Article 1 Fundamental Provision

The programme of support for the internationalisation of Charles University (“CU”) is established in accordance with the CU Long-Term Strategic Plan 2016-2020 and the related Implementation Plans as 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 of the Support

The activities supported under this directive are divided into three groups A, B, and C:

Article 3 Distribution of Financial Support for Individual Activities

Financial support will usually be distributed such that 60% of the total amount is allocated to Activities A and B and 40% to Activity C and the administration of the support under this Directive.

Article 4 Submitting an Application for Support for Activities A and B

1. An application for support under Article 2 (a) (i) may be submitted only by a student of CU. An application for support under Article 2 (a) (ii) and (b) (i) may be submitted only by a faculty or other unit of CU.

2. It is possible to apply for the support of an activity to be implemented in the current or subsequent semester. 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 dates of a stay on condition that the applicant informs the faculty in writing before the event.

3. Support may be granted repeatedly to an identical or similar activity, or a recurring activity.

4. An application for support under Article 2 (a) (i) of 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 and the agenda of the event.

5. An application for support under Article 2 (a) (ii) of two standard pages must contain the name of the planned activity, its description, the person responsible (the activity guarantor from the faculty or other unit – e.g., a head of a department, director of an institute, vice-dean, dean), the email address of the contact person, the impact on the internationalisation of the University’s activities, the benefit for students’ mobility, the sustainability of the project, and possibly sources of co-financing. The application must include an appendix containing the agenda of the activity and the opinion of the guarantor of the activity for the faculty or other unit.

6. An application for support under Article 2 (b) (i) 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 sustainability of the project, and possibly sources of co-financing. The application must contain a formal declaration stating that the activity is of a non-economic nature1. If more than one person is responsible, only one of them must be chosen as the contact person. The application must include an appendix containing the planned budget (including the justification of individual budget items). In the case of recurring support for an identical or similar activity, the application must also contain an appendix of no more than two standard pages that briefly evaluates the previous year or past years.

7. An application for support under Article 2 (a) (ii) may also be submitted for a team. If the applicant files an application for support for a number of people, the exact number of persons who will leave for the event and for which the support is required must be mentioned. Such an application gives rise to an obligation that all persons must participate in the supported event. If one or more members of the team cannot participate, the applicant has the duty to inform an officer of the International Relations Office of the Rectorate to arrange for the reduction of the amount of financial resources allocated where the decision is made by the Expert Panel. In the case of an application for support for a team, the applicant must include a motivation letter for the whole team of no more than one standard page.

8. Applications are submitted electronically using the online application (CU internal competitions system) no later than on the last day of the deadline for submitting applications. In case of technical difficulties or in other cases worthy of special consideration applications may be submitted via email to . Application forms are available in the CU internal competitions system.

9. The applications may be submitted twice a year, always between 1 April and 30 April and between 1 November and 30 November. In the autumn round of the competition it is possible to apply for the support of events that will take place throughout the following calendar year.

Article 5 Expert Panel for Evaluation of Applications within Activities A and B

1. The applications submitted for support within Activities A and B are evaluated by an Expert Panel consisting of three members.

2. The members of the Expert Panel are appointed by the Rector: one is appointed on the advice of the Board of the Academic Senate of CU, one is appointed on the joint advice of Vice-Rector for European Affairs and Vice-Rector for International Affairs, and one member is appointed on the advice of the Vice-Rector for Education.

3. In the case of applications for support within Activity B the Expert Panel may request the opinion of the Finance Department of the CU Rectorate.

4. The Expert Panel meets at least twice a year after each period for the submission of applications for support. The applications are evaluated by the Expert Panel within 30 days of the end of the period for filing applications.

5. The administration related to the receipt of the applications for support and to the work of the Expert Panel is carried out by the International Relations Department of the CU Rectorate.

Article 6 Criteria for the Evaluation of Applications and Grounds for Dismissal of Applications within Activities A and B

The criteria for the evaluation of applications for support are as follows:

The grounds for dismissal of applications are as follows:

Article 7 The Maximum Amount of Allocated Support within Activities A and B

1. The maximum amount of support allocated on the basis of one application within Activity A) is usually CZK 50,000, in cases worthy of special consideration it is up to CZK 100,000.

2. The maximum amount of support allocated on the basis of one application within Activity B is usually CZK 200,000, in cases worthy of special consideration it is up to CZK 400,000.

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

Article 8 Allocation of Support within Activities A and B

1. The activities to be supported are selected by the Rector based upon a recommendation from the Expert Panel; the Rector also determines the amount of support to be allocated. The Rector’s decision is final, it is not possible to appeal against it.

2. The contact persons (a student if the application for support under Article 2 (a) (i) is submitted by a student) are informed about the result electronically via the email address provided. 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.

3. Upon the Rector’s decision, the Finance Department of the CU Rectorate transfers the financial resources in the relevant amount to the faculty or other unit. If the beneficiary of support under Article 2 (a) (i) is a student, the faculty provides the support to the student via a bursary in the form of special prize for the support of study abroad based on a Dean’s decision.

Article 9 Audit of the Use of Financial Resources Allocated:

1. Applicants (a student, faculty, or other unit) who received support are responsible for due, economical, effective, and efficient use of the resources.

2. The supported activities must be 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 Department of CU Rectorate within two months of the termination of the project or return from the stay abroad. The documents are submitted electronically using the CU internal competitions system. In case of technical difficulties or in other cases worthy of special consideration the documents may be submitted via email to .

3. If the applicant breaches his duties under paragraphs 1 or 2, he 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 Expert Panel. The provision of this paragraph does not apply to support provided to a student in the form of a bursary (Article 2 (a) (i)).

Article 10 Support within Activity C

1. The proposals for support of activities within the framework of strategic partnerships (i) are discussed by a commission. The commission is chaired by the Vice-Rector for International Affairs. Other members of the commission are appointed by the Rector. The commission meets as required. The results of the commission meetings are submitted to the Rector’s Board for approval.

2. Support for the establishment of “international centres” and “student ambassadors” (ii) is discussed on a continuous basis by the Rector’s Board and the Rector determines the amount of the support.