Developing a TEMPUS applicationAlan HopkinsonTechnical Manager (Library Services)Learning ResourcesMiddlesex University

Preamble

• Learning Resources is Library, Student Computing Advisory Service, and English Language Support

• My speciality is library automation.• I have participated in 5 TEMPUS projects of which I led

the bids for 2 • I have bid for 2 unsuccessfully and participated in 2

other unsuccessful bids • 1 successful bid is curricular reform and the rest have

been “University Management and Services for Students” (within Governance Reform)

New Masters Programme for LIS (NMPLIS)

• Ref. No. 145021-TEMPUS-2008-UK-JPCR

• Now starting 2nd year of 3-year project to develop a new Library and Information Studies curriculum for Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan

• Lecturers now in the middle of attending Masters LIS course at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen for 3 months

• Librarians will visit in both directions, from the east to do internships and from west to east to run courses

What should be in place to enable an applicant to place a TEMPUS bid?• Assumption that the applicant has an idea for a project,

ideally proposed by, or together with. a partner country

• International Office with staff member knowledgeable or prepared to learn about TEMPUS regulations and inform Finance Department and University Director about requirements

• WARNINGS: if you are successful:

• you may have problems with dealing with the grant within your institution AND if you don’t follow the TEMPUS requirements you may not receive the amount you spent

Further hints

• Learn the jargon!

• Ideally make contacts with previous bidders

• Forms for TEMPUS are quite different from previous years and require much more detail but are similar to European Commission Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) so assistance could be sought from colleagues who have applied to FP7. • E.g. the projects are divided into Workpackages and one of the

partners leads on each

Ensure the idea will be acceptable

Assumption is that the staff member has appropriate contacts in a qualifying country

Ensure that project fits country or regional priorities – Annexes 7-10 of Third Call Application Guidelines

Ensure that National TEMPUS Office in partner country or each NTO in each country proposed in a region are consulted

Joint Project or Structural Measures?

— You need to decide whether your project is a Joint Project or a Structural Measure since priorities are different for each

— You may have to go for one rather than the other if the national/regional priorities demand it

Joint Project or Structural Measures?

• Joint Projects: projects with a ‘bottom-up’ approach aiming at modernisation and reform on an institutional level. Joint Projects aim at transferring knowledge between universities .. from the EU and from the partner countries and between partner country entities.

• Structural Measures: seek to contribute to the development and reform of HE systems in partner countries, as well as enhance quality and relevance and increase convergence with EU developments... interventions designed to support structural reform of HE systems and the strategic framework development at national level.

Additional condition for SM / Duration

• For Structural Measures, there is an additional condition: The Ministry/ies of (Higher) Education in the partner country/ies must be involved as partner/s in a Structural Measures project.

• The maximum duration of projects is 24 months or 36 months

Single or Multi- country project?

— Single country projects with multiple partners in one country are easier

— Why choose multi-country?• Preference may be given to multi-country

projects• One country may not have enough institutions

to make a project viable• A project may fit regional rather than national

projects

Selection of partners for consortium

• Preferably people in institutions that you have dealt with and believe to be competent and serious

• Ensure a good contact person in one of the partner country institutions. Could lead a co-oordination work package.

• If you do not have enough partners: Subscribe to TEMPUS-TALK and check requests for partners

If necessary advertise through National TEMPUS Office

If you can’t find good partners, give up or wait for a future call

How many partners do you need?

• For national projects, proposals must be submitted by groupings of institutions involving:

— at least three higher education institutions from a partner country (only one required from Kosovo and Montenegro)

— at least three higher education institutions from the EU, each from a different EU Member State.

Partners in multi-country projects

• For multi-country projects, proposals must be submitted by groupings of institutions involving:

— at least two higher education institutions, from each of the participating partner countries (minimum two partner countries) involved in the proposal (with the exception of Kosovo and Montenegro where the requirement is one higher education institution from each),

— at least three higher education institutions, each from a different EU Member State.

Writing a bid

• Ideally the bid should be written by the partner country contact person. They know exactly what they want

• Get from each partner the information about the participating departments and describe their role in the consortium

• See successful bids for ideas (but I have only ever seen one bid other than the ones I have been in!)

Bid - Workpackages

• Divide the tasks into work packages, in addition to management and coordination, dissemination and quality control• Identify Needs

• Development of infrastructure (i.e. Procurement of Equipment)

• Curriculum development

• Pilot new course

• Ensure that everything in the bid is clear (more explanation rather than less)

Further advice!

• Read carefully the section on how the projects are selected

• Read carefully and in good time http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/funding/2009/documents/28-2009/instructions_en.pdf

• Start filling in the application form in good time (this year it is different). Available from: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/funding/2009/call_eacea_28_2009_en.php

Calculation of the budget

• The EACEA have identified the budget as one of the worst completed sections of the application in the last application round, along with sustainability and dissemination, outcomes and activity tables and quality control and monitoring

• Remember The minimum grant for both Joint Projects and Structural Measures is €500,000. The maximum grant €1,500,000. For national projects in Kosovo and Montenegro the minimum grant is €300,000.

Key area: Calculation of the budget

• Put in as much detail as you can (this is old style)

1 IT and 1 UK (RGU) to AM,GE, and UZ for 2 weeks. Staff costs: 2 academic staff for 2 weeks each plus 2 weeks preparation and report writing time. (Meeting representatives in EU will be combined with management meeting). 1 LV to AM,GE and UZ for 2 weeks. Staff costs. IT: € 262 x 20 days = 5240€; LV: 84€ x 20 days = 1680€. [Co-financing staff costs for UK academic 200x20=4000€] Travel 1500€ x 3 = 4500, Stay 2 weeks 1600€ x 3 = 4800€; 9 visas=450€.

Staff costs

Travels (formerly mobilities)

Warning

• More information is required now: you have to allocate staff costs to the

appropriate institution but the new forms help

You have to be specific about the type of staff member

Compared with bidding prior to TEMPUS IV, you need to allocate the funds to each beneficiary when you put in the bid

Sustainability and dissemination, quality control and monitoring

• Sustainability: demonstrate how the work achieved will continue after the project life-time

• Dissemination: plan courses and conferences to ensure your work is known widely in the country(ies) in question and others where it would apply

• Quality control: demonstrate how you will ensure the objectives you plan are reached and effective

• Monitoring: use an external consultant or Inter-TEMPUS coaching

Comparison of successful / unsuccessful

Assumption: bids comply with the priorities and have requisite number of institutions in consortium

•Best bids from a technical viewpoint can be given lower priority or even rejected by partner country

Ensure NTOs are fully involved in ALL partner countries in multi-country projects. This requires cooperation of the partner country lead persons

•Consortium may not seem viable• Ensure the projects are supported fully by the managers in the

participating institutions particularly in the Partner Countries

bids technically can be given lower priority or even rejected by par

Good practice

• Ensure NOW you have correct version of Adobe

• Follow the instructions rigorously

• Get the mandates signed in good time (they have to be posted with documentation on closing date). They need signatures so have to be sent by mail from partners

• Prepare all the documentation for submission in good time• DON’T wait until 10.59am on 9 March 2010

Best of luck!