OAS Partnerships Program for Education and Training (PAEC)


CARIBU – ERASMUS MUNDUS ACTION 2 PROJECT

2016 International Mobility Program
Closed Announcement





International Mobility Program between African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries and Higher Education Institutions in the European Union (EU)

SUMMARY OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

PROGRAMS:

Masters, PhD, and Academic and Administrative Staff

MODALITY:

Onsite in EU and ACP countries of the ‘CARIBU consortium

DEADLINES:

Staff and PhD and Master Degree: February 8th, 2016
Master exchange: February 20th, 2016

BENEFITS:

A monthly subsistence based on the level of studies, travel tickets, insurance, and participation costs.

DURATION:

Depends on the level of studies and the number of scholarships available for each Target Group

AREAS OF STUDY:

The click here to view programs offered per field of study


IMPORTANT DATES

February 8th, 2016
February 20th, 2016
Call for applications closed
February to April 2016 Selection of Candidates
April 19, 2016 Announcement of Results



ABOUT CARIBU AND THE OAS

CARIBU is an Erasmus Mundus Action 2 Partnership Program (EMA2), between 8 European Union (EU) and 12 non-EU Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). These HEIs are called the ‘CARIBU consortium’. The Organization of American States (OAS) participates as an associated partner. The objective of the CARIBU Consortium is to increase Academic Mobility, Research and Capacity Building opportunities between Masters students, PhD students and academic and administrative staff members of universities.

The participating EU partner universities are located in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Poland, Portugal, and Romania; and the participating ACP country partner universities are located in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Gambia, Ghana, the Bahamas, Suriname, Timor-Leste, and Samoa. The University of Guyana is participating as an associated partner.

For a complete list of CARIBU partners and associate partners please visit: http://www.caribu.be/partners/

The CARIBU program offers scholarships at Master and PhD levels, as well as academic and administrative staff exchange opportunities. Students and staff from 14 ACP partner countries among which 3 located in the Caribbean (the Bahamas, Suriname, and Guyana) can apply in one of the 8 EU partner institutions:

  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium)
  • Ghent University (Belgium)
  • Aalborg University (Denmark)
  • Nantes University (France)
  • Lisbon University (Portugal)
  • Mendel University (Czech Republic)
  • Silesian University of Technology (Poland)
  • Technical University of Cluj
  • Napoca (Romania)

The program seeks to stimulate academic mobility between ACP and EU higher education institutions for experience sharing, capacity building and fostering further cooperation in areas of research and education among partner universities. It is devoted to creating a mutual forum for scientific cooperation, learning enhancement and exchange of best practices among EU-ACP universities.

 

I. ABOUT THE MOBILITY PROGRAM OPEN/CLOSE +-



1. Applicant’s profile: The program will benefit students, researchers and staff members who will bring an immediate impact in their home institutions through the exchange of best practices, mutual sharing of knowledge, teaching and management skills, as well as a very enriching linguistic, cultural and educational experience. The seven priority areas include a broad range of disciplines such as ICT, management, science, agriculture, social sciences, engineering and environment.

NOTE*: This program is open to the following OAS member states only: the Bahamas and Suriname (as partners), and Guyana (as an associated partner).

* The Bahamas, Suriname and Guyana are the sole OAS Member States participating as partners in the CARIBU-ERASMUS MUNDUS ACTION 2 (EMA2) Project.

2. Study Programs: For more information on the fields of study and the available programs offered by partner and associate partner universities please visit http://www.caribu.be/the-project/academic-offer/

3. Participating Institutions: For a complete list please visit http://www.caribu.be/partners/

4. Types of Mobility:

  • Mobility from ACP countries to EU for Masters Students; PhD students; academic and administrative staff.
  • Mobility from the European Union (EU) to ACP countries for academic and administrative staff.

The EU is offering the following mobility opportunity to the 3 following target groups:

Target Group

Target Beneficiaries

Types of individual mobility flows

TARGET
GROUP 1

Nationals of countries represented in the consortium who:
Are registered in one of the partner HEIs (that does NOT include the associate partner universities).

  • Master (ACP)
  • PhD (ACP)
  • Staff (EU and ACP)

TARGET
GROUP 2

Nationals of the ACP countries represented in the consortium who:

  • Are registered/work in a higher education institution of these countries that is NOT included in the partnership (students, alumni, and staff);
  • Have obtained a university degree or equivalent by an institution of these countries (students only).
  • This includes the possibility of providing mobility opportunities to ACP nationals working in public administration, public and private enterprises and non-profit organizations
  • Master (ACP)
  • PhD (ACP)

TARGET
GROUP 3

Nationals of ACP countries represented in the consortium who are in particularly vulnerable situations, for social and political reasons. For example:

  • Having a refugee status or asylum beneficiaries (international or according to the national legislation of one of the European recipient countries) or
  • It can be proved that they have been the object of unjustified expulsion from university on racial, ethnic, religious, political, gender or sexual inclination or
  • They belong to an indigenous population targeted by a specific national policy or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
  • Master (ACP)
  • PhD (ACP)

5. Eligibility Criteria:

Non- EU Students and Staff

  • Be a national of one of the non-EU countries represented in the consortium (the Bahamas, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Mozambique, Samoa, Suriname, Tanzania, Timor Leste, Uganda). The students with one of the following nationalities are also eligible: Gabon, Sao Tomé & Principe, Burundi, Rwanda, Angola, Namibia, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Fiji, Kenya, Cabo Verde, Guyana.
  • For students only: Not have resided nor carried out your main activity (study, work, etc) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in the EU at the time of submitting application. This does not apply to Target Group 3 applicants.
  • Not have already benefited from a scholarship under the CARIBU project or an Erasmus Mundus scholarship for the same level of mobility
  • For students only: Your entry diploma must have been obtained in an ACP country (except Cuba and Republic of South Africa – if you obtained your entry diploma in Cuba or RSA, you are not eligible). The entry diploma is the diploma that gives you access to the level of mobility you are applying to (ex: if you apply for a Master, your entry diploma is your Bachelor’s degree).

