oead.news for scholars & alumni | June 2010

June 2010
CONTENT
OeAD

Inside
> Info4scholars
> Europass
> Intercultural Competence for Young Researchers on the Move
> Franz Werfel symposium 2010
> KEF - Commission for Development Studies at the OeAD-GmbH Alumni meetings in Ethiopia, China & Turkey Programmes, scholarships & grants
> APPEAR – Deadline 30.7.2010
> Incoming grants - Deadlines

© Nationalagentur/OeAD
Info4scholars
Even more services for scholarship holders
Scholarship holders often also like to use their study or research period for collecting further information about the education sector and funding possibilities which could be relevant for their future career. “info4scholars”, initiated by the Centre for International Cooperation and Mobility – ICM is such a project. The planned events offer scholarship holders – in addition to the cultural excursions of the regional offices – also the chance for networking and exchange of experiences.
“Show what you are capable of“ was the title of the first event organised by the ICM in cooperation with the OeAD National Agency for Lifelong Learning and Europass Austria. The 32 participants from nine different countries gained an insight into the Austrian education system and the European higher education landscape. Magdalena Burtscher and Lydia Rössler of Europass Austria also informed about the Bologna Process and the portfolio of Europass.
Especially the Diploma Supplement, one of the five Europass documents, was met with great interest. Those participants who complete their studies in Austria will receive this document in German and English from their universities. A lively discussion about admission requirements in Europe followed, which continued in the informal part of the event. Many of the participants expressed the wish for further events and meetings.
The “info4scholars” team at the ICM/OeAD will try to comply with this wish in cooperation with the regional offices and will continue this series.

Europass
Let Europass show what you know!
Opening doors to learning and working in Europe
Europass helps to make skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood throughout Europe and enhances individual mobility in education, training and on the labour market as well. Europass is a portfolio of five documents, which can be used individually or in any combination. This framework was developed at European level
and wants to improve the transparency of diplomas, certificates and competences.
The Europass Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Europass Language Passport are created by the holder himself/herself, both can be completed online on the Europass Portal in 26 languages. (www.europass.europa.eu)
The Europass Mobility, Certificate Supplement and the Diploma Supplement are filled in and issued by competent authorities or institutions.
Europass is used by job applicants, employers and counsellors as well.
Actually the implementation of Europass is supported by a network of National Europass Centers (www.europass.at) in 31 countries.
How does Europass work?
Europass CV is a standardised form for creating a CV, allowing to communicate qualifications and competences in a systematic, chronological and flexible format. Europass CV gives a comprehensive overview and makes it possible to describe e.g. soft skills in a concise way.
Europass Language Passport clearly presents the holder’s language proficiency. The Language competence can be characterised with reference to the Common European Framework of Languages, which defines six levels (from A1, 2 basic user, B1, 2 independent user to C1, 2 proficient user) divided into partial competences “understanding”: listening and reading, “speaking”: spoken interaction and spoken
production and “writing”. A self-assessment grid consisting of a short description of the level is a relevant tool to fill in the Language Passport.
Certificates and experience with the language can also be included in the language passport, the latter showing for example the range of intercultural experience.
Europass Mobility is a documentation of learning and work experience gained abroad.
The Certificate Supplement describes the profile of skills and competences gained during a vocational training programme and is issued jointly with certificates to which it applies; for examples in German and English see www.zeugnisinfo.at.
The Europass Diploma Supplement contains personal and detailed information about the higher education diploma or degree earned by its holder.
In Austria it has been mandatory since 2005 for institutions of higher education to provide each graduate with a diploma supplement. Usually the Diploma Supplement is issued in German and in English.

Intercultural Competence for Young Researchers on the Move
Managing cultural diversity while working in international research teams is an essential task for young academics. More and more young researches seek periods of study and work abroad to improve their scientific career and establish new academic ties. While teaching, learning and research in a new academic environment can be an exciting and enriching experience, an unfamiliar cultural setting can at the same time entail unexpected challenges and obstacles. What are the challenges, the demands and the basic conditions that occur when working in foreign academic settings?
This interactive workshop is part of the activities in the project “Researchers on the Move. Intercultural Dimensions in Sciences and Humanities”, which facilitates critical discourse about interculturality in sciences and humanities and at the same time creates an opportunity for students/researchers from different backgrounds to meet and exchange their views. The workshop took place on March 19th, 2010 in Graz and we would like to thank all participants for their motivation and for sharing their intercultural experiences.

