Aktion

AKTION – GENERAL INFORMATION

The AKTION programme was founded in 1992 as a joint programme of the Czech and Austrian ministries of education. It promotes co-operation in higher education and science between the Czech Republic and Austria. This project also involves some smaller projects which serve to establish new co-operation or to develop existing co-operation.

The programme is designated for:

• Master students
• doctoral students
• postdoctoral students
• academic staff

It can be used for:

• study and research stays
• co-operation projects
• summer language schools

Partner universities in Austria:

state universities
higher vocationals schools
pedagogical colleges
private universities

Academic year in Austria:

Winter semester: 1 October – 31 January of the given year

Summer semester: 1 March – 30 June of the given year

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

• a student or a member of the academic staff must be a citizen of EU, EEA or Switzerland
• a student must be enrolled in a full-time study programme at a public institution of higher education
• a member of the academic staff must be employed at a public institution of higher education

Mobility

The AKTION programme allows participants to engage in:

• study and research stays
• summer language schools

Mobility for the purpose of studies and research

The AKTION programme provides a wide range of stays abroad for students and researchers:

• one-semester scholarships and short-term research scholarships
• scholarships for higher education institutions teachers
• scholarships for conducting doctoral thesis in a team
• habilitation scholarships for postdoctoral students

I. One-semester scholarships and short-term research scholarships

• It can be used once by undergraduate students and once by postgraduate students and it cannot be extended.
• At the time of submitting the application, the students must be at least in the 1st semester of their Master’s studies.
• Applications for scholarships can be found here
• Applications must be adequately technically justified (the theme of the scientific project and its content must be included), applicants must supply proof of contact with the department of the Austrian higher education institution where they want to stay (promise of acceptance) and they must have sufficient knowledge of the German language (or English). Documents that must be attached to the application for scholarship can be found here
• The applicant registration form, which must be signed by foreign relations/student department of your faculty can be found here.
• Amount of the scholarship: students – EUR 1,150/month, higher education institutions teachers – EUR 1,250/month
• The scholarship is intended to cover all costs. The Austrian Exchange Service (OeAD-GmbH) can secure accommodation with a rent of EUR 220 – 600 (on the basis of electronic filling of your request for a fee of EUR 18 ).
• More information can be found here

II. Scholarships for higher education institutions teachers

• The stay cannot take place sooner than 3 months of submitting the application.
• The target institution includes public and State higher education institutions and universities in Austria. Besides them, academic work can be conducted also in archives, libraries, museums and research institutions whose materials, results of research and infrastructure are necessary for implementation of the project. The application for scholarship must in any case include a “statement of academic supervisor” from the university or higher education institution.
• The application for scholarship can be submitted here
• Annexes to the application for scholarship can be found here
• Amount of the scholarship: university teacher – EUR 1,250/month
• The scholarship is intended to cover all costs. At request, the Austrian Exchange Service (OeAD-GmbH) can arrange for accommodation with a rent of EUR 220 – 600 (for a fee of EUR 18) and accident and health insurance.
• More information can be found here

III. Habilitation scholarships for postdoctoral students

• The stay is not possible earlier than 6 months after submission of the application.
• The target institution includes public and State higher education institutions and universities in Austria. Besides them, academic work can be conducted also in archives, libraries, museums and research institutions whose materials, results of research and infrastructure are necessary for implementation of the project. The application for scholarship must in any case include a “statement of academic supervisor” from the university or higher education institution.
• The aim of this scholarship is to support young researchers in finishing their habilitation. New methods, procedures and techniques should be implemented at the host research institute; the acquired know-how will then be utilised by both Austrian and Czech researchers and the scientific quality of the host institution should be permanently improved as a result of the applicant’s scientific expertise. Such exchange of experience should be beneficial for both parties. The co-operation established should strengthen the scientific relations between the home and host institutions for benefit and advancement of the Austrian and Czech scientific communities.
• The application for scholarship can be submitted here
• Annexes to the application for scholarship can be found here
• Amount of the scholarship. Postdoctoral student EUR 1,200/month
• The scholarship is intended to cover all costs. At request, the Austrian Exchange Service (ÖAD) can arrange for accommodation with a rent of EUR 220 – 600 (for a fee of EUR 18) and accident and health insurance.
• More information can be found here

IV. Further important information

• applications for financial support must be adequately technically justified, including the topic and contents of the scientific work
• applicants must provide proof of contact with the department of the Austrian higher education institution where they wish to stay, i.e. promise of acceptance, which will be obtained by the applicant
• applicants must have the sufficient knowledge of German (or English)
• applicants from the Czech Republic are exempt from tuition fees

