Collaborate with us to deliver high-quality training content in disruptive scientific fields
UT Austin Portugal is opening a Call for Short-Term Advanced Training Proposals.
Aligned with the strategic objectives of the Program, this call aims to support actors of our transatlantic community implementing short-term thematic advanced training actions, led by experts from UT Austin (including the Texas Advanced Computing Center – TACC and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – MDACC) and Portugal to offer a deep dive into topics falling under the Program’s Knowledge Areas:
- Advanced Computing;
- Medical Physics (for Emerging Cancer Therapies);
- Nanotechnologies;
- Space-Earth Interactions;
- Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
In the frame of this call, a short-term advanced training action should not exceed 18 hours in total (broken up into several sessions or modules over an extended period).
All selected training actions must be implemented between May 10 and December 15, 2021. They will be published on the Program event’s calendar at least four weeks before their start date.
During the application stage, the Program is available to help you connect with experts from both sides of the Partnership that you may wish to invite to participate in the proposal you plan to submit.
For any additional queries and information, contact us at events@utaustinportugal.org.
- Call for Proposals: March 23, 2021 – September 15, 2021 (*);
- Selection of proposals: On a rolling basis until the call’s budget has been used;
- Training Calendar Start Date: May 10, 2021;
- Training Calendar End Date: December 15, 2021.
(*) This period may be shortened if the budget allocated to this call has been fully distributed before September 15, 2021.
Proposals must be submitted
- By a faculty member, researcher or any other expert affiliated to UT Austin (or TACC or MDACC for actions in Advanced Computing and Medical Physics, respectively);
- By a faculty, researcher or any other expert affiliated to a Portuguese non-corporate research institution;
- Jointly, by any of the individuals mentioned in no. 1 and no. 2.
Proposers will be acting as scientific coordinators of the training events being presented for evaluation. In the case of joint proposals, there will be two scientific coordinators, one at UT Austin (or TACC or MDACC for actions in Advanced Computing and Medical Physics, respectively) and another in Portugal.
Scientific coordinators will be responsible for interacting with the Program during the application stage and, should their proposals be selected, also in the implementation stage.
Nevertheless, scientific coordinators are entitled to bring in other experts to collaborate in proposal development, acting as co-coordinator or advisors. Such experts should be identified in the application form and their names will appear on every communication material to be produced if the proposal is selected.
Additionally, scientific coordinators may extend their invitation to experts from other ecosystems beyond the International Partnerships to collaborate in training development.
Proposals should clearly demonstrate that they contribute to reinforcing the exchange of views, experience and know-how between Portugal and UT Austin in the Program’s Knowledge Areas (Advanced Computing, Medical Physics, Nanotechnologies, Space-Earth Interactions, and Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship).
The call encourages a wide range of proposals, from more conventional training actions focused on a particular knowledge area of the Program and addressing emerging, exploratory research topics to cross-discipline training, with topics spanning across more than one Area.
Additionally, training actions privileging an approach to business, industry or societal challenges will be highly appreciated. The Program is particularly interested in training sessions in the areas of the Program with a strong scientific orientation towards concrete application domains, bearing in mind the clusters of knowledge the Program’s Exploratory and Strategic Research Projects portfolio is helping create: Healthcare Technologies (Medical Applications and Diagnostics, Proton Therapy Equipment, Cancer Treatment and Surveillance, Rehabilitation); CleanTech and Energy Harvesting; Industrial Applications (Automotive, Aerospace, Electronics, Manufacturing); Space-Earth-Ocean.
Given the current situation in Portugal and the fact that restrictions to in-person events are likely to remain in 2021, proposers are encouraged to submit proposals for virtual-only training activities, i.e., that can be carried out in a digital setting. These can take the form of webinars, designed either as one-off sessions or as a set of thematic sessions, i.e., as webinar series.
A single online session’s duration should be appropriate, preferably not exceeding 3.5 hours in a row, in a highly interactive and practical environment.
Webinars will be recorded for archival purposes and posted publicly on the Program’s website and YouTube page for additional viewing. The UT Austin Portugal’s Privacy Policy may be consulted on https://utaustinportugal.org/terms-privacy-policy/
If your advanced training action cannot be adjusted to a digital setting, you may still proceed with submission for the event to be held in Portugal. However, the on-site organization of your action in 2021 will depend on whether restrictions in Portugal to holding such types of events and gatherings are still in place or are likely to be in place at least two months before the start date of the event.
