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Cultural and academic cooperation: grants for study and research missions in 2024

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The Italian Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), through the Directorate-General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy (DGDP) and its Unit for the Coordination of Italian Cultural Institutes, supports and encourages the carrying out of missions abroad and in Italy by Italian and foreign (including those from Kosovo) researchers, teachers, experts, cultural personalities and operators. The main objective of the funding is to promote the development of strategic partnerships, cultural and scientific projects between foreign and Italian institutions in the medium and long term. Grants may support:

1) travel and subsistence costs for Italian or foreign researchers, lecturers, experts, cultural personalities and operators who have been resident in Italy for at least two years and who are invited abroad by foreign universities or cultural institutions;

2) the travel and subsistence costs of foreign or Italian researchers, lecturers, experts, cultural personalities and cultural operators resident abroad, invited by Italian universities or cultural institutions, in order to promote their collaboration and joint research programmes.

MAECI’s financial contribution to cover part of the travel and subsistence expenses is granted as a lump sum for a maximum of 10 days of activity. No funding will be provided beyond the tenth day. Only days of actual cultural and/or research activities will be counted.

The contribution will be paid at the end of the mission on presentation of the final activity report, the certificate issued by the host institution and the travel documents. The contribution consists of a flat-rate daily allowance for a maximum of 10 days, of which € 250 per day for stays of up to 5 days, plus € 50 per day from the sixth to the tenth day of the stay abroad or in Italy, up to a maximum of € 1,500 per mission.

Within the fixed ceiling, missions abroad undertaken by Italian candidates may include activities in more than one country. Please note that the invitation to go abroad cannot be linked to the payment of the contribution by MAECI. It should also be noted that no reimbursement can be made for travel other than economy class.

 

APPLICATION AND PAYMENT PROCEDURES

Interested parties, both Italian and Kosovar, may submit their applications to the Italian Embassy in Pristina (segreteria.pristina@esteri.it), with a copy to the Unit for the Coordination of Italian Cultural Institutes (dgdp.unic.cap2619@esteri.it), enclosing this form, duly completed, and the annexes indicated therein.

Please note that applications will only be accepted by applicants who have an official invitation from a university or cultural institution, preferably within the framework of existing bilateral cultural cooperation agreements and executive programmes. In the case of Italian or foreign applicants residing in Italy, the invitation should come from a foreign university or cultural institution; in the case of foreign or Italian applicants residing abroad, the invitation should come by an Italian university or cultural institution.

Grants to foreign beneficiaries are paid by the Unit for the Coordination of Italian Cultural Institutes through the Italian Embassy in Pristina, whereas Italian beneficiaries will receive the grant directly by the mentioned Unit. Beneficiaries should send to the Unit and to the Embassy a report on the activity carried out and all the necessary supporting documents. Applications will be examined in the order in which they are received, subject to the resources available under Chapter 2619/7.

 

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING APPLICATIONS

Applications will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

  • curriculum vitae of the applicant;
  • possible medium and long-term spin-offs of the mission in terms of development of cultural and/or scientific projects and partnerships between Italian and foreign institutions;
  •  prestige of the cultural organizations involved;
  • principle of rotation among the beneficiaries.

 

DEADLINES

Due to the time required to make payments, applications – accompanied by the necessary documentation, including the final mission report – should be received no later than 15 November 2024. Please also note that it will not be possible to award grants for missions taking place after this date.