The Higher education programme supports the exchange of experience, joint creation and acquiring innovative ideas between higher education institutions in Nordic and Baltic regions. The programme also intends to develop cooperation with employers, joint study programmes of different universities, as well as individual mobility projects for students and teachers.
Programme:
- promotes cooperation between higher education institutions in programmes member states, establishing networks for exchanging and disseminating experiences, best practices and innovative results;
- invests in the promotion of cooperation between higher education institutions and other institutions or organisations in the field of higher education;
- invests in cooperation between higher education institutions and employers, strengthening and linking higher education and work life.
Programme's target audience
Higher education institutions:
- students;
- academic staff;
- administrative staff.
Activities of the programme
Programme support can be received in three different activities: mobilities, projects and networks:
1. Mobilities
- Long-term student mobilities: through mediation with the university students (of bachelor's and master's degrees) of higher education institutions can receive scholarships for 3 up to 12 month-long full-time studies or internship in different Nordic regions or the Baltic States;
- Short-term student mobilities: through mediation with the university students (of bachelor's and master's degrees) of higher education institutions can receive scholarships for 1 or 2 month-long full-time studies or internships in different Nordic regions or the Baltic States;
- Intensive mobility: students (of bachelor's and master's degrees) of higher education institutions can receive support for short period studies (at least 1 week - 5 working days);
- Teacher mobilities: through mediation with the university teachers can receive scholarships for exchange trips or practice courses that include at least 8 hours of teaching work.
2. Project activities
- Intensive courses: higher education institutions can receive support for 1 up to 4 week-long intensive courses. Students and teachers from at least 3 different countries should be involved in the implementation of courses;
- Joint study programmes: supports the establishment of joint study programmes that can lead to an educational degree and where mobility is part of a study programme;
- Development projects: supports innovative projects, for example, for development of study programme or assurance of the quality.
3. Activities of networks
The funding of Nordplus is granted for events that create and develop networks:
- administrative meetings for building new networks, attracting new partners;
- short-term academic staff appointments for assurance of mobility quality.
Project applicant and partners
An application for participation in the programme needs to be submitted by one of the member state higher education institutions. When applying for the funding of the programme member state education institution takes on the role of coordinator. The responsibility of the coordinator for the duration of the contract will be to monitor the use of the activities and the funding allocated.
- At least one partner - educational institution from another member state of the programme - must be enlisted for the mobilities;
- At least two partners - education institutions from different member states of the programme - must be enlisted for projects and networks.
All cooperation activities should be based on an agreement between the educational institutions of the member states of the programme.
Funding of the programme
The funding is allocated for:
- mobility costs of 100%, including travel costs for pupils and teachers, and subsistence costs for teachers;
- networks and projects - a fixed amount for the costs of managing, implementing and disseminating the results of the project (3000 euros for the coordinator and 1000 euros per partner), as well as travel and subsistence costs at the rates determined by the programme.
Project preparation
Nordplus projects can be submitted in electronic form using the Nordplus project application and reporting management tool Espresso. Instructions for use of the Espresso have been prepared for user comfort (it's meant for the Junior programme, but it can also be used by project applicants in other programmes):
For project applications submitted for the implementation of projects or networking activities, the application should be accompanied by a project budget for which the Nordplus budget form is recommended.
Administrating
A higher education programme is administrated by Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI).