It's that time of year again! We are calling for course proposals to update our UniPID Virtual Studies Programme. If you are a teacher or lecturer at any UniPID member university and have an idea for virtual courses on global development and sustainability, this is your opportunity to collaborate. Join the Q&A info session and submit your proposal by 4 December 2024.

Virtual Studies Calls for Course Proposal 2025

The 2025 Call for Proposals aims to expand the themes and overall offerings of UniPID's Virtual Studies Programme. This year, two contribution modalities have been introduced. In addition to our regular call for virtual courses, there is an option to pool already existing courses into our Virtual Studies Programme. Both calls are open from 3 October until 4 December 2024.

UniPID welcomes proposals that address topics related to challenges in sustainable development and/or project management in development cooperation. Special emphasis will be placed on proposals produced and designed in collaboration with partner universities in the Global South, and with a strong interdisciplinary approach.

Find more information about the different modalities below, choose the right one for you, and submit your proposal by 4 December 2024:

Modality 1: GENERAL CALL FOR COURSE PROPOSALS 2025: This call modality covers the regular UniPID annual call. It is aimed at entirely new UniPID courses and updates to courses previously offered through the UniPID Virtual Studies Programme. The average funding amounts for the courses are as follows:

• New UniPID Course: A sum of up to 6 500 € 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 4 500 € per course is available from UniPID for updating a course that has been offered at least 3 times as part of the UniPID Virtual Studies syllabus.

Find the full Cal for Course Proposals 2025 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. This is the new modality for including your already existing course in our Virtual Studies Programme. This approach supports the sharing of expertise among UniPID member universities on topics aligned with UniPID’s mission. It helps avoid overlap while expanding the number of courses offered through UniPID. Teachers from UniPID member universities may propose well-established courses that are already part of degree programmes at their institutions and do not require additional funding to be added to the UniPID Virtual Studies Programme.

Find the full Cal for Proposals for Pooling Courses 2025 and submission form here: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/virtual-studies-call-for-pooling-courses-2025/.

How do I know which modality is right for me?

Answer the following questions to determine which modality is most suitable for you and your proposal.

• Submissions through the Call for Course Proposals – Category “New UniPID course”.

1. Are you applying for funding to offer an entirely new course designed and developed to align with the UniPID Virtual Studies learning objectives?
2. Are you affiliated with a UniPID member university?
3. Have you discussed with the head of the degree programme/faculty the possibility of including your course proposal in the curriculum?

If you answered "YES" to all the above questions, you should submit your proposal through the regular Call for Course Proposals 2025, under the category "New UniPID Course." The full call and submission form can be found here: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/unipid-virtual-studies-call-for-proposals-2025/.

• Submissions through the Call for Course Proposals – Category “Update an existing UniPID course”.

4. Are you applying for funding to update a course that has been offered through UniPID at least three times?

5. Are you still affiliated with a UniPID member university?

6. Is the course still part of a degree programme at your home university?

If you answered "YES" to all the above questions, you should submit your proposal through the regular Call for Course Proposals 2025, under the category "Update an existing UniPID Course." The full call and submission form can be found here: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/unipid-virtual-studies-call-for-proposals-2025/ .

• Submissions through the Call for Proposals for Pooling Courses

7. Is the course already part of your home institution's curriculum but has never been offered through the UniPID Virtual Studies Programme?

8. Is the course part of the curriculum of one of the UniPID member universities and does not require additional funding to be added to the UniPID Virtual Studies Programme?

9. Does the course align with the UniPID Virtual Studies learning objectives?

10. Can the course be offered in English, in an online format, and is it worth 5 ECTS?

If you answer “YES” for all the above questions, you should submit your proposal through the Call for Proposals for Pooling Courses 2025. The full call and submission form can be found here: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/virtual-studies-call-for-pooling-courses-2025/.

How to submit a proposal?

If you have submitted course proposals in previous years, you may notice that the submission process has changed slightly. Now, instead of filling out the course information in a form, you are required to submit a document with detailed information about your course proposals. To help with drafting your proposal, we have made a template document available for download.

Please bear in mind the following:

1. All proposals should be submitted via the specific form.

2. The submission period (for both calls) starts on 3 October and ends on 4 December 2024.

3. Successful 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.

Q&A Info session recording.

The Coordination Unit and the Virtual Studies working group organized an Info Session on 22 October 2024 with information on both call modalities and an open Q&A.

You can find a recording of the session and the presentation file here: https://www.unipid.fi/vs-forms/unipid-virtual-studies-call-for-proposals-info-session/.

Should you have any questions or doubts? Please feel free to contact Ana Tarazona (if.iknisleh@sivlaganozarat.ana)

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Photo credits: Nathan Hulsey, 2017 on UnSplash.