Support for the Internationalisation of Charles University

Article 1 Fundamental Provision

The programme entitled Support for the Internationalisation of Charles University (“POINT programme” and “CU”) is one of the instruments of financial support for activities aimed at increasing the level of internationalisation of CU with respect to the goals set out in the relevant strategic documents of CU and individual faculties and other units.

Article 2 Aims and Principles of the Support

1. The activities supported under this directive are the following types of international mobility of students:

   a.	Short-term stays;
   b.	Organisation of international summer schools and other extracurricular events organised by CU faculties or other units1.

2. The main aim of the support for the organisation of international summer schools and other extracurricular events organised by CU faculties or other units is to institute international summer schools organised for international participants and held in foreign languages, primarily in the English language, as a tool for developing the internationalisation of CU — in particular by attracting international students to pre-graduate programmes of study in the English language.

3. The POINT programme operates on the principle of “seed money”, i.e., on one-off or recurring support necessary to implement the event for no more than the first three years, and presumes that at least three additional years of the event will be held that will be self-funded and will not receive any financial support from the CU Rectorate (“the Rectorate”). The aim is for the faculty or other unit to use the period of support to obtain external funding or to introduce fees for participants to make the given summer school financially sustainable. Summer schools and other extracurricular events falling within the long-term strategic priorities of CU may in cases worthy of special consideration obtain support on a recurring or long-term basis.

Article 3 Types of Activities Supported

The activities supported under this directive are divided into two groups:

1. International mobility of students in the form of short-term stays (no more than three weeks):

   1. Support for participation in or stays of CU students at summer schools (with the exception of language courses);

   2. Short-term unpaid professional internships for students;

   3. International competitions and championships;

   4. Student conferences (only with active participation); or

   5. Representing CU at international meetings related to the internationalisation of CU activities.

2. Organisation of international summer schools and other extracurricular events organised by CU faculties or other units².

Article 4 Common Provisions for an Application for Support for Activities under Article 3

1. An application for the support of activities under Article 3 (a) may be submitted only by a student of CU. An application for support of activities under Article 3 (b) may be submitted by a faculty or another unit of CU.

2. The applications may be submitted twice a year, always between 1 April and 30 April and between 1 November and 30 November.

3. The applications including all appendices are submitted electronically via the “IS Věda UK” online system available at https://is.cuni.cz/veda no later than on the last day of the period for submitting applications. In the case of technical issues or in other cases worthy of special consideration, applications may be submitted via email to .

4. It is possible to apply for the support of an activity to be implemented in the current or subsequent semester. The reimbursement of activities implemented in the past is not possible. The support allocated is provided for a defined purpose, i.e., it is tied to the specific applicant, activity, and implementation dates. It is possible to change the date of the activity providing that before holding the event the applicant informs, in writing, the relevant faculty or another unit and the university officer in charge of the International Relations Office the Rectorate of the change of date via the “IS Věda UK” online system.

Article 5 Application for Support for Activities under Article 3 (a)

1. Based on an application for the support of an activity under Article 3 (a) the student may be allocated financial support for travel expenses, accommodation, and subsistence allowance.   The student may not apply for a contribution towards a participation fee.

2. Priority in allocating support is given to applicants who have not obtained support from the POINT programme in the past. Support may be granted more than once to an identical or similar activity, or to a recurring activity, only in justified cases.

3. An application for support under Article 3 (a) of no more than two standard pages must contain the name of the planned activity, its description, the personal benefit for the student, and the benefit for the internationalisation of CU. The application must include a motivation letter of one standard page, the agenda of the event, and a statement as to whether the applicant was granted financial support from the POINT programme in the past.

Article 6 Application for Support for Activities under Article 3 (b)

1. Based on an application for the support of an activity under Article 3 (b) it is possible to grant financial support for the organisation of international summer schools and other extracurricular events organised by CU faculties or other units. It is possible to apply for financial support for travel expenses, accommodation, services, material supplies, personal expenses, and bursaries. It is also possible to apply for support for “other” expenses, but it must be precisely defined.

2. Support may be granted more than once to an identical or similar activity or to a recurring activity based on an application under Article 3 (b) for a total of only three times, unless the exception under Article 6 (3) is applicable.

3. Summer schools and other extracurricular events falling within the long-term strategic priorities of CU may be granted support on a recurring or long-term basis.

