ARQUS Partnership call for Twinning activities

Call objectives

The Arqus Twinning programme is aimed at strengthening cooperation between academic staff and students through joint short-term mobility activities. Priority is given to those involved in the social sciences, humanities and STEM subjects.

The Arqus Twinning mobility activities involve 1 teacher and 3-6 students making a study visit to another university in the Arqus network for a period of 3-5 days. The duration of the funded visit is 3-5 days (+2 days for travel).

Background of the call and examples of Twinning activities

Since the launch of the Arqus Alliance of European Universities, the network has consisted of seven universities – Bergen (until September 2022), Granada, Graz, Leipzig, Lyon, Padua and Vilnius. In September 2022, it will be expanded with the addition of Wroclaw and Minho. The main objective of the Alliance is to strengthen the integration among European countries in the face of challenges and changes in our society. The Arqus Twinning activities are aimed at contributing to these objectives. More information about the Alliance is available on the Arqus website.

The Arqus Twinning activities may vary, according to the method and type that is chosen. Possible Twinning methods include internships, participation in international competitions and/or workshops, summer schools, group projects, etc. It is also possible to implement Twinning activities through traditional mobility (face-to-face) and blended learning methods.

Possible Twinning activities:

• Six sociology students from Bergen, together with their professor, go on a 5-day visit to the University of Granada. Their visit includes a joint workshop with students from the University of Granada, as well as interactions between the members of different societies.
• Students from the Business Administration study programme at Vilnius University work on a practical project together with students from Leipzig University. The project is developed online, using blended learning methods. At the end of the project, the teacher travels to Leipzig with 6 students for a 3-day visit to complete the project and present their results.

Finance of Twinning activities

The project funds the Arqus Twinning visits, where 1 lecturer and 3-6 students travel to another higher education institution. This includes the following costs:

• Travel costs: EUR 400.00 per person.
• Daily allowance: EUR 120.00 per day for the full duration of the visit (3-5 day visit; +2 days for travel).

Application deadlines and procedures

Applications for the Arqus Twinning programme may be submitted using the application form available on the Arqus website, in accordance with the application deadlines:
Application phases:
• Application Phase 1: October 2020 – December 2020
• Application Phase 2: December 2021 – February 2022
The expected implementation dates for Arqus Twinning Phases 1 and 2 are by the end of September 2022.
• Application Phase 3 (planned): Autumn/Winter 2022.

Selection criteria

1. Applications from those engaged in social sciences, humanities and STEAM subjects are given a higher priority (but all applications will be evaluated).
2. There is a focus on sustainable development (previous cooperation with the host institution and follow-up contacts after the implementation of activities are assessed), as well as the benefits of the Arqus Twinning activities for the visiting and hosting institutions.
3. The teaching experience of the applicant is assessed.

Applicants shall be informed about the decisions within 1 month after the end of the application phase. The implementation of the approved Phase 1 and Phase 2 applications shall be funded for the period until the end of September 2022.

After the Arqus Twinning activities have been implemented, the applicant must submit a report within a period of 1 month, providing information on the results of the implemented activities. Reports shall be submitted to the Arqus Twinning coordinator at your institution via email (see the table below).

Contact information

In case of any questions related to Twinning activities, please, contact the local coordinator of each University: