Call for applications for Higher Education and Research Institutions

The Safir project proposes a support program for Higher Education and Research Institutions in North Africa and the Middle East, focusing on  :

• The adoption or strengthening of governance in terms of University Social Responsibility (USR)
• Support for the design or strengthening of training courses dedicated to social entrepreneurship and the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• The strengthening of university incubators dedicated to social entrepreneurship

For more information, please go to our dedicated page .

As part of this call for applications, 9 Higher Education and Research Institution (EESR) will be selected, with geographical representation between the countries where the activities are implemented accordingly to the following terms of reference (document available here).

The maximum amount of the grant awarded in the framework of the Call for Applications: 80 000 euro

The activities to be implemented thanks to the allocated grant will be carried out for a period of 18 months, from the date of signing the contract with the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).

Selection Process

1.  Online application form and submission of the requested documents: from September 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021
2.  Pre selection on the basis of the applications: from November 1st to 14, 2021
3.  Online interviews: from November 15 to 26, 2021
4.  Selection / Rejection letters: November 29, 2021
5.  Signature of the contract between the AUF and the beneficiaires: December 2021- January 2022

Documents to be submitted imperatively

You are kindly invited to submit the following documents while submitting your application online, in French or in English (in the event copies of original documents are only available in Arabic, you are kindly invited to attach a brief translation of the documents) :

1.  The Insitution’s statutes, certified by national authorities, with a proof of accredition of the institution by the Ministry in charge of Higher Education of the country concerned
2.  Letter of undertaking signed and stamped by the legal representative of the institution
3.  Strategy of the institution
4.  Financial report for 2020 approved and certified by an approved auditor.
5.  Institution’s operational Budget for 2022 (incomes and expenditures)
6.  Estimated Budget of the activities implemented within the project (see our budget template)
7.  Time frame of the project over 18 months (see our time frame template)
8.  One or several pictures of your institution’s incubator if you already have one (optional)
9.  The statement of banking identity (logo and adress of the bank and banking information of your institution)

Interview: if your institution is pre-selected, a date will be fixed with you by email.

Selection Criteria

The evaluation of applications shall be based on the following criteria:

● The institution meets the prerequisites set (eliminatory criterion)

● Suggested activities contribute to the achievement of the objectives set by the Safir project / 60 points

•  adopting or strenghening governance in terms of « University social responsability » / 20 points
•  Supporting the design or strengthening of training programs dedicated to social entrepreneurship and the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) / 20 points
• Creating or strengthening university incubators dedicated to social entrepreneurship / 20 points

● The institution is able to implement all the activities planned within the project / 15 points

● The proposed budget is consistent with the activities to be implemented and contributes to the achievement of the objectives set by the Safir project / 10 points

● The insititution shows interest in the objectives of the Safir project promoting the active civic participation of young people and contributing to their political, social and economic inclusion / 15 points

Only one application is allowed by university, supported by an official letter signed by the highest competent authority of the institution.

Applications must be submitted by the universities and not by a faculty or a department.

Applications from established incubators expressing a specific need for skills development in the field of social entrepreneurship are highly encouraged.

The Safir project undertakes to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against alteration, dissemination or unauthorised access, and to keep them completely confidential.

For any specific question on the call for applications or data conservation, candidates are invited to contact the following e-mail address: safirEU@auf.org

This call for application is now closed.