40.000,00 euros are available for the entire Africa-UniNet Call for Seasonal Schools 2024. The Call is open until the funds are exhausted, but at the longest until 30 April 2024.

The Seasonal School (Spring School / Summer School / Autumn School / Winter School) brings together PhD students, early-career scientists, researchers and teachers to work together on a defined research area and discuss it from different approaches and an interdisciplinary perspective. It is open to university students enrolled in PhD programmes as well as PhD graduates, researchers and professors. The core of the Seasonal School is to give young scientists a stage, to offer them a place for exchange and networking and to support them in their scientific careers. Questions on central global challenges and ways to solution-oriented research results and applications are discussed. The school aims to make a contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and tie in with existing Africa-UniNet project work. The Seasonal School is either designed as a separate event or complements an existing larger event format in terms of its content and participants.

To strengthen networking within and between countries in Africa, the Seasonal School is held at an African Africa-UniNet member institution. International cooperation and knowledge exchange is promoted through collaboration between at least one African host institution and one Austrian institution, the participation of other member institutions is welcome. All participating institutions must be active Africa-UniNet member institutions. The respective participating member institutions are only allowed to participate in one application for his Call. The overall coordinator and host of the Seasonal School must hold at least a PhD.

The duration of the Seasonal School is not limited, but it must take place in 2024 at an African Africa-UniNet member institution.

There are no fixed specifications regarding the number of participants. However, participants have to come from active Africa-UniNet member institutions both in Africa and in Austria. Africa-UniNet can only finance the travel costs of PhD students and post docs. In the latter case, preference should be given to researchers who have completed their PhD within the last four years. While master students are welcome to participate, their travel costs have to be covered by other financial means.

40.000,00 euros are available for the entire Africa-UniNet Call for Seasonal Schools 2024. Depending on the respective concept of the Seasonal School as a stand-alone event or as co-financing within the framework of an existing initiative, any total amount up to a maximum of 40.000,00 euros can be applied for.

The Africa-UniNet regulations for eligible expenses apply. The following expenses can be covered by Africa-UniNet:

• Mobility and subsistence costs for PhD students or post docs from active Africa-UniNet member institutions to the host institution and back.
  • Max 1,500 euros per person for travel costs to and from the host institution. This amount is limited to costs for flight, travel to and from the airport, travel insurance and visa costs.
  • Subsistence and accommodation costs of no more than 100 euros per day, but no more than 1,250 euros/month for PhD students and no more than 1,400 euros/month for post docs.
• Equipment and material costs for up to 3,000 euros in total.

A template for the Concept Note can be found on this website. While the design of the Concept Note can be customized, it absolutely has to contain the following sections:

1. Cover Sheet
2. Table of Contents
3. Contact Information
4. Design and Relevance
5. Facilities and Organisation
6. Budget
7. Confirmation of Appendices
8. Data Protection Declaration and Confirmation

Ad (1) Cover Sheet

Please start with your own cover sheet. It needs to provide an overview of the planned event (date, location, topic, involved institutions, summary) and can be designed individually.

Ad (2) Table of Contents

Please insert a table of contents after the cover page.

Ad (3) Contact Information

• Contact details of the African Africa-UniNet host institution.
• Contact details of the responsible coordinator at the host institution including a description of the academic qualifications and expertise.
• Contact details of the Austrian Africa-UniNet partner institution(s).
• Contact details of the responsible Austrian contact person including a description of the academic qualifications and expertise.
• Team members of the participating institutions.

Ad (4) Design and Relevance

• Topic of the event, relevance of the topic, contribution to the SDGs.
• Time and location of the event.
• Target group, estimated number of participants and how they will be reached and selected.
• Context to existing or past Africa-UniNet projects, interdisciplinary approach.
• If the event is embedded in a larger event format: elaboration of context, contribution of Africa-UniNet in terms of its content and participants.
• Integration of a gender and diversity perspective.
• Expected results, dissemination and potential publications.
• Risks management.
• Preliminary programme including intended teachers and speakers.
• References (if applicable).

Ad (5) Facilities and Organisation

• Description of the venue and the facilities.
• Next airport, travel from the airport to the location, visa requirements.
• Time frame for the organization of the event.
• Description of the organizational team, modes of collaboration, tasks and responsibilities.
• Information on management support by the host institution.