In addition to the affiliation requirement established for proposers:
- All proposals should be submitted via the Short-Term Advanced Training Application Form available at the bottom of this webpage. Proposals lacking supporting documentation requested at the submission stage may be dismissed;
- Proposals should clearly demonstrate that they contribute to reinforcing the exchange of views, experience and know-how between Portugal and UT Austin in at least one of the Program’s Knowledge Areas. Refer to the Program’s website to learn the main research topics and challenges explored by each Area;
- A short-term advanced training action duration should not exceed 18 hours in total (broken up into several sessions or modules over an extended period);
- Submitted proposals should include a budget with a justification. In joint proposals, estimated costs should be broken down by country, i.e., US and Portugal;
- No tuition fees can be charged to participants;
- Selected training actions must be held between May 10 and December 15, 2021, with a possible downtime between July 15 and September 15;
- Online events should be scheduled between 2 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. (Lisbon time). On-site events must be held in Portugal (if conditions permit);
- The distribution and sale of materials and the advertisement of commercial applications/ventures that may personally or financially benefit the speakers are strictly forbidden.
Funding of costs related to training organization is subject to the Call’s budget availability and the Program’s eligibility rules and limits at UT Austin and in Portugal.
- Costs with Experts (Honoraria)
The Program may cover honoraria of experts involved in the development of selected proposals provided they are reasonable and in line with the Program’s funding rules. Experts’ affiliation will determine whether such costs will be funded through the Program’s budget at UT Austin or in Portugal.
Please include your experts’ honoraria request in your proposal (if any). Experts’ honoraria will be paid only after training delivery.
- Costs with on-site events
Cost categories deemed eligible by the Portuguese Leadership of the Program in the frame of on-site events may include:
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- venue rental;
- IT equipment rental;
- travel, accommodation and meals of experts developing the training;
- catering;
- printouts and photocopies;
- other types of expenses provided that they are critical to training implementation and are in line with the FCT’s eligibility rules.
No transfer of funds will be made by the Program to Scientific Coordinators to support any of these costs.
- In virtual-only events, the Program will provide the technology and infrastructure to promote the training; handle registration; produce and host the training. The videoconferencing platform used by the Program will be Zoom.
- In on-site events, the Program will work with Scientific Coordinators to find the most suitable venues to host the training.
- Budget proposals will always be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.
- Queries about costs eligibility concerning UT Austin’s participation in the proposal should be directed to Marco Bravo (bravo@utexas.edu) before proceeding with submission. The email address events@utaustinportugal.org should be used for queries about the eligibility of costs that are not attributable to UT Austin’s participation.
The UT Austin Portugal Program will accept and respond to applications on a rolling basis until all the budget set aside for the present call has been allocated.
If declined, the proposal will not feature in the Program’s Annual Activity Plan. If accepted, the proposal will move to the implementation planning stage, in which adjustments or corrections can be made in agreement with the scientific coordinator(s).
The evaluation of proposals will take into account the following criteria:
a) Contribution to the exchange of views, experience and know-how between Portugal and UT Austin in at least one of the five areas of the Program;
b) Focus on industry/market applications: contribution to linking research topics in the areas of the Program with concrete challenges of relevant applications domains where the Program is likely to play a role, keeping in mind its recent portfolio of Exploratory and Strategic Research Projects;
c) Scientific Coordinators’ ability to lead a successful training;
d) Training format and content appropriateness and relevance, considering the training’s proposed output;
e) Potential for attracting a sufficient number of participants.
Acceptance of a proposal is based on the content and the presenters named at the time of submission. Any changes to content or speakers must be conveyed to the Program in advance, who reserves the right to reassess the training’s suitability.
Selected proposers will be accountable for:
- Creating the training program and its contents and materials;
- Inviting proposed speakers;
- Coordinating the training program;
- Providing UT Austin Portugal with a concept note of the training program for communication and promotional purposes;
- Provide/work with speakers to develop compelling multimedia presentations that can be used throughout the training. Ensure full compliance with copyright laws if you and/or the speakers you are inviting use content from other authors. UT Austin Portugal will not be liable for the misuse of resources contained in the presentations released in breach of copyright rules.
Selected proposers agree to promote the training with the Program’s seal without prejudice to other sponsors or partners being associated with the training. This obligation extends to multimedia presentations used during the training activity, which should display the Program’s logo according to its visual identity rules.
On the other hand, the UT Austin Portugal Program will have the following responsibilities:
- To propose a time plan supporting the organization and implementation of the activity;
- To ensure the venue for the organization of training activities, be it a digital or physical setting, and provide the required technical assistance before and during the training;
- To create a webpage for the training and provide publicity for the supported training through the Program’s communication channels;
- To review the training’s final content and structure before proceeding with its promotion;
- For virtual-only activities, to organize a test session with the scientific coordinators and participating experts for troubleshooting;
- To provide the experts with guidelines and tips to smoothly conduct online training events;
- To create a registration form for participants, validate their registration and provide any additional clarification to attendees;
- To moderate virtual-only events, including formally introducing the speakers and facilitating Q&A and live polls, if requested by the training’s scientific coordinators.
The Program reserves the right to cancel training actions whose attendance does not justify running costs.
