11th APPEAR Call

11th Call | APPEAR III | Information for Applicants

This is the fourth and final call for applications within the third APPEAR programme phase running until 2027. Since the beginning of APPEAR in 2009 it is now the 11th Call.

The 11th Call is open for:

  • Academic Partnership - maximum duration: 2 years
  • Advanced Academic Partnership - maximum duration: 2 years
  • Extended Impact Partnership - maximum duration: 2 years

The deadline for submissions is 31 May 2024.

Selected projects can start in spring 2025 at the earliest for a maximum duration of 2 years. The programme period of APPEAR III ends in 2027. No applications for Preparatory Funding and Individual Scholarships can be submitted in this call.

On this site you will find the guidelines, application forms as well as further information and links.

Guidelines | 11th Call

Webinars for Applicants

The APPEAR Office offers two webinars for applicants: 

Webinar 1 | Wednesday, 13 March 2024, 10:00-11:30 CET: general questions on funding instruments, formal requirements, and general recommendations.
PPP of Webinar 1

Webinar 2 | Tuesday, 16 April 2024, 10:00-11:30 CEST: theory of change, financial regulations, frequently asked questions.
Please register

Gender Mainstreaming

A detailed collection of gender mainstreaming material has been compiled which aims at supporting applicants and project partners in the inclusion of gender perspectives in their partnerships. Strategies, toolkits, articles, exemplary questions for the consideration of gender perspectives, etc.can be found there.

Diversity strategy

The APPEAR Diversity Strategy shall serve as a guideline to identify gender inequality during every programme and project phase, and to recognise the diversity among the population and especially among the programme's target demographics.

Looking for Austrian partner institutions / study programmes?

Eligible Austrian HEI

In Austria, only higher education institutions (HEI) are eligible to participate. Based on the categorisation of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research Austrian higher education institutions comprise public and private universities, universities of applied sciences and university colleges of teacher education.

Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research

Overview of eligible Austrian HEI.

Austrian Higher Education Institutions

Austrian universities, universities of applied sciences and university colleges of teacher education at a glance. Please make sure the institution is on the list of eligible Austrian HEI above.

Study programmes in Austria

Database allows filtering according to study area, type of degree, type of institution, language and location.

Project databases

OeAD.map - Map of OeAD projects and alumni

AERD - African Education Research Database

Research Earth - Map of Swiss research partnerships

FAQ concerning the application

The FAQ will be updated on a regular basis

> Which language should be used for the proposal?

Only use English, the working language of APPEAR. Furthermore, the reports of selected projects including external audit reports have to be submitted in English.

> Are non-universitary research institutions eligible as project partners?

Each APPEAR partnership has to consist of at least one Austrian institution (= higher education institutions that comprise public and private universities, universities of applied sciences, university colleges of teacher education) and at least one academic institution in the main target group of the APPEAR programme (= higher education institutions and research institutions).

Only institutions out of these two groups can submit a project.

> Are institutions of another legal status eligible as project partners?

Non-academic institutions from priority countries, such as NGOs, think tanks, teaching institutions, civil society organisations, are eligible to participate as additional partners. Private sector entities can be included but are not eligible to receive funding. Please note that each APPEAR partnership has to consist of at least one Austrian institution and one academic institution in a priority country.

Non-academic institutions in priority countries thus can only be additional partners. They are not allowed to submit and coordinate the project.

> Are institutions of another legal status based in Austria eligible as project partners?

Only institutions of another legal status in the priority countries can be conceived as partners. Institutions of another legal status in Austria can be added as external experts, consultants, trainers, etc. for specific activities that cannot be covered by the main partner institutions. Their contribution has to be budgeted to an appropriate extent (and procurement regulations for external services taken into account, see budget guidelines).

> Can staff costs for the Austrian partner institution be included in the proposal?

