UNIC VIP Fund

UNIC Fund for Virtual and International Educational Projects

This fund aims to incentivize faculty members of UNIC universities to include virtual collaborative international educational activities (Virtual/Blended Exchange) into the regular curriculum (e.g. within existing or new courses). The fund provides support to design, coordinate and implement those activities.

Purpose of this call

UNIC wants to support virtual international educational activities within the UNIC consortium. We consider a virtual international collaboration as an innovative mobility format and as an addition to traditional student exchange formats. Virtual international educational activities are part of Internationalization at home strategies and can at best serve to internationalize the curriculum.

The fund aims to support virtual international educational activities across UNIC university partners. Initiatives may bring individuals together for a first-time collaboration and new activity, or they may consolidate, deepen or transfer an existing engagement; both categories are eligible.

All activities should be inclusive for all learners of the respective courses, e.g. provide accessible documents for visually impaired students, if necessary, or use tools that are accessible for all students and do not require special individual resources, respect care obligations by not having the course after childcare times, etc.

Formal conditions

Format: Virtual international educational activities (Examples: Virtual exchanges; Blended exchanges with a predominant share of virtual teaching, Virtual collaboration on challenge-based learning…) (see application form: question 1.d, 2.1.c).
At least two UNIC university teachers from two different universities design the learning activity collaboratively (see application form: question 1.e).
Students of all participating partner teachers are involved in collaborative virtual international learning activities (see application form: questions 2.1.a, 2.1.b, 2.1.c).
ECTS recognition for the activities through each participating university (see application form: question 2.2.a).
Intended integration of the activities in the formal curricula of the participating universities (see application form: question 2.2.a).
Dissemination/visibility activities are included in the general activity plan (see application form: point 3).

Who can apply?

The call is open to all staff members of all ten UNIC universities (part- and full-time professors, educators, lecturers etc.) involved in teaching.

All faculties of UNIC universities and all topics and disciplines are welcome.

Please note that “UNIC Thematic Line” (TL) activities financed by UNIC budget cannot be financed through this fund but academics active in UNIC Thematic Lines with further activities are invited to apply.

Each university can only support costs related to their own institution and/or own staff members, independently of their role in the activity. Costs for staff members of other partner universities cannot be supported, unless collaborators in the partner universities seek funding within their own institutions.

Additional Information for applicants:

Persons from different universities designing an activity together can apply individually for funds at their local universities.

Applicants from the same university working together in an initiative with international partners can only submit one application form together at their local university. (Maximum two involved applicants per university and per application).

The same cost cannot be covered by two partners.

One applicant can participate in two initiatives/applications per call round with different partner constellations.

The selection of applications is criteria-based.

Even if the technical assessment criteria are met, funding of all partners in the proposed activity is not guaranteed. Only one partner might receive the funding if there is no more budget available at another university.

Criteria of selection

Criterion Extent of international collaboration between the teachers during the activity:
- Weight 1: One-off
- Weight 2: Several times
- Weight 3: Continuous
- Related Questions: 1.d, 1.e
Extent of virtual international collaboration between the students:
- Weight 1: Superficial, one-off
- Weight 2: Several times, no fixed groups
- Weight 3: Regular collaboration with common goal
- Related Questions: 2.1.a, 2.1.b, 2.1.c
All students’ active learning is promoted:
- Weight 1: To a small degree
- Weight 2: To a medium degree
- Weight 3: To a high degree
- Related Questions: 2.1.a, 2.1.b, 2.1.c, 2.1.d, 2.1.e
The learning experience is well aligned with learning objectives:
- Weight 1: To a small degree
- Weight 2: To a medium degree
- Weight 3: To a high degree
- Related Questions: 2.1.a, 2.1.b, 2.1.c

Organisational information

Timeline

Call opens: 1st of April 2025

Deadline for Submission: 30th of September 2025 (23:59 local time)

Decision and notification: 15th of November 2025

The earliest official starting date of the activities: 16th November 2025

The activities should be complete by 31.07.2027 (all budget must be spent by 31.07.27)

Please note that depending on the amount and quality of the applications during the second call, it will be decided later if a third round will be launched.

What is supported?

The funding should support the design and implementation of your collaborative teaching activity in a way which support your work.

Salaries of students, who assist the activity: teaching assistants, tutors, student assistants (we especially encourage this option to improve students’ participation in UNIC)
Salaries of regular staff: research assistants, teaching assistants
Materials, software e.g. licenses required for the activity
Honorariums
Travel costs

Please note that the exact funding/compensation mechanism might vary at your partners’ university depending on local administrative frames.

