University Support Grants Program 2024/25

The University Support Grants Program 2024/25

Kosovo United States Alumni (KUSA) is delighted to officially announce an open competition for the U.S. Embassy University Support Grants Program. KUSA will provide a range of small grants, with a maximum award of $50,000.00, to facilitate the efforts of higher education institutions in addressing societal and economic development challenges through research, development, and extension services.

This program offers an exceptional chance for higher education institutions to play an active role in advancing Kosovo’s development and prosperity through involvement in projects that drive positive transformation. We strongly urge potential applicants to thoroughly examine the comprehensive guidelines provided below, ensuring that the project proposals are of high quality and directly align with the program’s objectives

Deadline for submission of application

Closed

The University Grant Program will be dedicated to projects that focus on the following objectives:

Objective 1: Support Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) activities and innovation initiatives to align their teaching curricula with current labor market needs.

This objective emphasizes the need for higher education institutions (HEIs) to bridge the gap between academic programs and the evolving demands of the labor market. In today’s rapidly changing economy, industries require graduates with not only theoretical knowledge but also practical, market-relevant skills.

By aligning curricula with labor market needs, HEIs can better prepare students for the workforce, ensuring they possess the competencies required by employers. This may involve updating existing courses, introducing new programs tailored to emerging industry sectors, and fostering partnerships with businesses to understand specific job market trends. Additionally, internships and hands-on projects can be integrated into the curriculum to provide students with real-world experiences.

Such alignment is crucial in enhancing student employability, reducing the skills gap, and contributing to the country’s economic development by supplying the workforce with well-prepared graduates who can immediately contribute to their industries.

Objective 2: Support activities linked to establishing or functionalizing academic HEIs’ research and development (R&D) centers.

This objective aims to strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions to conduct impactful research by establishing or enhancing research and development (R&D) centers. R&D centers are critical in fostering innovation, addressing local and global challenges, and producing the next generation of experts across various fields.

Through these centers, HEIs can play a key role in advancing knowledge and solving pressing societal problems. The development of R&D infrastructure allows institutions to pursue research, collaborate with industries, and provide students with the opportunity to engage in high-level research projects. This helps students develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and specialized expertise that is crucial for driving innovation and economic growth.

To be eligible for consideration for the University Support Grant Program, applicants must meet the following respective criteria:

Higher education institutions and/or NGOs whose operations are focused on higher education are eligible to apply
The institution should assign a project coordinator who will be responsible for implementing the project.
Eligibility is limited to accredited HEIs, and NGOs registered in the republic of Kosovo

The University Grant Program does NOT fund projects such as following:

Humanitarian or charitable activities, including direct social services to the public.
Fundraising campaigns.
Projects/Events focused on personal career development.
Organizations with political affiliation, affiliation to elected officials, or religious groups.
Political or partisan activities
Scientific research activities.
Individual trips abroad.

How to apply?

Application materials must be submitted by email to grants@kusalumni.rog. The subject line of submission emails should follow this format: [USGP24/25 “Project Title” – Name of University/Organization”]. For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, please email grants@kusalumni.org. Applications submitted after that time will be ineligible for consideration. There will be no exceptions to this application deadline.

Application Files

IMPORTANT: Mandatory Files for Submission

Short bios of team members (Maximum of 3 pages for all the members)
Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner

Official permission letters, if required for program activities, should be obtained from the faculty dean for universities and from the director for NGOs.

Documentation that proves that the institution of higher education is accredited by the Kosovo Agency of Accreditation or NGO registration certificate (for NGOs only) -(mandatory)

The University Support Grants Program 2024/25

Deadline for submission of application

Closed

The University Grant Program will be dedicated to projects that focus on the following objectives:

To be eligible for consideration for the University Support Grant Program, applicants must meet the following respective criteria:

The University Grant Program does NOT fund projects such as following:

How to apply?

Application Files

IMPORTANT: Mandatory Files for Submission

IMPORTANT: Mandatory Files for Submission

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