Ad (6) Budget

• Overall estimated costs, costs to be financed by Africa-UniNet and costs to be covered by the participating institutions, co-funding and external sponsors if applicable.
• You have to include the estimated costs to be financed by Africa-UniNet in the list provided in the template for the Concept Note.

Ad (7) Confirmation of Appendices

• Confirmation that you have included the following documents in the application:
  • Appendix 1: CVs of the overall coordinator and contact persons (max. 4 pages each).
  • Appendix 2: Letter of support by the host institution, signed by an authorised signatory of the respective institution.

Ad (8) Data Protection Declaration and Confirmation

• This section has to be signed by the overall coordinator.

The Concept Note must not exceed 10,000 words. Please submit the Concept Note as word document and – signed by the overall coordinator – as pdf. In addition to the Concept Note, you have to submit two appendices: Appendix 1 comprises the CVs of the overall coordinator and contact persons (max. 4 pages each) and Appendix 2 contains as a letter of support by the host institution, signed by an authorised signatory of the respective institution. All documents must be in English. The application documents are to be submitted by the Africa-UniNet Representative of the coordinating host institution to africa-uninet@oead.at.

A complete application consists of 4 documents:

1. Concept Note including the budget (word doc).
2. Concept Note including the budget (pdf).
   • Including signature of the overall coordinator.
3. Appendix 1 (pdf).
   • CVs of the overall coordinator and contact persons (max. 4 pages each).
4. Appendix 2 (pdf).
   • Letter of support by the host institution, signed by an authorised signatory of the respective institution.

• Only active Africa-UniNet member institutions are eligible to participate. All involved institutions have to be active member institutions of Africa-UniNet. Refer to the Africa-UniNet website > Member institutions.
• The collaboration must include at least one African Africa-UniNet member institution (= coordinating and host institution) and one Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution.
• The respective participating member institutions are only allowed to participate in one application for this Call.
• The overall coordinator and host of the Seasonal School must hold at least a PhD. Contact persons need to be at least PhD students (MA students are not eligible). Minimum qualification for all team members and participants that are envisaged to receive funding: PhD student. Master students can participate, but their costs have to be covered by other financial means.
• The Seasonal School must take place in 2024 at an African Africa-UniNet member institution.
• Compliance with financial regulations. Africa-UniNet can only finance the travel costs of PhD students and post docs. While master students are welcome to participate, their travel costs have to be covered by other financial means. Equipment and material costs for the event must not exceed 3,000 euros in total. The entire budget to be covered by Africa-UniNet must not exceed 40,000 euros.
• All documents have to be in English. The Concept Note must not exceed 10,000 words.
• Submission only via the Africa-UniNet representative of the coordinating host institution.
• Completed and signed application documents – 1. Concept Note (word), 2. Concept Note (pdf), 3. Appendix 1 (pdf), 4. Appendix 4 (pdf) – are to be sent via email by the respective Africa-UniNet Representative of the coordinating host institution
  to africa-uninet@oead.at.

40.000,00 euros are available for the entire Africa-UniNet Call for Seasonal Schools 2024. The Call is open until the funds are exhausted, but at the longest until 30 April 2024.

Applications will be considered and evaluated by the Board in the order in which they are received. On proposal of the Board, the funding decision will be taken by the Africa-UniNet General Assembly. Please note that the selection process from application to decision will take about 8 weeks. Successful applicants will subsequently be notified.

The approved Seasonal School will be made public on the website and the remaining funds from the Call will be announced. The Seasonal Schools have to be completed before 31 December 2024.

The funding agreement is set up when the funding approval is announced. Africa-UniNet funds can only be used once the funding agreement has been signed. The funding agreement is concluded with the coordinating host institution. The first instalment is 80% of the total funding amount.

A final report must be submitted no later than 3 months after the Seasonal School has been held. This includes a narrative report, a news report for the website as well as a financial report. All expenses must be documented in the financial report and the respective invoices/receipts and documents submitted. See also the rules and templates for reporting on the Africa-UniNet website.

After approval of the final report, the remaining instalment of a maximum of 20% can be paid out. In total, only the costs actually spent and approved can be reimbursed. If the funds of the first instalment are not used up, the remaining amount must be transferred back to the OeAD.