The €2.5 million euro fund has been operational for more than half a year and has already become one of the most popular scholarship schemes in the Czech Republic. ” For the first time Czech students will be studying in Iceland and Liechtenstein. Seven students will go to Iceland this spring, and four to Liechtenstein”, said Barbora Zadovska, program coordinator for the EEA Grants funded schools and scholarship fund in the Czech Republic.
The fund has also sparked a twofold increase in the number of Czech exchange students in Norway, and in the spring semester 46 Czech students will be heading north. The first applications from teachers wanting to undertake a teaching period abroad have also been approved, and the first five Czech teachers began their work in Norway in February.
The goal of providing equal opportunities is an important principle of the fund, and is reflected by the high priority given to this aim by the National Agency for European Educational Programmes, which administers the fund. With support from the Fund for cooperation among schools and scholarships, Czech students are for the first time able to study in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway without having to pay part of their stay from their own pockets.
The deadline for students wanting to study in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein during the coming fall semester is 15 May, and students keen on spending spring 2008 abroad have until 15 October to submit their application. Teachers and administrative staff can apply for grants during the whole year, though the application has to be submitted at least six weeks before the start of their stay abroad.
In addition to the mobility grants available to teachers and students, educational institutions can apply for funding to develop joint projects. Zadovska said the cooperation projects are one of the most interesting aspects of the fund.
“We are finally able to offer not only universities, but also secondary schools the opportunity to cooperate with educational institutions in the three donor states”, she said. The two deadlines 15 May and 15 October have also been set for submitting applications for joint projects. For further information, please see the open call text and the web pages of the fund intermediary, The National Agency for European Educational Programmes.
The Czech fund was the first school and scholarship fund to become operational. Altogether, scholarship funds are planned in 10 EEA Grants beneficiary states at a total value of around €25 million. In addition, research funds with a total value of around €21 million are planned in seven beneficiary states.