Meeting of Flemish and Cuban rectors, MES and the CTG partners Havana/Santa Clara, 30 March – 5 April 2008 Introduction to VLIR-UOS Kristien Verbrugghen VLIR-UOS director

CONTENTS I.The organisation II.The VLIR-UOS mission statement and mandate III.How VLIR-UOS functions IV.The VLIR-UOS programmes V.The application and selection system VI.The project implementation system

I. THE ORGANISATION

VLIR Rectors conference, created in 1976 Umbrella organisation of the six Flemish universities Advisory body to the universities as well as to the respective authorities responsible for higher education and research

Members of VLIR The six Flemish universities –Catholic University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven) –Ghent University (UGent) –Vrije Universiteit Brussel –University of Antwerp (UA) –University of Hasselt (UHasselt) –Catholic University of Brussels (K.U. Brussel)

Mission of VLIR VLIR promotes dialogue and cooperation among the Flemish universities, and between the universities and the public authorities: –Forum –Policy advice –Thinktank –Operational unit for quality assessment in higher education –Cooperation with developing countries University cooperation for development

Two separate units within VLIR General secretariat of VLIR –Higher education, with special focus on quality assessment –Quality assessment in research VLIR-UOS secretariat –University cooperation for development

Council VLIR and VLIR-UOS Bureau of Rectors Bureau UOS VLIR-UOS secretariatGeneral secretariat Implementing body Policy

VLIR and university cooperation for development (UOS) Until 1998 : Policy advice to public administration, based on proposals by Flemish academics From 1998 : Full responsibility for the management of the funds for UOS of the Flemish universities Funding agency

II. THE VLIR-UOS MISSION STATEMENT AND MANDATE

VLIR-UOS mission statement General objectives: To support the universities in the South to fulfill their role as actors in the development of their region and country (education, research and service to society) THROUGH cooperation with the Flemish universities and non- university institutions for higher education VLIR-UOS funds cooperation, not institutions in the south

Specific objectives: Institutional capacity building in the South: Building education and research capacity of partner universities to stimulate the development of knowledge and expertise Expertise development in Flanders: maintaining and enlarging development expertise Maintenance and expansion of the level of support for development cooperation in Flanders by promoting mutual understanding and solidarity, world citizenship

VLIR-UOS basic principles Solidarity and quality Attention for sustainability Interuniversity approach Multidisciplinary approach Shared interest Participation and ownership

Actors involved in VLIR-UOS In the north : –Flemish universities –Flemish non-university higher education institutions In the south : –Type of institutions : Universities Research centres –Geographical focus OECD country list, limited to 41 countries (new, as of )

DGDC country list 41 countries: 18 partner countries Algeria, Benin, Bolivia, Burundi, DR Congo, Ecuador, Mali, Marocco, Mozambique, Niger, Palestina, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, South Africa 22 countries in which in mio EUR was spent : Bangladesh, Brasil, Burkina Faso, Cambodja, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinée, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Suriname, the Philippines, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Mandate of VLIR-UOS 1.Platform for Information and expertise development, exchange, capitalisation Cooperation and networking 2.Lobby organisation: try and influence policy at different levels (governments, academic authorities, civil society, …) 1.International network of HEIs, research centres, embassies, sister organisations … (in order to valorise parterships, research groups, results, expertise, …) 1.Funding agency with a specific target group, accountable to DGDC

III. HOW VLIR-UOS FUNCTIONS

Task division between VLIR-UOS and the Flemish universities VLIR-UOS: Overall policy & programmation Selection, follow-up & evaluation of projects and programmes Accountability towards financing public authority Universities: Formulation of project proposals Implementation of projects

VLIR-UOS team VLIR-UOS secretariat in Brussels The Institutional Coordinators for Development Cooperation (ICOS) within each university In support of both the north and south partners

