with the countries of the Western
Balkans to contribute to euroatlantic intgration and cooperation in order to foster stability and
democratic development in the respective countries and in the region as a whole.
The objective of the agreement is to initiate, develop and fund collaboration within higher
education and research between universities, university colleges and research institutions in
the Western Balkans and corresponding Norwegian institutions. Projects funded by the
programme shall contribute to improving competence and capacity at research institutions and
institutions of higher education in the Western Balkans.

3. The programme concept
The programme is designed to stimulate collaboration between institutions. In any application
the management of the participating institutions must agree to the activities that are funded
through the programme. Funding of projects will take place on the basis of an agreement
between the Norwegian partner and the Research Council of Norway or SIU. However, the
collaborating institutions have a mutual responsibility for planning, follow-up and reporting
of the projects. At least 50 per cent of each projetcts’ funding from the programme shall be
allocated to cooperating institutions in the Western Balkans.
SIU and The Research Council of Norway will establish a Programme Committee which will
have the responsibility for co-ordination of the programme and the authority to decide which
actions are to be funded within the budgetary framework of the programme.
The project applications will be reviewed according to the rules of The Research Council of
Norway and SIU and will be presented for the Programme Committee for final decision.

4. Priority areas
The geographical priority areas
The programme welcomes applications from Norwegian institutions in collaboration with
institutions from the following countries:
· Albania
· Bosnia-Herzegovina
· Croatia
· Macedonia
· Serbia-Montenegro
The programme is not open for collaboration with Romania and Bulgaria.

Prioritised thematic areas
In line witht the main objectives of the programme and based on the priorities of the countries
of the Western Balkans, two thematic areas have been prioritised:
· Governance and democracy building
· Environmental protection, management of natural resources, and marine issues
The programme welcomes applications from projects within the mentioned thematic areas, as
well as projects that are indirectly linked to them and that may contribute to development in
the mentioned areas.
The main criterion for the selection of projects will, in addition to quality, be the projects’
potential for contributing to the main objective of strengthening capacity and competence at
the institutions in the cooperating countries.

5. Organisation and actions of the programme
The programme collaboration is based on institutional co-operation. These institutions should
collaborate within the general framework and regulations on which the programme is built.
The prioritisations within the programme are built on political priorities from the Norwegian
side and needs and priorities from the collaborative countries in the Western Balkans.
International co-ordination is important for all activities in the Western Balkans. The
programme will strive to develop relationships to relevant UN-organisations, EUprogrammes,
actions in the Council of Europe and EUA (European University Association)
and to the work within the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. The programme would
profit from co-ordination of Norwegian projects. Projects should also strive to link-up with
other international activities within research and higher education in the region. It is of great
importance that international organisations and other countries present in the region are
actively used in relation to Norwegian bilateral collaboration with institutions at the Western
Balkans.

The programme’s overall objective is to establish a comprehensive and sustainable
cooperation within higher education and research. Based on the objectives and prioritisations
of the programme outlined above and on previous experience, the programme aims at the
following:
· Funding of Research Cooperation within the thematic areas that have been prioritised.
Ph.D. fellowships and financial support to young researchers can be part of the
project-collaboration.
· Funding of co-operation between higher educational institutions. Such cooperation
should be based on the golas of the Bologna-process about a common European higher
education area, and may include activities such as: curriculum development, the
development of new study programmes (primarily master or ph.d. level), introduction
of the ECTS system or other activities that accommodates the integration of higher
education in Western Balkans into the European higher education area. Scholarships
for master degree or ph.d. students can be part of the institutional collaboration.
· Funding exchange of visiting professors/scientists between cooperating institutions.
· Limited funding of infrastructure development that is needed to support the
collaborative activities.
· Establishing multi-national networks within higher education and research
· Supporting seminars, workshops and conferences with Norwegian and international
partners within the project collaboration or related to the prioritised thematic areas.
· Establishing a fellowship programme within the programme focussing on the
programmes prioritised thematic areas.
All planned activities must be considered in light of the main objectives of the programme.

6. Applications
The programme invites applications from projects of up to four years duration.
Applications for research cooperation should be sent to The Research council of Norway.
Application form can be downloaded from: http://www.forskningsradet.no
Proposals for projects involving cooperation in higher education should be sent to the
Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education. Application form and
guidelines can be downloaded from: http://www.siu.no/vev.nsf/O/EASTERN+EUROPEWestern+
Balkans-Application+Reporting

Deadline: 1 December 2005