1. Objective
The integrated project in this call for proposals is aimed at promoting research and talent cultivation in the humanities, arts, and social sciences through international academic cooperation and exchange between the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan (UAAT) and the Interested Czech Universities (ICU). The objective is to invite international scholars and students to Taiwan for exchange and to send domestic faculties and students abroad, thus nurturing academic talent within Taiwan.
2. About the Call
The integrated project is organized and coordinated by a coordinating university selected by the UAAT joint meeting. National Chengchi University (hereafter referred to as the ‘NCCU’) has been designated as the coordinating university in the fields of the "Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences " of UAAT with the ICU. On June 11, 2023, NCCU, representing UAAT, held a bilateral meeting with Charles University, the corresponding coordinating university of ICU. Based on the consensus reached during the meeting, the theme for this integrated project is set as "The Dynamics of East-West Civilizational Interactions: Conflict or Fusion?" Topics can include (but are not limited to): literature, social sciences, media and communication, international relations, and arts (see Attachment 1).
The coordinating universities of UAAT and ICU will invite and select sub-projects that align with the aforementioned integrated project theme based on the "Proposal Methods and Procedures for UAAT Integrated Projects" issued by the UAAT Secretariat on June 6, 2023 (see Attachment 2). The organization of sub-projects is as follows:
2.1 Each sub-project must involve at least 2 UAAT universities and 1 ICU university.
2.2 Sub-projects can be categorized into "Research Projects" and "Talent Cultivation Projects" (can select one or both), and activities include: graduate exchange programs, short-term courses, intensive courses/workshops, overseas research, academic conferences/professional activities, dual/joint degrees, joint research, and international industry-academia collaboration.
3. Performance Indicators
Please refer directly to section 4 of the sub-project application form, "Expected Outcomes for the Sub-Project," for performance indicators. These can include collaborative research, student and teacher exchanges, internship programs, short-term courses/intensive courses/workshops, and academic conferences/professional activities (see Attachment 3).
4. Eligibility Criteria
4.1 Lead universities must be UAAT member universities.
4.2 Principal Investigators (PI) must be full-time or project-based teaching and research staff of UAAT member universities.
4.3 Participants must be full-time or project-based teaching and research staff of UAAT or ICU member universities.
5. Required Materials and Application Process
5.1 Required Materials
Proposal: Format please refer to Attachment 3. Proposal must be written in English, unless there are specific parts that are required to be in Chinese.
5.2 Application Process
5.2.1 UAAT universities must compile all proposals and submit the summary table (see Attachment 4) with digital files of the proposals to NCCU by August 1, 2024, for review.
5.2.2 The hard copy of the proposal should be complete and bound, based on the postmark, to the Research and Development Office, National Chengchi University (No. 64, Section 2, Zhinan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei 116011, Taiwan, Attn: Mr. Chung-Yen Kuo). The mail cover should be marked "Proposal for UAAT Integrated Project."
5.2.3 Electronic files of the application documents (including the proposal, in .pdf format, consistent with the hard copy) should be named "University Name-Project Name-ICU" and uploaded to the following cloud folder, in the respective university folders: https://shorturl.at/6dc2r
6. Application Timeline and Project Duration
6.1 Application Timeline: Applications are accepted from July 1, 2024, to August 1, 2024. Applications must be completed by sending the hard copy and electronic files as described above by August 1, 2024. Late applications, incomplete documents, or non-compliant submissions will not be accepted. Submitted documents will not be returned after review.
6.2 Project Duration: The project must start by December 1, 2024, and the execution period is generally one year, extendable to the end of 2025 if necessary.
7. Funding Guidelines
7.1 The funding limit for each sub-project is NTD 2 million.
7.2 The Ministry of Education will review and approve funding based on the suitability and necessity of each sub-project.
7.3 Personnel cost planning: exclusive guidelines for UAAT members
7.3.1 The personnel cost for domestic full-time and part-time staff must not exceed 20% of the project’s total requested funding, but personnel costs can be adjusted within the integrated project framework.
7.3.2 If there is a need to recruit overseas talents, personnel costs for those aligned with the project’s objectives can be excluded from the 20% limit calculation.
7.3.3 Funds can only be allocated to participating UAAT universities, and NCCU will distribute the funds to the responsible universities based on the approved amount from the Ministry of Education, ROC.
8. Evaluation of the Proposals
8.1 NCCU will accept applications from July 1, 2024, to August 1, 2024. Subsequent review meetings will be held, and the UAAT joint meeting will confirm the results around August 20. The review criteria will consider applicable standards proposed by the Ministry of Education’s Office of Strategic Planning (see Attachment 5). Selected sub-projects must revise their proposals based on reviewer comments and collaborate with NCCU to complete the integrated project by September 15, for submission to the Ministry of Education through UAAT Secretariat by September 20.
8.2 Based on the project types, the Ministry of Education’s Office of Strategic Planning will evaluate the integrated project and its sub-projects according to the review standards (see Attachment 5), offering approval suggestions to the Ministry for approval.
8.3 The Ministry will notify the UAAT Secretariat and NCCU of the approved results, and NCCU will serve as the project liaison, responsible for requesting funds from the Ministry of Education, managing project modifications, closing, and overseeing progress and outcomes of the integrated project.
9. Fund Allocation and Project Completion
9.1 Fund Allocation: Upon receiving the Ministry’s approval notice, the funded UAAT universities should submit receipts to NCCU within the specified timeframe to process the fund request.
9.2 Fund usage and expenses documentation must comply with project needs and relevant regulations and follow the Ministry of Education’s subsidy (donation) and commission fund allocation and settlement guidelines.
10. Project Evaluation and Reporting
10.1 Participating universities are required to commit to cooperation with the Ministry of Education, or to adhere to decisions made during UAAT joint meetings, for the purpose of assessing both the ongoing progress and the performance indicators of the integrated project.
10.2 Funded projects must submit progress and final reports in the specified format within the set deadlines.
10.3 Reports must be comprehensive, credible, and communicative; failure to submit reports on time or poor report quality will be considered incomplete projects.
11. Additional Notes
11.1 Approved projects must not be changed without consent. If a project is canceled or not executed by the deadline, a written report and any unspent funds must be returned within three months of project approval.
11.2 During project execution, the PI must participate in relevant meetings, and team members should engage in project-related activities.
Funded projects must cooperate with the Ministry of Education’s promotion, evaluation, and publication efforts, providing related data.
11.3 During project execution, academic ethics must be strictly followed. If project results involve references or quotations of others' work, the source and original author must be cited, or authorization obtained. Intellectual property rights issues must comply with relevant laws. The Ministry of Education has the right to use the results for non-profit promotion.
11.4 Other matters not specified herein shall be governed by the regulations of the Ministry of Education.
12. Contact Person at NCCU and Project Website
Mr. Chung-Yen Kuo
Planning Division, Research and Development Office
National Chengchi University
Phone: 02-2939-3091 ext. 62608