NTU/U of I Travel Grants Program

NTU and U of I have launched the Travel Grants Program for university research scientists. This program aims to foster bilateral academic connections and facilitates mobility to NTU or U of I.

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NTU and U of I have each committed to fund up to four selected proposals and offer up to USD $5,000 (NTD $150,000) per selected proposal. Applicants should apply to travel grants of their respective university. NTU Office of International Affairs (OIA) and U of I Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation (OVPEDI) will administer the program.

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1. Eligibility

1.1 Both NTU and U of I applicants must be faculty members for the duration of the funding period.

1.2 Applicant must identify at least one target collaborator at the other university that motivates the travel.

1.3 Applicant is eligible to receive the travel grant at most twice.

2. Funding Information

2.1 Total funding available for each round is USD $40,000, approximately NTD $1,200,000, shared equally by NTU and U of I.

2.2 Funding amount per selected proposal is up to USD $5,000, approximately NTD $150,000, and NTU and U of I will each fund up to four projects.

2.3 The actual amount of funding available and number of projects funded in each round will be reviewed and determined annually by mutual agreement between NTU and U of I.

2.4 Funding period is one year, starting from January 1 and ending on December 31. Unless jointly approved by the coordinator, there will be no extensions beyond this timeframe.

2.5 Funding not spent by the end of the funding period must be returned so that unspent balances can be re-allocated.

2.6 Funding covers international travel by the funding university’s faculty members and students, hosting scholars from the other university (daily stipends in principle) , and international events in Taiwan (international events in Taiwan can only be reimbursed through NTU funding).

2.7 Funding does not cover consumable supplies and equipment for research and personnel expenses.

2.8 Funding should only be utilized for the selected proposal and approved budget plan.

2.9 All expenses must comply with the guidelines of the respective universities to which reimbursement is to be sought.

3. Application Information

3.1 All proposals must include the following sections:

3.1.1 Applicant CV

3.1.2 A list of target collaborator(s) at the other university that motivates the visit

3.1.3 Collaboration background and/or incentive

3.1.4 Travel timeline and agenda

3.1.5 Collaboration prospect up to three pages (a description of the potential collaboration, the desired outcomes and impact of the collaboration)

3.2 To apply, NTU faculty members should submit the proposal to NTU Office of International Affairs via email to ntuglobalea@ntu.edu.tw, and U of I faculty members should submit the proposal to the online application system.

3.3 Late application will not be considered.

4. Selection and Result Notification

4.1 Proposal selection will be made respectively by NTU and U of I selection committees, which reserve the final authority over the proposal selection taking into account university and faculty strategic priorities and the availability of funding.

4.2 Funding will be provided on a competitive basis, following the selection criteria below:

Quality of proposal

Breadth and depth of engagement and collaboration; significance, innovation, and relevance of the proposed research or activities; clarity, feasibility, and coherence of the project description, objectives, and intended outcomes

Relevance

Relevance to the NTU / U of I grant program’s objectives of fostering bilateral academic connections and facilitating mobility to NTU or U of I

Sustainability

Potential for the travel grant to have a lasting impact beyond the actual travel period; how the grantee intends to disseminate their learnings, continue the collaboration, and/or contribute to the broader community upon their return

Diversity and inclusion

How the travel grant can contribute to fostering diversity and inclusion (e.g., geographic, gender, cultural, disciplinary, etc.)

4.3 Successful applicants will receive a letter of award outlining the process to accept the travel grant.

4.4 Feedback on individual applications will not be provided.

5. Recipient Obligation

5.1 Recipients must mention the funding in all appropriate media, including any events arising from activities supported by this funding should include an acknowledgement of “NTU-U of I Travel Grants Program” and any publications/presentations arising from activities supported by this funding should include acknowledgement of “This publication/presentation is supported in part by the Travel Grants Program between National Taiwan University and the University of Illinois System.”

5.2 Recipients must submit a final report within three months of the end of the funding period that details the travel outcome, impact, and future collaboration plans.

5.3 Recipients must comply with all relevant laws and university regulations, including those relating to intellectual property, codes of conduct, etc.

6. Important Dates

For reference, the important dates of the 2024 round Travel Grants Program are as follows:

Milestones

Dates

Call for Proposals published

Aug. 2, 2023

RSVP for Information and Partnering Webinar

Sep. 8, 2023

Submit slides for optional three-minute talk during Webinar

Sep. 12, 2023

Information and Partnering Webinar (optional participation)

Sep. 14, 2023 7 – 8 pm CDT

Sep. 15, 2023 8 – 9 am Taiwan

Proposal submission deadline

Oct. 27, 2023

Announcement of awards

Dec. 2023

Proposed activities commence

Jan. 1, 2024

7. Coordinator

National Taiwan University

Yu-chiao Chang

Office of International Affairs

Email: ntuglobalea@ntu.edu.tw

Phone: +886 (0) 2 3366 2007 ext 221

University of Illinois System

Jisu Hong

Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation

Email: jisuhong@uillinois.edu

Phone: +1-217-300-6686