Jean Bertrand Miguoue, Werfel scholar and Lydia Skarits, ICM © OeAD
Alumnus-Portrait of Jean Bertrand Miguoue
Christoph Ramoser (Federal Ministry for Science and Research-BMWF), Konstanze
Friedl (University of Vienna), Beatrix Karl (Austrian Federal Minister for Science and Research) & Hubert Dürrstein, CEO OeADGmbH © HBF/Wenzel
Franz Werfel symposium 2010
The Franz Werfel Grant – a programme with sustainability
On April 16th and 17th, 2010 the annual Franz Werfel symposium took place at the Austrian Society for Literature. After the opening presentation by Doron Rabinovici (Handschellen aus Österreich. Oder: Das Behagen in der Kultur) selected Franz Werfel scholars gave a speech about the topic ”poems and history. About the poetic and political speech in Austria”. One of the highlights of the symposium was the meeting with Beatrix Karl, the Austrian Federal Minister for Science and Research. Beatrix
Karl honours the Franz Werfel grant as the most successful programme of the Ministry of Science and Research in the framework of international mobility. For her the programme is not only an established part of the literary and cultural life of Austria; but the recipients of Werfel grants are ambassadors for Austrian literature
and culture worldwide. The Franz Werfel programme, which was initiated in 1992, is also the oldest programme of the ministry. The Franz Werfel Grant, which was named after the Austrian-Bohemian author Franz Werfel (1890- 1945), addresses itself to
young university teachers from all over the world whose work focuses on Austrian literature. Recipients of Werfel grants can work as visiting researchers at university departments and carry out specialist studies in libraries, archives or at research institutions.
This grant does not only offer material support for up to 18 months but also guarantees sustainability through follow-up support.

Scientific Quality and Value - Relevance for Development – Sustainability The Commission for Development Studies at the OeAD-GmbH (KEF) aims at bridging the gap between science and development in supporting a development-oriented approach in research and science.

Scientific Quality and Value - Relevance for Development – Sustainability - these are the main KEF criteria for project funding.
Recently four project reports and a factsheet were published on the website, all are available in English:
Brazil: Plants for civil engineering structures: Analyses of selected criteria for sustainable soil protection in Southern Brazil
Nepal: Food security in local markets of the Kathmandu valley - Validation and quality control of methods for pesticide analysis
Nepal: Identification of criteria and indicators for a sustainable management of community forests - a research project based on community forestry in Nepal
Cambodia: Promoting biodiversity conservation in Cambodia – Cambiodiversity
Bhutan: The Education System in Bhutan & Austro-Bhutanese Development and Research Cooperation (KEF Fact Sheet 1/2010)
Web feature: ‘Happiness’ - a path towards development?
The current KEF Forum discusses the interconnections between the concept of ‘Gross National
Happiness’ and the national development in the kingdom, particularly during the last decade.

Alumni meetings
Ethiopia: AEEA Alumni Conference, October 9 to 10, 2010
The approval of the AEEA, Association of Ethiopians Educated in Austria constitution and action plan was done during the alumni conference in April 2009 organised by the OeAD and the Austrian coordination office at Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Based on the approved alumni association constitution the conference participants elected an Executive Committee (EC) consisting of five members to lead the association for two years.
The EC, after taking the responsibility of leading the association, engaged in searching funds to implement the action plan. As a result the EC decided to prepare a project proposal for fund soliciting and luckily the EC with its first attempt of preparing a convincing project proposal succeeded to get a fund from KKS to cover the costs of the action plan for the year 2009/10.
Meanwhile AEEA is now registered and licensed by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Justice Charities and Societies Agency as an Ethiopian Residents Society in accordance with the Charities and Societies Proclamation No.621/2009 and it has a certificate bearing the number 1712, which has been issued on March 18, 2010.
Therefore, the main objectives of the planned conference are:
 To officially inaugurate AEEA and to declare that it is a legal and certified association.
 To monitor/midterm evaluate the action plan of the AEEA, and
 To serve as a forum for members to exchange ideas, experiences and present papers of national and international significance.
Please use the following e-mail contact addresses to give your comments:
Soromessa@yahoo.com
esubalewabate@gmail.com