Summer Language Schools

• GENERAL INFORMATION
• This is a bilateral three-week language course organised in the Czech Republic, where an equally large group of Czech and Austrian students learn the language of the other country until midday (they are taught by Czech and Austrian teachers) and in the afternoons and on weekends they attend lectures of interesting personalities, 3 – 4 tours, screenings of various movies, discussions etc., which are held in both languages.
• All students of Czech public universities with intermediate to advanced knowledge of German can apply for the scholarship.
• Priority will be given to students who have not attended any summer school so far. The selected participants must pay a participation fee in the amount of CZK 3,500.
• Summer language schools are held in the following cities:
  • o České Budějovice: the language course is organised for students of social sciences only
  • o Poděbrady: the language course is organised for the students of various fields of study
• The dates of Summer language schools in academic year 2024/2025 will be published.

AKTION for coordinators – general information

The AKTION programme offers the opportunity to apply for the following projects:

• co-operation projects for pre-defined activities
• projects supporting professional excursions for students

Co-operation project for previously defined activities

1. Authorised institutions for submission of draft co-operation projects

Austria:

• state universities
  higher vocationals schools
  pedagogical colleges
  private universities
• archives, libraries, museums or some other institutions, if the use of their equipment or the scientific potential is necessary for the implementation of the project (only in conjunction with the institutions specified in the previous points (i.e. State universities, higher vocational schools and teacher schools)

Czech Republic:

• public higher education institutions according to Annex 1 to Act on Higher Education Institutions No. 111/1998 Coll.

1. Who can submit a project?

• only employees of the teaching institutions specified in paragraph 1 can submit draft co-operation projects

1. Deadline for submitting draft co-operation project

• 30 March 2024 (for the period of the project implementation from 1 July till 31 December 2024)
• 15 May 2024 (for the period of the project implementation from 1 September till 31 December 2024)
• Note!: All projects are submitted to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports through the BUT rector´s office. (Please send a signed project proposal with all attachments as one PDF file to the e-mail address: formackova@vutbr.cz in advance. (You will be informed about the deadline by e-mail).

1. Supported and unsupported activities

The following persons are supported within the AKTION project:

• students enrolled in full-time study programmes
• researchers (Austria)
• members of the academic staff (CR)

The list of supported and unsupported activities can be found here.

1. Preparation of a draft co-operation project

The following documents are available for the preparation of draft co-operation project:

Form for draft co-operation projects

Formal instructions for submission of the co-operation project

1. Funding of co-operation projects

Accommodation expenses of the persons participating in co-operation projects from the Czech Republic to Austria are as follows:

• Assistants, associate professors, professors and other researchers: EUR 90/day. This amount is intended for food and accommodation and relates only to short-term stays that do not exceed 10 days.
• Students and PhD candidates: EUR 1 050/month
• Academic staff: EUR 1,150/month
• Students attending tours and seminars: EUR 45/day (including payment for accommodation)
• Remuneration for tutors: max. EUR 50/teaching period (including statutory levies) for up to 4 teaching periods/person and project. This applies only to the lectures beyond the scope of the usual curricula of the host university.
• Travel expenses: reimbursed up to the cost of a 2nd class train ticket. Financial compensation for using a car will be paid in case of justified use of a private car
• The AKTION programme does not cover travel health insurance.
• Guidelines and Rates for Establishment of Financial Requirements

More detailed information can be found on the website of The Centre for International Cooperation in Education (DZS) and its section AKTION – Guidelines for Draft Projects, Including Funding and Completion

Projects for professional-interest tours

1. What is supported within the professional-interest tours project?

• Tours with a scientific programme are supported within the project. The scientific orientation of the tour will be evident from the specification of one or more university departments of the target country that will be involved in planning and conducting of the tour. Students of the host university must attend at least part of the scientific and teaching agenda of the tour.
• A detailed scientific agenda must be drawn up for each day of the tour. During their stay, tour participants should be accompanied by one or more staff member of university departments of the respective fields. When visiting other scientific institutions such as libraries, archives, etc., a contact competent person should also be specified.

1. For whom is the project intended?

• Support is provided only to students participating in tours and to a maximum of two accompanying persons.

1. Draft project

Applications must be submitted on the “Draft Project” form to the contact point of the AKTION Czech Republic – Austria Programme at: DZS – AKTION, Na Poříčí 1035/4, 110 00 Prague 1

For more detailed information, visit the website of the Centre for International Cooperation in Education (DZS) and its section AKTION – Information about the support of professional-interest tours for students
Contact person at BUT: Mgr. Tereza Formáčková (formackova@vutbr.cz)