The Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Directorate General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy – Office III) is allocating, under Chap. 2619/7, grants to encourage visits to Italy and abroad by foreign and Italian researchers, lectures, experts, cultural personalities and operators. This is an important instrument to support the internationalization of the Italian University and its cultural and creative system. The main aim of the funding is to foster the development of strategic partnerships, as well as cultural and scientific projects between foreign and Italian institutions, which can unfold their effects in the medium and long term.
OBJECT OF THE CONTRIBUTION
1) Researchers, lectures, experts, personalities, and cultural operators from Kosovo invited to spend a period of time at Italian Universities or cultural institutions for study or research purposes may apply to the Italian Ministry, through the Italian Embassy in Kosovo, for a financial contribution consisting in the partial coverage of living expenses, disbursed as a lump sum. Considering the availability of funds on Chap. 2619/7, Office III of the DGDP may decide to grant contributions for a smaller number of days than those requested in the application.
2) Italian researchers, lectures, experts, personalities, and cultural operators living in Italy, invited to spend a period of time at Universities or cultural Institutions in Kosovo for study or research reasons may apply to the Italian Ministry, through the Italian Embassy in Kosovo, for a financial contribution consisting in the partial coverage (to the extent of 80%) of travel expenses, paid once the mission is completed. Please note that the trip, for which reimbursement is requested, can NOT include more than one country, and that the invitation abroad cannot be tied to the disbursement of the contribution by the Italian Ministry.
APPLICATION AND DISBURSEMENT PROCEDURES
The interested parties, both Italian and Kosovar, should submit their requests to the Embassy of Italy in Kosovo by email (segreteria.pristina@esteri.it), using only the forms attached herewith (form for Kosovars; form for Italians). Please notice that only requests will be accepted from researchers, lectures, experts, and cultural operators, both Italian and foreign, who hold an official invitation from a University or cultural Institution. In the case of Italian applicants, the invitation must come from a foreign University or cultural Institution; in the case of Kosovar applicants, the invitation must come from an Italian University or cultural Institution.
Please note that any contribution in favor of foreign beneficiaries will be disbursed by the Italian Ministry through the Embassy: it will be therefore the Embassy in Pristina that received the application to make a bank transfer in favor of the beneficiary of the contribution. Italian beneficiaries, on the other hand, will receive the contribution directly from the Italian Ministry (Office III DGDP). The beneficiaries of the contribution, both Italian and foreign, must send a report on the activities carried out to the Embassy to which they had applied. The report must be submitted within thirty days from the end of the mission. Requests are examined in order of receipt, accordingly to available resources.
CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING THE APPLICATIONS
Applications will be assessed by the Embassy considering the following criteria:
– characteristics of the applicant, including curriculum vitae and age;
– possible medium- and long-term repercussion of the mission in terms of development of cultural and scientific projects and partnerships between Italian and foreign Institutions;
– prestige of the cultural Institutions involved;
– principle of rotation among the beneficiaries of contributions.
DEADLINES
In consideration of the time required for payment arrangements, applications must reach the Embassy at segreteria.pristina@esteri.it by 4 November 2022. Any boarding passes to be transmitted, once the mission is over, to supplement the applications of Italian applicants must also be received by 4 November 2022. Please also note that it will not be possible to provide grants for missions taking place after this date.