China
This year the OeAD and Eurasia-Pacific Uninet will organize a first meeting of all Chinese alumni of the OeAD at the Expo 2010 in Shanghai.
Time: October 20, 2010, 2 - 8pm
Place: Austrian Pavilion, WORLD EXPO 2010
Shanghai, China
All Chinese scholars will get an invitation by e-mail from us soon. We are looking forward to receiving many registrations for the event. See you in Shanghai!
Mongolia
This year the OeAD and Eurasia-Pacific Uninet will organize a first meeting of all Mongolian alumni of the OeAD in Ulan Bator.
Time: July 14, 2010, 6:30 pm
Place: Gate Restaurant, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
All Mongolian scholars have already received an invitation by e-mail for this event.
We are looking forward to receiving many registrations and hope you will have an unforgettable evening with fellow alumni of the OeAD and representatives from Austria.
Turkey
The Austrian Association for the Middle East and the Austrian Cultural Forum Istanbul invite alumni of different Austrian scholarship programs from Turkey for an alumni meeting in Istanbul on September 25, 2010. This meeting will provide the opportunity to present projects, exchange ideas and experiences and have face to face contact with other alumni of different fields.
Connected to this meeting is a cultural program in the evening of September 24th at the Austrian Cultural Forum (Yeniköy): Opening of an exhibition about the famous oriental scientist Freiherr von Hammer-Purgstall, followed by a concert.
For more information and if you are interested in participating please contact
Dr. Theresia Laubichler, Austrian Association for the Middle East (ÖOG)
theresia.laubichler@orient-gesellschaft.at

Programmes, Scholarships & Grants
APPEAR – general information
The objective of the new programme appear is to strengthen institutional capacities in higher education, research and management in the key regions of the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) through academic partnerships with Austrian academic institutions and Master's and PhD Programmes as a contribution to sustainable reduction of poverty.
The Kick off event of appear took place on March 24, 2010; in Vienna, Please find the programme and the presentations (only available in German) and the pictures on our website!
An Information event for scholars (in English) took place on April 15, 2010; in Vienna.
The powerpoint presentation in English can be found here!
Deadline for submission of academic partnerships: July 31, 2010
The programme has two components whereby the focus is on the academic partnerships. However, this is closely related to Master's and PhD programmes that mainly support students and academics from already existing partnerships to implement long lasting and sustainable cooperation. Both components share the overall objective to strengthen the institutional capacity of the partners in the South. Appear funds well-designed collaborative and innovative projects that respond to identified
needs and demands in the partner countries and institutions. The participatory approach of the programme means that project proposals are expected to be planned and worked out jointly. At least two higher education institutions – one from the country addressed and one from Austria – must be involved in the partnership.

Eligible countries
Partner institutions in the South, and participants of Master's and PhD programmes at Austrian universities, come from the following countries:
 Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya
 Mozambique
 Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Senegal
 Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala
 Bhutan, Nepal
 Palestinian Territories
Thematic focus
All proposed activities are expected to be related to the thematic focus of appear.
 Higher education and research for development
 Water supply and sanitation, rural development, energy, private sector development, governance and human rights
 Poverty reduction, environment and natural resources, peace building and conflict prevention, gender equality
 Strengthening of skills in social sciences as an instrument to systematically analyze the reasons of poverty and to empower capacities in social science research

Application deadline for incoming grants
September 1, 2010 – Application deadline for Incoming grants
 Scholarship Council of the Scholarship Foundation of the Republic of Austria
Scholarships for students
- who are descendants of forced labour workers
- or come from those countries that have exceptionally suffered from the Nazi regime, especially from the recruitment of forced labour workers.
September 1, 2010 – Application deadline for Outgoing grants
 Marietta Blau Grant
The Marietta Blau Grant offers financial support for carrying out the abroad part (6-12 months) of a doctoral programme at Austrian universities: the grant enables scientific research worldwide.
Target group: Highly qualified doctoral candidates enrolled at an Austrian university
Detailed information: www.grants.at
Submission of applications: www.scholarships.at
Acknowledgements: Responsible for the Content: DI Elke Stinnig
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