Call for Student Co-designed Projects: Inter-institutional Student Experience within Arqus 2023

The Arqus Alliance has announced a call for co-designed projects aimed at enhancing the inter-institutional student experience within Arqus. The goal of this Call is to support innovative and collaborative initiatives that will promote cultural exchange and the integration of international students across the Arqus member universities.

Students are at the heart of the Alliance’s activities and their participation and engagement is promoted in multiple ways. These include the Arqus Student Council, the sponsor of this call, whose aim is to encourage student participation in the decision-making process of the Alliance itself, as well as the Arqus Student Agora, a forum for student participation and networking.

Through this funding support, Arqus wishes to promote projects that will shape the Alliance educational environment, with the aim of enhancing student engagement, consolidate the community and support students’ personal and professional development.

To apply, please fill out the following application form until the 30 June.

This Call aims to connect Arqus Universities’ students in the co-design of projects that strengthen the Alliance. Students are encouraged to submit short projects likely to connect the universities within the Arqus Alliance. Individual students or student groups at a single Arqus university may partner with students at other Arqus Universities and with local associations and civil society organisations to design shared project proposals.

Projects are expected to contribute to reshaping and connecting Arqus universities through transformational ideas linked to the Mission of the Arqus Alliance. By engaging in joint projects and activities, students can develop intercultural competencies and build meaningful relationships with peers in a cross-European, multicultural and multilingual environment.

In order to be eligible for the present Call, students must be regularly enrolled in a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Single-Cycle Degree or in a Specialisation or PhD Programme, either part-time or full time, offered by one of the Arqus member universities for the duration of the entire project. Their affiliation with an Arqus university is mandatory. Projects may start immediately after the selection process in July and shall be concluded by 31st December 2023 at the latest.

Applications will be reviewed and scored by a selection committee formed by members of all Arqus universities that will apply the following criteria:

Relevance: the project addresses an issue related to the student experience within and across the Arqus Alliance.
Innovation: the project demonstrates originality and creativity in its approach to enhancing the student experience across the Arqus Alliance.
Feasibility: the project is realistically achievable within the given timeframe and budget.
Sustainability: the project is sustainable and potentially has a long-term impact.
Collaboration: the project involves collaboration between students at the local university, with different Arqus Alliance member universities and/or with local associations and civil society organisations and initiatives. At least two member universities have to benefit from the organised project.

Please, check out here the bullet point hints on what the applicant should include in each section.

The funding of the project varies depending on how many Arqus member universities will partake in the project. A maximum of 1,500 € per project will be awarded. The funding will be provided by the university where the main applicant is a student. This is based on an invoice system. Indications for the maximum amounts: 2 universities - 500 €; 3 universities - 750 €; 4 universities - 1,000 €; 5 universities - 1,250 €; 6+ universities - 1,500 €.

At the completion of the activities foreseen in the project, successful applicants will be required to submit the financial report whic details the use of funds and provide relevant receipts and documentation and a  project report which includes lessons learned and outcomes of the project. At least one creative product such as an article, photo brochure or video shall be submitted.

This Call is framed within the “Arqus Student Agora”, an initiative aimed at promoting student participation and enhancing student engagement at Alliance level; fostering the students’ Arqus experience through student-led creative projects; accelerating students’ personal and professional development; and boosting Arqus student services.

Submissions will be sent via the application form. Each application form must be duly filled out and include: the main applicant’s CV, a description of the project, a plan for project funding and use of the funds provided by this Call, a corresponding timeline for the implementation of the project.