Funding amounts

Based on institutional differences and different salary rates within the consortium, the grant amounts vary. The maximum funding amount at RUB is 3000 Euro.

Reporting and Dissemination

Successful applicants are required to complete a short report including evaluation questions, for submission no later than two months after the end of the project.

The following aspects should be considered in the report:

Number of students and teachers from each participating university
Reflection on the activity: strengths and difficulties of the pedagogical design, co-operation between universities and teaching partners, results of the students’ evaluation.
Recommendations for future activities.
Impact on applicant’s teaching practices.
Comment on the potential for scalability and transferability of the activity to other disciplines/areas of the faculty/university.
Teachers’ evaluation of the programme

Additionally, you choose at least one option of dissemination of your experiences and learnings from the activity. (See the application document)

Guidance and How to Apply

Based on local administrative frames, there are differences between the UNIC universities concerning the required information in the application form. Please contact first the UNIC team of your local institution for local guidance in financial questions. The final application documents should be submitted as a single PDF file at your local university.

Contact and submission

RUB: unicteam@rub.de (Astrid Tan and Jonna Tikkanen)

Would you like to know more?

What is Virtual Exchange?

Virtual Exchange is a form of virtual mobility characterized by particularly intensive interaction between teachers and students involving at least classrooms in two countries. Virtual Exchange is characterised by the following features:

Collaborative learning in small internationally mixed teams
Communication is realized (only) via online-tools
The collaboration of the involved teachers is crucial
The learning activities are designed by the involved teachers, for the small internationally mixed teams
Professional learning objectives and intercultural learning objectives are followed
The learning activity is embedded in the regular curriculum (as part of a regular course)

More information on Virtual Exchange:

UNIC Handbook on Physical and Virtual Mobility

Stevens Initiative (2023): Virtual Exchange Impact and Learning Report.

Tan, A. E., Schiffmann, L., & Salden, P. (2023): Handbook on Physical and Virtual Mobility. Teaching and Learning in Intercultural Settings. 2nd revised edition. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. DOI: 10.25656/01:26918

O’Dowd, Robert (2018): From telecollaboration to virtual exchange: state-of-the-art and the role of UNICollaboration in moving forward. In: JVE, 1, S. 1–23. DOI: 10.14705/rpnet.2018.jve.1

Rubin, Jon; Guth, Sarah (Eds.): The Guide to COIL Virtual Exchange. Implementing, Growing, and Sustaining Collaborative Online International Learning. New York, London: Routledge.

What is Blended Exchange?

Blended exchange formats combine online and on-site learning and teaching phases. One part of the course takes place online, based on methodological principles of Virtual Exchanges (see above), one part takes place as a group activity on-site at one of the partner universities.

Within the Erasmus (KA 131) programme, the EU offers funding for costs related to the organization of blended exchanges and grants supporting the mobility of the participating students. These Erasmus Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP) must involve at least three universities. Please ask the Erasmus coordinator at your university if BIP funds are available.

What is Challenge-based-learning (CBL)?

In Challenge Based Learning (CBL), students should test their theoretical knowledge by working on actual problems that need to be solved in dialogue with non-university partners. The problems to be worked on are called "challenges". CBL is characterized by the following features:

Work in (preferably heterogeneous, interdisciplinary) groups
Working on actual problems ("real-life problems")
Collaboration with non-university partners
Teachers act as learning guides (coaches)
The focus is on the learning process (not the product for the client).
Students’ active learning is promoted.

To link your CBL activity with local challenges of your City, please check the City Future Roadmaps of the UNIC Center for City Futures, which showcase local challenges identified by your local authorities especially for the context of UNIC

More information on CBL:

Christersson, Cecilia u.a. (o.J.): Challenge-Based Learning in Higher Education: A Malmö University Position Paper. In: International Journal of Innovative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, vol. 3 (1). DOI 10.4018/IJITLHE.306650.

Leijon, Marie u.a. (2021): Challenge based learning in higher education: A systematic literature review. In: Innovations in Education and Teaching International. Online unter: https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2021.1892503.

Nichols, Mark H.; Cator, Karen (2008): Challenge Based Learning White Paper. Cupertino/Calinfornia: Apple, Inc.

Simon, Siska; Ellinger, Dorothea (o.J.): Challenge-Based Learning. (Homepage im ECIU-Kontext) Online unter: https://www2.tuhh.de/zll/challenged-based-learning/.