EU Staff

  • Be a national of an EU country
  • Work in or be associated with one of the European universities represented in the consortium
  • Be either a teaching staff, researcher, university administrator (rector, personnel in charge of cooperation offices, admissions and recognition departments, etc.)
  • Not have already benefited from a scholarship under the CARIBU project

NB: The mobility of staff must follow a mobility plan validated by both the home and host institution (at the time of application, only the validation by the home institution is needed). For academic staff, it will mainly consist in teaching and research activities during their stay in the host institution as well as the production of new teaching material. For administrative staff this will involve mostly seminars on the organization of university, international offices and admission departments. The mobility of staff as a whole should contribute to the strengthening of scientific and administrative cooperation and capacity building opportunities between the members of the consortium.

8. Application Process: For more information on the application process please click here

9. CARIBU Program Assistant Information: Applicants can contact the CARIBU Secretariat at [email protected] or +32 2 614 81 01 for more information on the CARIBU mobility program.


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II. MOBILITY AND SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS OPEN/CLOSE +-



1. Benefits:

1.1 Monthly subsistence: An allowance depending on the level of studies:

Master students:

1,000 € per month

PhD Students:

1,500 € per month

Staff:

2,500 € per month

1.2 Travel tickets: 1 return economy class ticket per participant (tickets are purchased by the coordinating university through an accredited travel agency. Please note that self-purchased tickets will not be reimbursed)

1.3 Insurance: all participants receive health and repatriation insurance: https://www.marshconnect.eu/emis2MC.htm

1.4 Participation costs: Mobilities with a minimum duration of 10-months, are transferred directly from the project budget to the hosting universities. The participation costs may cover tuition fees, additional library, laboratory consumables, etc. on an equal basis to that charged to local and international students.

2. Scholarship Application Process:

STEP 1: Before you apply:

NB: The number of applications to Belgian universities (VUB and Ghent) is very high, and the success rate is therefore quite low. We recommend that you apply to the other European partner universities in order to increase your chances to be selected.

NB: the number of exchange scholarships available is still high! Do you want to increase your international experience, discover a new educational system and complement your current degree with credits obtained in a top European university: apply as an exchange student!

  • For PhD and staff: contact the faculty or the international relations office at your host university and get a confirmation from the potential supervisor at the host university (for example a pre-acceptance letter or an email stating conditional acceptance to the host university

NB: the pre-acceptance letter is NOT an official acceptance letter to the university and does NOT mean you will be accepted or will get the scholarship.

  • Bear in mind that the CARIBU online application is only for the admission to the program. If you are accepted in the CARIBU program, you will need to then follow the standard application procedures in the desired host university. It is your responsibility to undertake all admission steps in the host university in due time. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of your admission at the host university and therefore a cancellation of the CARIBU scholarship.

STEP 2: Gather all your documents:

During the application process, you will have to upload supporting documents. Make sure you have them all with you before you start the online application.

NB: All documents should be in .PDF format. Keep the originals, they will be asked later during the administrative procedure.

For all applicants

  • A clear copy of your passport (if you do not have a passport yet, a clear copy of your national ID)
  • A motivation letter
  • A Curriculum Vitae (including information on your education background, professional experience (when applicable), publications (when applicable) and extra-curricular commitments)
  • 2 recommendation letters
  • All your previous diplomas (for students you are currently enrolled in their last year, a schooling certificate indicating the expected date of graduation provided by the Secretariat or the office of International Relations in your home university. The last transcript of record (that proves the acquiring of the degree) will be asked later)
  • English language certificate (preferably IELTS or TOEFL) - – Please contact your desired host university in order to find out which certificates and what level is required
  • Language certificate in the language of instruction in your host university (French, Portuguese, Dutch)

Some additional documents are required depending on the type of mobility you are applying to:

For Master students

For PhD students

  • Transcript of records translated in English or in the language of instruction of the program to which you are applying.
  • A research proposal
  • 1 pre-acceptance document (letter, email): contact the faculty or the international relations department in the host university in order to get it.

NB: this document is NOT an official acceptance letter to the university nor to the scholarship program.

For staff

  • 1 pre-acceptance document (letter, email): contact the faculty or the international relations department in the host university in order to get it. NB: this document is NOT an official acceptance letter to the university nor to the scholarship program.
  • 1 activity plan validated by your home institution:
    Word Version
    PDF version

STEP 3: Fill in the online application form:

Please refer to the Online Application Guidelines in order to properly use the online application form.

The call for applications for the 2016-2017 academic year is now opened until the 08th of February 2016.

Please click on the link to access the application form: CARIBU online application form

For more information: http://www.caribu.be/

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