4. An application for the support of an activity under Article 3 (b) of no more than three standard pages must contain the name of the planned activity, its description, the person responsible (dean of a faculty, director of another unit of CU), the email address of the contact person, the impact on the internationalisation of the University’s activities, the benefit for students’ mobility, the financial sustainability of the project, and possibly sources of co-financing. If more than one person is responsible, only one of them must be chosen as the contact person. The application must include appendices containing the planned budget (including the justification of individual budget items) and a statement as to whether the applicant was granted financial support from the POINT programme in the past.

5. In the case of an application under Article 3 (b) for recurring support for an identical or similar activity, the applicant must complete a brief evaluation of the previous year or past years via the “IS Věda UK” online system.

Article 7 POINT Programme Board for Evaluation of Applications for Support for Activities under Article 3

1. The POINT Programme Board (“the Board”) is established and its chair is the Vice-Rector for International Affairs. The Board has six members appointed by the Rector upon the proposal of the chair.

2. The Board evaluates the applications submitted for the support of activities under Article 3.

3. The Board meets no less than twice a year following the dates for submitting applications for the support of activities. The Board evaluates the applications within 30 days of the last date for submitting applications.

4. The International Relations Office of the Rectorate ensures the administrative matters of receiving applications for support and supporting the work of the Board.

Article 8 Criteria for the Evaluation of Applications for Support for Activities under Article 3

1. The criteria for the evaluation of applications for support are in particular the following:

   a.	The benefit of the activity for the internationalisation of CU;
   b.	Efficiency and justification of the use of resources allocated;
   c.	Representation of applications from various faculties or other units of CU;
   d.	Limited possibility for support from other University sources (e.g., other sources of funding of the international mobility of students);
   e.	Evaluation of the previous year or years in the case of application for the support of a recurring activity;
   f.	Priority is given to an application for the support of activities which have not been supported by the POINT programme before;
   g.	Priority is given to the strategic partners and inter-university alliances under the relevant Rector’s Directive.

2. There is no entitlement to support and it is granted only up to the amount of funds allocated for the given period.

Article 9 Maximum Amount of Allocated Support for Activities under Article 3

1. The maximum amount of support allocated on the basis of one application within Article 3 (a) is CZK 40,000. The specific activity of the applicant may be supported only once.

2. The maximum amount of support allocated on the basis of one application within Article 3 (b) is CZK 80,000. The specific activity of the applicant may be supported only once.

3. The support allocated does not have to cover the total costs of the planned activity.

Article 10 Allocation of Support for Activities under Article 3

1. After period for submitting applications ends, the faculty prepares for the Board a list of applicants in which it prioritises the applicants (1 – top priority, 3 – lowest priority).

2. The Rector decides on activities to be supported and the amount of support to be allocated based upon a recommendation from the Board.

3. The contact persons (a student if the application for support under Article 3 (a) is submitted by a student) are informed about the result electronically via the “IS Věda UK” online system. The information is also sent to the faculty or other unit of CU where the contact person either works or is enrolled as a student.

4. Upon the Rector’s decision, the Finance, Human Resources, and Payroll Department of the Rectorate transfers the financial resources in the relevant amount to the faculty or other unit. Support under Article 3 (a) is granted to the student by the Dean of the faculty in which the student is enrolled in the form of bursary to support study abroad under Article 10 of the Scholarships and Bursaries Rules of Charles University.

Article 11 Audit of the Use of Financial Resources Allocated

1. Applicants who received support are responsible for due, economical, effective, and efficient use of the resources.

2. The supported activities are concluded with an evaluation report (including the account of and report on the use of resources provided) and possibly a confirmation of a stay. These documents must be delivered to the International Relations Office of the Rectorate within 30 days of the return from the stay abroad or termination of the project. The documents are submitted electronically via the “IS Věda UK” online system. In the case of technical difficulties or in other cases worthy of special consideration, the documents may be submitted via email to .

3. If the student breaches the duties under paragraphs 1 or 2, the Dean decides, after obtaining the opinion of the Board, on the return of the awarded and paid out bursary or its part under Article 10 (3) of the Scholarships and Bursaries Rules of Charles University.

4. If the faculty or another unit breaches the duties under paragraphs 1 or 2, they will be obliged to return the amount provided, or a part thereof, and to pay a possible penalty for breach of budgetary discipline. The decision about the duty to return the amount or a part thereof is made by the Rector based upon a recommendation from the Board.

Article 12 – Final Provisions

1. Rector’s Directives No. 10/2020 and 15/2023 are hereby repealed.

2. This Directive becomes effective on 15 June 2023.

3. In the 2023 calendar year it is possible to submit applications for the support of activities under Article 4 herein for the spring round only from 15 June to 30 June 2023.

In Prague on 13 June 2023

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