Through the Fund for cooperation among schools/scholarships grant support is available for individual mobility grants, learning partnership projects and institutional development projects over the next four years. By facilitating mobility and cooperation the fund will contribute to the transfer of know-how and strengthen the quality of teaching and research, and create closer ties between the Czech Republic and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
The Czech National Agency Socrates will administer the fund, including organising the calls for proposals and the evaluation of applications, for a management fee of up to €250 000, meaning that at least €2.5 million will be used for direct grant assistance.
The first call for proposal is being launched and covers student scholarships. Czech students wanting to attend secondary school, higher vocational school or higher educational institutions in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein during the study year 2006/2007 can submit applications. The scholarships will cover travel expenses and living costs in the host country for a maximum period of 12 months. Individual mobility grants are also available to teachers and administrative staff, who are able to apply throughout entire 2006, but minimum of 6 months prior to the intended placement. The next call for proposal will take place in autumn 2006, and will be open to all activities.
The Czech fund is the first school and scholarship fund approved under the financial mechanisms. Scholarship funds are planned in 10 beneficiary states of the financial mechanisms at a total value of around €25 million, and research fund will be set up in 7 beneficiary states at a total value of around €21 million.