BG09 SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Why is the programme needed? 
Providing opportunities for student scholarships and stimulating the international mobility of students, academics and researchers are key measures in both national and European strategies for internationalisation of higher education and providing access to quality education and professional development. Short-term mobility of students in Bulgaria is below the EU average. The programme fills a funding gap for mobility between Bulgaria and the three donor states: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Institutional cooperation in the education sector between these countries is less developed and will be stimulated through the programme. 

What will the programme achieve? 
The main objective of the programme is to increase higher education student and staff mobility between Bulgaria and the donor states, improve cooperation on study programme and study module development, and strengthen the competence of Bulgarian higher education sector academic, research and administrative staff. Joint projects will contribute to enhancing the quality and relevance of the educational offer of Bulgarian higher education institutions. 

How will it be achieved? 
The programme will support projects under three different Scholarship measures: 
• Preparatory visits in order to establish or further develop the cooperation between institutions, and in particular to prepare applications for one of the other measures within the programme. 
• Mobility projects in higher education aimed at students, teachers, administrative staff and researchers in Bulgaria and the donor states. 
• Inter-institutional cooperation projects between higher education institutions in Bulgaria and the donor states aimed at developing intensive programmes/short courses, summer schools, common curricula such as joint programmes and common study modules, and development of new teaching tools and methods with focus on information and communication technology (ICT)-based learning and cooperation with enterprises. Cooperation between higher education institutions and research institutions aimed at joint research activities is also envisaged. 

How will bilateral relations be strengthened? 
The programme will foster cooperation between the donor states and Bulgarian higher education institutions both at programme and project level, and it will contribute to strengthening bilateral relations between Bulgaria and the donor states in the education sector. The Programme Operator will cooperate with a programme partner from each of the three donor states: RANNIS, AIBA, and SIU, respectively. 

What are the partnership opportunities? 
All projects will be carried out in cooperation with a partner from one or more donor states. All measures will be announced through open calls for proposals: 
• Preparatory visits: two calls in 2013. Grant: up to €4 000 per visit. 
• Mobility projects in higher education: two calls per year starting in the first quarter of 2013. Grant: travel cost and monthly stipend for students, post-graduate and doctoral candidates, travel and weekly allowance for staff. 
• Inter-institutional co-operation projects: one open call in the first quarter of 2013 and 2014. Grant: from €50 000 to €250 000.

Who can apply for funding under this programme? 
Bulgarian institutions with partners in the Donor States may apply. Institutions apply for project funding. Individual applicants apply to their home institutions. 
• Preparatory visits: Bulgarian higher education institutions and their potential partners in the donor states. 
• Mobility projects in higher education: students, teachers, administrative staff and researchers in Bulgaria and the donor states. 
• Inter-institutional cooperation projects between higher education and research institutions: Bulgarian higher education and research institutions.