Studying better! – Funding competition for students‘ projects
Using funds for improvement in quality, the University of Siegen provides a total of 750,000 € for students’ projects that result in an enhancement of teaching and studying conditions.
The funding competition
True to the motto “from students – to students”, the University of Siegen invites students to actively participate in the improvement of teaching and studying conditions. Since the students themselves know their needs concerning teaching and learning the best, they are invited to develop appropriate projects and submit them for funding. In case of an approval of funding, the students are expected to realize their projects autonomously and to report on the progress. The funding competition aims at the development and implementation of measures which are first of all need-based but also preferably sustainable.
Target group
Students and students’ groups of the University of Siegen.
Total funding volume
750.000 € - the funds are to be used exclusively for the specific projects.
Funding period
From 1st March 2017 until 28th February 2018
Application deadline
31st December 2016
The challenge
What kind of projects can be considered for financial support? Important contents for the evaluation of submitted applications are given in the following:
- Extent of the improvement of teaching and study conditions
- Number and group of students which will benefit from the project
- Realistic time frame
- Adequate and realistic calculation of costs in consideration of legal conditions (e.g. procurement directive, travel expenses law of North Rhine-Westphalia) and eventual follow-up costs
- Sustainability
- No pure leisure activities
- The project should be related to the University (e.g. regarding its location)
Application procedure
The application should include the following information and documents.
- Cover page with the title of the project and naming of the persons involved (name, faculty, degree course, contact details). Each application needs to name at least one main contact for the project.
- Target group of the project
- Project period with defined end (the project cannot run longer than until the end of the funding period)
- Description of the project (max. 1,500 words): starting position, problem definition, method(s), aims, working plan for implementing the project with naming of the respective person responsible
- Statement how the project will contribute to an enhancement of teaching and/or study conditions
- Finance plan that needs to show what the granted means will be used for. Here precise statements about measures and cost approach (e.g. human and material resources needed; including VAT) should be made. Applications for funding of human resources, such as student helpers, should include details about contract duration and the number of working hours.
Please send your application to:
the Prorector for Studies, Teaching and Teacher Training Prof. Dr. Michael Bongardt Michael.Bongardt@uni-siegen.de
For questions and support please contact:
Tamara El-Sheik Tel. 0271 - 740 4954 Tamara.El-Sheik@zv.uni-siegen.de
Please send your application documents in two separate files: One pdf file containing all documents and, additionally, the finance plan as word or excel file. Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
Selection process
It is estimated that the Commission for Quality Improvement in Teaching and Studying will consult on the funded projects until the end of the year. Subsequently, the commission will transmit its result to the rectorate for decision.
Grant approval
The applicants will receive a grant approval from the administration including the name of the respective contact person.
Reporting obligations
For each project funded, a progress report needs to be submitted until 31st August 2017 and, additionally, a final report of max. 2,000 words should be submitted preferably at the end of the project or latest until the end of the funding period.
What kind of projects might be funded?
Examples for projects that already have been conducted successfully:
- establishing additional workplaces for students at the campuses AR, PB und H
- offering additional courses in the framework of Studium Liberum Siegen
- offering additional tutorials in Faculty IV
- organizing excursions for students in the field of biology and chemistry
- establishing an electronic lab in Faculty IV
- providing support to severely disabled or chronically ill students for finishing their studies
- improving the situation of students with child (child care on Saturdays)
- offering sign language courses
- purchasing technical equipment for the Siegen campus radio
- purchasing machinery equipment and travel expenses of the racing team Speeding Scientists
- purchasing new computers, hard drives and a camera for CampusTV