UniPID Virtual Studies Calls for Proposals 2025

The Finnish University Partnership for International Development – UniPID is hereby inviting interested teachers and lecturers from UniPID member universities to submit course proposals for the UniPID Virtual Studies programme.

The aim of the UniPID Virtual Studies programme is to offer equal opportunities for students to learn about global development and sustainability, especially bringing forward perspectives from the Global South. The programme deepens collaboration between UniPID’s member universities and draws on their specific areas of expertise related to global challenges and global responsibility. Students from the member universities, including exchange students, are offered by the possibility to take individual courses from the Virtual Studies Catalogue. Additionally, students can complete an online study module, Sustainability in Development, and include the credits in their degree. The courses form a collaborative effort to avoid duplication and meet increasing demand and need for courses on sustainable development and global responsibility. Courses offered in the current academic year, can be found here.

For this year, two contribution modalities have been introduced. Along with our regular call for virtual courses, the possibility to pool already existing courses into our Virtual Studies catalogue is offered. Both calls are open from 3 October until 4 December 2024. Please read the description of each call carefully before selecting the right submission form.

Online Info-Session. The Coordination Unit and the Virtual Studies working group invite you to an Info Session on 22 October at 15.-16.30 (EET, Helsinki time), where both call modalities will be addressed. You are welcome to raise your questions and comments. You can access the video recording of the Q&A session and info material through this link: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/unipid-virtual-studies-call-for-proposals-info-session/

How to submit a proposal?

  1. All proposals should be submitted via the specific form. Please read the description of each call carefully (available below), and make sure you are using the right form that applies for your proposal.
  2. The submission period (for both calls) starts on 3 October and ends on 4 December 2024.
  3. Sucessful applications should include:
  • Contact details of the applicant.
  • Contact details of the person representing the degree programme/faculty at the home institution with whom the proposal was discussed/agreed.
  • A document containing the virtual course proposal (3-6 pages). More information on how to prepare your proposal, along with a template, can be found in the specific call.

Modality 1: GENERAL CALL FOR COURSE PROPOSALS 2025

The 2025 General Call for Proposals aims to fund courses that contribute to and expand the themes and overall offering of UniPID's Virtual Studies Programme. Course proposals for new courses as well as for updating existing UniPID courses are welcome. Average sums assigned for the courses:

New UniPID course: A sum of up to 6500 € per course is available from UniPID for the creation and provision of a new online course. Any course proposal that adheres to the UniPID Virtual Studies learning objectives is eligible to apply.

Updating an existing UniPID course: A sum of up to 4500 € per course is available from UniPID for updating a course that has been offered at least 3 times as a part of the UniPID Virtual Studies syllabus. Please note that the existing course's design and content can be modified to fit the current call's criteria.

This call is for you if:

  • The course in question is an entirely new course designed and developed to align with the UniPID Virtual Studies learning objectives. OR, the course in question is a course previously offered (at least three times) within the UniPID Virtual Studies programme, and the funding is intended to update it and offer it again within UniPID.
  • The proponent/teacher of the course is afilliated with one of the UniPID member universities.
  • The course proponent/instructor has already discussed with their respective heads of degree programme/faculty the possibility and approval process for introducing a new course unit into the curriculum. (For updated courses, it is expected that they are already part of the institution's curriculum.)

Find the full call and submission form here: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/unipid-virtual-studies-call-for-proposals-2025/

Modality 2: CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR POOLING COURSES 2025

For the first time, UniPID invites teachers and lecturers responsible for existing courses at their home universities to contribute to and expand the themes and offerings of UniPID's Virtual Studies programme.

What does pooling courses involve? The method of pooling existing courses offered by UniPID’s member universities contributes to the idea of sharing expertise in topics aligned with UniPID’s mission, avoiding overlap, and expanding the number of courses available in UniPID Virtual Studies. UniPID’s member university teachers may propose well-established courses that are already included in degree programmes of the member universities and do not require additional funding to be added to the UniPID Virtual Studies Programme.

This call is for you if:

  • The course in question is already part of your home institution's curriculum but has never been offered through the UniPID.
  • The course in question exists in the curriculum of one of the UniPID member universities.
  • The course in matter is (can be) offered in English, in an online format, and is worth 5 ECTS.

Find the full call for proposals for pooling courses 2025 and register here: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/virtual-studies-call-for-pooling-courses-2025/

For further information or doubts, please feel free to contact Ana Tarazona ()

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Photo credits: Sean Sinclair, 2018 on UnSplash