March 31: Apply for education grants | Events

ECIU University: Education Seed Funding Call

The ECIU Education Seed Funding Call provides funding for programs to transform existing curricular courses into ECIU University Challenges and Micromodules enabling UT courses to be accessible to international learners through the ECIU University Engage Platform. This initiative facilitates international collaboration between UT programs and ECIU member universities through online and blended education.

The funding aims to:

• Develop flexible learning options in online and blended formats

• Attract new students to the UT

• Enhance teaching and learning in online and blended formats

• Strengthen international relationships for future collaboration

Course Types:

Challenges: 3-15 ECTS, group projects addressing open-ended societal problems with interdisciplinary and international cooperation. Challenge provider required. (Blended Intensive Programmes or Fully Online).

Micromodules: 1–5 ECTS, primarily online, may include self-study, focused on transversal skills, domain-specific knowledge, or interdisciplinary thematic knowledge.

• Target audience: 3rd-year bachelor, master, PhD students, lifelong learners.

• Courses must be offered online or blended to enable ECIU student participation.

• Courses must align with UT’s impact domains (climate, health, security, chip tech).

• Courses must fit within UT’s assessment and accreditation frameworks and standard curricula.

Funding Details

Total Budget: €80,000.00

Eligible Expenses: Lump sum. May be used for covering teaching hours, course re-design work, CELT or faculty e-learning consultancy, training of dedicated teachers, course-related material costs, or other purposes deemed appropriate by the relevant department. Funds cannot be used for student assistants.

Funding Types:

1. Blended Challenge Grants:

Grant Size: €400 per ECIU student (no including UT students, based on enrollment and completion), with a maximum grant of €8,000. Minimum Requirements (aligned with Erasmus+ BIP):

· 3 ECTS minimum

· Minimum 5-day physical mobility, maximum 14 days

· Online component included

· Participation from students from at least 2 other ECIU partners

· Open to both ECIU and UT students (UT students must still register via the Engage Platform)

· Optional Bonus: +€2,500 if implemented with active participation from staff of another ECIU member university (contact can be supported by ECIU Challenge Team)

2. Online Challenge Grant

Grant Size: €200 per ECIU student (based on enrollment and completion), with a maximum base grant of €4,000. Minimum Requirements (aligned with Erasmus+ BIP):

· Challenge-based Learning principles are core to the module

· Content aligned with ECIU Themes & UT Impact Domains (see Evaluation Criteria below)

· Participation from students from at least 2 other ECIU partners

· Open to both ECIU and UT students

· Optional Bonus: +€1,500 if implemented with active participation from staff of another ECIU member university (contact can be supported by ECIU Challenge Team)

3. Micromodule Grant

· 1 ECTS: €1,000

· 2 ECTS: €1,500

· 3-5 ECTS: €2,000

· Optional Bonus: +€500 if implemented with active participation from staff of another ECIU member university (contact can be supported by ECIU Challenge Team).

Support from ECIUU@UT

Administrative link to ECIU Engage platform for publishing requirements and aligning with ECIU Competency Framework.

Support to find teachers/staff from ECIU partner universities for joint educational collaboration.

Support to find challenge providers for societal stakeholder collaboration.

Educational support (e-learning specialists, learning tools, pedagogical guidance, etc) is the responsibility of the applicant’s faculty resources.

Application process

Submission: Applications must be submitted via the online form (ECIU University Education Seed Funding Call – Application Form).

Review Process: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received. However, to ensure balanced allocation of the budget and planning throughout the year, the call is divided into two review periods:

o First window deadline 31st March 23:59.

o Second window deadline: 30th June 23:59

Applications submitted earlier are reviewed earlier, and once the funding in each window is exhausted, later applications will be deferred to the next window or not funded. We recommend applying as early as possible for higher chances of success.

Publication: All approved challenges and micromodules must be listed on the ECIU Engage Platform.

Evaluation criteria

Each proposal will be reviewed based on the following dimensions:

1) Strategic Alignment

a) Clear link to ECIU University Vision 2030, topics of sustainability, innovation, and societal impact, and ECIU themes:

i) Energy & Sustainability

ii) Circular Economy

iii) Transport & Mobility

iv) Resilient Communities

v) Health & Wellbeing

vi) Education & Learning Innovation

vii) Digital Transformation

b) Challenge-based, interdisciplinary, and/or co-creative

c) Targets real societal needs and SDGs

d) Clear link to UT’s strategic impact domains (Climate, Health, Security, Chiptech)

2) Pedagogical quality

a) Alignment between learning objectives, learning activities, and assessment

b) Clarity and coherence of student learning journey

c) Inclusion of active learning and/or challenge-based pedagogies

3) Feasibility and sustainability

a) Clear implementation plan (staff roles, logistics, partner coordination)

b) Financial and logistical realism

c) Potential for repetition or scalability

4) Innovative potential

a) Re-use of existing course content in novel ways

b) Innovation in format, collaboration, or tools

c) Use of technology to support cross-institutional or interdisciplinary learning

5) Collaboration bonus

a) Additional funding consideration for proposals with another ECIU institution

Questions? Please email eciu@utwente.nl with any questions or concerns.