Yes, Austrian partners can apply for staff costs, with the restriction that in-kind contributions are expected (please outline them in your budget proposal). Please bear in mind that staff costs are primarily intended for the partner institutions in the priority country(ies). In the partnership proposal, at least half of the total budget has to be allocated to the partner institution(s) in the priority country(ies).

> What is the difference between the Letter of Intent and the Consortium Agreement?

While the Letter of Intent (LoI) has to be signed by the legal representative of the participating institution the Consortium Agreement has to be signed by the actual participating person(s) that means the contact person per partner institution as indicated in the application form.

> What should the Letter of Intent (LoI) and the Consortium Agreement look like?

The letter of intent should include a short statement of the leading management of the involved institution(s), illustrating that they know of and approve the intended project. The letter should be signed by the legal representative of the respective institutions.

The Consortium Agreement has to be signed by the participating staff members (the ones indicated in the application form as contact person of each participating institution).

You can add further information, but the ones required in the templates are mandatory.

> Who has to submit an LoI?

All participating institutions, i.e. main partners and associate partners. See eligible institutions in guidelines under 2.4.1 - 2.4.5.

> How should overhead costs be included in the proposals?

  • Overhead costs for Academic Partnership / Advanced Academic Partnership /  Extended Impact Partnership must not exceed 10% of the total amount applied for and must be incorporated into the budget outline. The total amount applied for (including the overhead costs) must remain within the budget limits of the APPEAR programme (for an overview of the budget limits see the respective Guidelines for Applicants).

> Is it possible to re-submit previously rejected proposals?

It is possible to re-submit a new proposal that was rejected in the past. This applies to all funding instruments under component 1.

> Is it possible to purchase equipment and material for the Austrian partner institution(s)?

It is possible when it is justified in the project proposal and necessary for the implementation of the respective project activities but bear in mind that after the finalisation of the project the equipment has to be transferred to the institution(s) in the priority country(ies). The institution has to confirm the receipt of the respective equipment in the framework of the final report. See Budget Guidelines & Guidelines for the financial report.

> Who decides which projects are accepted for funding?

All decisions are taken by the Selection Board. For further information including the Terms of Reference, see: About > Selection Board. To avoid a conflict of interest, OeAD staff members are not entitled to vote.

> What are the rates for travel and subsistence expenses?

The regulations regarding travel and subsistence expenses can be found in the Guidelines for the Budget and Financial Report. These guidelines are based on the rates provided in the Österreichische Reisegebührenverordnung – RGV (Austrian Regulation for Travel Expense Reimbursement). The relevant tables with the daily subsistence rates (TG) and the rates for overnight stays (NG) can be found on our website: RGV – Rates

The use of the columns (1, 2a, 2b, 3) usually depends on the type of employment of the person who travelled. Only the rates of columns 1, 2a, and 2b can be reimbursed; we recommend the use of category 2a.

If valid invoices are provided, the rate for overnight stays (NG) can be exceeded by 600%. The maximum amount that can be reimbursed thus consists of the NG (as provided in the RGV) multiplied by 7.

The whole amount of the daily subsistence rate (TG) can only be reimbursed if no meals are provided (those would have to be subtracted from the daily subsistence rate). The receipt of the TG must be confirmed by the recipient. If the actual subsistence expenses are reimbursed, the daily subsistence rate cannot be claimed. The actual subsistence expenses must not exceed the daily subsistence rate.

In Austria, the following rates apply:

- TG: 26.40 Euro

- NG: 15.00 Euro

> How should the expenses for the external audit report be calculated?

  1. Asking at your institution for references of audit firms used by other projects.
  2. Contacting two audit firms to get quotations.
  3. Audits in Austria: Depending on several factors, but approximately 2,000 - 5,000 euros / per year.

> How can I calculate the expected CO2 compensation costs?

Normally, this information is provided directly by the BOKU team responsible for the BOKU compensation projects. However, BOKU is currently restructuring their CO2 compensation programme and might not offer their services until the end of the call. In this case, please calculate the CO2 compensation costs using a standard online calculator.