VLIR-UOS budget 100% funded by DGDC Annual budget : ± 30 mio EUR

VLIR-UOS and the funding authorities DGDC, federal administration for development cooperation Steering committee –DGDC –Bureau UOS Five-year plan and corresponding budget, and consecutive annual programmes and budget –New five-year plan : –Annual budgets and annual programmes

IV. THE VLIR-UOS PROGRAMMES

VLIR-UOS programmes South programmes : –Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) –Own Initiatives (OI) –Congo programme North programmes : –North Actions Programme (NAP) –Training costs (TC) –Scholarship Programme (SP)

SOUTH PROGRAMMES

Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) Long term cooperation between universities in the South and Flemish universities Objectives: -Local capacity development at institutional level -Universities in the South fulfill their role as actor in development of their own society -Contribution to self-reliance Max 10 years (2x5 years) (guaranteed funding), followed by ex post toolbox (access to competive funds) Annual budget : EUR Partners: 17 universities in the South Level: university at large

IUC PROGRAMME PHASES

IUC partner universities Phased out –Sokoine University (Tanzania) –University of Zambia (Zambia) –Universidad Mayor de San Simon (Bolivia) –University of Nairobi (Kenya) –University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe) –Can Tho University (Vietnam) –Hanoi University of Technology (Vietnam) Ongoing –ESPOL (Ecuador) –Saint Louis University en Benguet State University (the Philippines) –Mekelle University (Ethiopia) –University of the Western Cape (South Africa) –Universidad Central Marta Abreu de Las Villas (Cuba) –Jimma University (Ethiopia) –Moi University (Kenya) –University of Cuenca (Ecuador) –University Eduardo Mondlana (Mozambique) –Anton de Kom University of Suriname (Suriname) Possibly entering –Limpopo (South Africa) –La Molina (Peru)

Own Initiatives (OI) Development-relevant research or training projects initiated by academics at Flemish universities in close collaboration with and benefiting to an academic partner or a research institute from a developing country. Objective: –To strengthen the education and/or research capacity of the local partner by means of exchanging knowledge and cooperation, including institutional reinforcement of the academic unity in the South. Max. 5 years Maximum budget : EUR 1 call a year in 2 rounds (concept notes and fully fledged project proposals) r Average 10 to 12 projects per year Level: at the level of a faculty, department or research unit Observation: Not as such open for units which received substantial benefits during IUC partner programmes until 5 years after ending op PP; other units can apply after finishing of IUC partner programme support.

South Initiatives Seed money (for any subsequent regular project within the existing VLIR UOS programmes) Harvest money (to broaden the impact of earlier projects) Encouragement for innovative forms of cooperation Small projects (max. 1 year, max. 15,000) 6 typologies (to be revised), 1 call a year

UOS with DR Congo VLIR UOS is has country programme for the DR Congo, with on average /year for scientific and institutional cooperation (under debate now ! ) Country policy is new and unique for VLIR-UOS. All other calls are open to all 41 countries. Launched in 2006, further developed in 2007, and to be fully operational as of Country representative VLIR-UOS in Kinshasa, DR Congo, as of July 2007

NORTH PROGRAMMES

North Actions Objectives –Maintain and expand knowledge of and experience with development cooperation within Flemish universities –Maintain and expand the support for development cooperation within the academic community in Flanders, and Flanders at large

North Actions Programme (NAP) Research : –Policy advisory research –Ph.D. grants for graduates from Flemish universities –Ph.D. grants for ICP graduates –International conferences Education –Master programmes (ICPs) + scholarships –Training programmes (ITPs) + scholarships –Short training initiatives Sensitization activities : –Travel grants for Flemish students –Debates, courses, …

North Actions RESEARCH Policy preparing research –Research platforms –Objectives Research funding for Flemish universities aiming at maintaining and enlarging development expertise in Flanders Tailor made scientific advice to Belgian development agencies Network, platform of Belgian development agencies, possibly also comprising actors from the south –Funding EUR / year –Pilot in 2009 –Call every 2 to 3 years

