Deadline: 28-Aug-23
Applications are now open for the Connect4Innovation: UK-Turkey Higher Education Institutional Partnerships Fund that supports and enables institutional partnerships between universities from the UK and Türkiye for running a joint project that will support greater internationalisation of HE institutions and transnational education (TNE).
The British Council wants to create new links, and innovative and sustainable partnerships through joint activities and projects to strengthen transnational education collaborations between universities from the UK and Türkiye.
The council is aiming to support projects which offer a clearly articulated benefit for developing institutional/transnational education partnerships which can focus on one or more primary themes, including designing and delivering joint qualifications, enhancing student outcomes and employability skills, strengthening institutional capacity in the areas of governance, leadership, quality assurance and management, and creating new career pathways and career development programmes for staff, students and graduates.
Primary Themes
- They welcome project applications with the following primary themes:
- Designing and delivering UK-Türkiye joint teaching and collaboration model and a course or module that contributes towards joint UK and Turkish bachelor’s, master’s, or professional association qualification.
- Enhancing student outcomes through significantly enhancing employability skills and prospects, e.g., an apprenticeship degree, aligning skill sets of students and graduates with industry needs.
- Improving the capacity of the institution/organisation for international working at the institutional level e.g., joint programmes for strengthening governance, leadership, quality assurance and management in institutions.
- Creating new and innovative career pathways and career development programmes for academics, professional staff, students and graduates, developing the capacity of internationalisation, student affairs and career counselling professionals.
- Climate change, green universities and green careers with a clear impact on graduates’ employability skills, in line with the United Nations’ priority themes.
- Earthquake Support Projects:
- The British Council in Türkiye is prepared to provide funding for project proposals that will be submitted by universities located in the earthquake zone, with a specific emphasis on the regions directly impacted by the earthquakes. Universities from the affected areas have the option to select one of the main themes mentioned earlier or choose from the additional special themes related to earthquake relief:
- Establishing collaborative training initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s involvement in regional economic development and recovery efforts following earthquakes, while also promoting their economic and social empowerment.
- Developing and delivering joint certificate programs focusing on professional skills for individuals impacted by the earthquakes. These programs should aim to provide valuable training and enhance the capabilities of those affected.
- The British Council in Türkiye is prepared to provide funding for project proposals that will be submitted by universities located in the earthquake zone, with a specific emphasis on the regions directly impacted by the earthquakes. Universities from the affected areas have the option to select one of the main themes mentioned earlier or choose from the additional special themes related to earthquake relief:
Funding Information
- Funding of up to £25,000 per project will be available, which will cover the costs of year one of the project.
Expected Outputs
- Expected outputs Possible outputs could be:
- A teaching and collaboration model and a course or module that contributes towards UK and Turkish bachelor’s, master’s, certification or professional association qualification.
- Staff or student mobility programmes within bachelor’s, master’s, or professional association qualification programmes.
- A model and a course that contributes to student outcomes through significantly enhancing employability skills and prospects, e.g., an apprenticeship degree
- A development programme to improve the capacity of the institution/organisation for international working at the institutional level e.g., joint digital training programmes and new models of experience sharing and capacity building activities for internationalisation, student affairs and career counselling professionals.
- Pilot initiatives offering innovative solutions to strengthen governance, leadership and management in higher education institutions and other relevant stakeholders towards internationalisation and establishing transnational education opportunities.
- Design and delivery of course/training modules, in collaboration with community and industry leaders, focussing on the development of entrepreneurial, report writing, communication, teamworking, problem-solving, commercial awareness, leadership and organisation skills of students and graduates.
- New business incubation services including business/enterprise hubs for students, continuous professional development centres and internationalisation departments.
- Scoping of innovative implementations and initiatives which provide green career pathways for academics, professional staff, students and graduates.
Eligibility Criteria
- Joint UK-Türkiye higher education institution applications, in which Turkish Lead Higher Education Institution acts as the lead institution, will be accepted.
- One higher education institution from Türkiye (Türkiye Lead Higher Education Institution).
- One higher education institution from the UK (UK Project Partner Higher Education Institution).
- One supportive partner institution from Türkiye, such as:
- Municipalities
- Research and development centres (for-profit organisations can only receive travel reimbursement from the fund)
- Development agencies
- NGOs
- Education think-tanks
- Chambers of commerce
- Organised Industrial Zones
For more information, visit British Council.