North Actions RESEARCH PhD grants for Flemish graduates –Who ? Graduates from a Flemish university Graduated maximum ten years ago –Annual intake : As of 2004 : 6 –Funding : Scholar : scholarship and travel fund (2 x 2 years), Bench fee for host unit : EUR / two years

North Actions RESEARCH ICP PhD grants –Who ? Outstanding graduates from an ICP Graduated maximum five years ago Development relevant topic Local institution –Annual intake : As of 2003 : 10 –Funding : Scholar : scholarship and travel fund (2 x 2 years) Sandwich system (1/3 in Belgium, 2/3 at home) Bench fee for host unit –Ph.D. degree award by the Flemish university

North Actions RESEARCH International conferences (INCO) –Objective : to contribute to knowledge creation and distribution –Location : north or south, but with substantial contribution from Flanders –Funding : max (personnel and operational costs, travel costs, …)

North Actions EDUCATION International Masters (ICPs) What ? –Master programmes (1 or 2 years) – 15 in VLIR-UOS programme –Primary target group: students from developing countrie –Focus on specific problems of developing countries Objective ? –Aim: provide training to people from the South with a responsible position in the South, in order to apply or transfer this knowledge within their country of origin Funding –Funding : institutional allowance + scholarships –180 scholarships / year Programme and scholarship allocation frozen up until at least – new call scheduled for 2009 Care for impact through : Follow-up activities (NA) ICP Ph.D. scholarships (BTP) ICP backpacks (OI)

North Actions EDUCATION International Training Programmes (ITPs) What ? –Short term practical training course: between 1 to 6 months –Destined for students from the South who already have some professional experience Objective ? –to transfer knowledge and skills to young professionals from developing countries and create possibilites for cooperation and networking Funding –Funding : institutional allowance + scholarships –70 scholarships / year –5 à 6 ITPs / year –Secury of funding : 1 or 2 years –Annual call

North Actions EDUCATION Short Training Initiatives (KOI/STI) –As of 2004 –In between ITP and INCO INCO (min. 5, max. 14 days) –To take place at a Flemish institution –Funding : Institutional allowance (max ) + travel budget ( / min. 12 participants) –Annual call

North Actions SENSITIZATION Sensitization initiatives –Objective : co-funding of activities organised by a Flemish institution which aim at communicating development relevant themes, in a scientific way, to the global Flemish scientific community, and beyond –Form : workshop, colloquium, conference, public course, series of courses, etc –Funding : institutional allowance (max ) –Annual call –Security of funding : 1 or 2 years

North Actions SENSITIZATION Travel grants for Flemish students Objectives : Sensitize Flemish students for development issues through hands- on experience : research paper, Masters thesis, internship Visit to a developing country; eye-opener ; Part of the own institutions policy Funding : 600 travel grants / year max EUR (ticket, visa, research permit, travel insurance, … ) Two formulas : Individuel travel grants Group travels (still to be operationalised) Annual call

Training Costs (TC) A subsidy to Flemish universities for costs related to the enrolment of students from developing countries

Scholarship programme Scholarships for –Master programmes –Training programmes –ICP Ph.D. programme

V. THE APPLICATION AND SELECTION SYSTEM

Calls for proposals Open calls, competitive selection Assistance to applicants by ICOS and VLIR-UOS secretariat Submission of proposals –Link with a Flemish university or non-university higher education institution Competitive selection by peers Selection criteria –Quality (!) – minimum ! –Development relevance –Effectiveness –Efficiency –Feasibility –Sustainability

VI. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SYSTEM

Project implementation Final approval by Minister Agreement between VLIR and the Flemish university, and, if applicable, the southern university Funds are transferred –By DGDC to VLIR –By VLIR to the Flemish universities –By the Flemish universities to the southern universities Annual reports –submitted by project partners to VLIR –First checked, and then submitted by VLIR to DGDC

VLIR – UOS Sharing minds, changing lives VLIR-UOS photo