Bilateral "Aktionen" (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary)

The three bilateral funding programmes “Aktionen” support cooperation and transnational mobility in the tertiary sector between Austria and the three neighbouring countries Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. The focus is on the support of young researchers. The different funding initiatives can be summarised as follows:

• Transnational mobility through scholarship programmes
• Bilateral co-operation projects
• Promotion of the acquisition of the language of the neighbouring countries

Depending on the “Aktion” and the funding programme there are up to four calls for applications per year. Bilateral committees decide on the selection of projects and the awarding of scholarships during meetings at regular intervals.

The Aktion Austria – Slovakia is a fund for the promotion of co-operation between Austria and the Slovak Republic in the fields of higher education, university education, and research. The programme is financed equally by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research of the Republic of Austria.

Scholarships:

Besides scholarships for traditional degree (“diploma degree”) and doctoral students the Aktion offers a very successful scholarship for postdoctoral researchers for stays in the respective neighbouring country.

Further information about scholarships of the AÖSK

Focus of project funding:

I. Targeted project funding of the Aktion:

• Organising of Austrian-Slovak summer language courses (“Sommerkollegs”)
• Projects to promote jointly supervised doctorates
• Organising of Austrian-Slovak training courses

II. Initiative project funding of the Aktion:

In this type of funding the project partners choose the topics and activities they need to fulfil their objectives ("bottom-up" approach).

Further information about project funding from the AÖSK

Funding for language learning:

• Austrian-Slovak summer language courses
• Summer language course scholarships

Contact in Slovakia (German-speaking):

Kristina Sallerová, managing director of the Aktion
kristina.sallerova@saia.sk
Website

The Aktion Austria – Czech Republic serves to promote mutual understanding between Austria and the Czech Republic. It supports the expansion of bilateral educational and scientific co-operation in all academic disciplines. The Aktion was founded in 1992 as a joint programme of the ministries responsible for science of both countries.

Scholarships:

Besides scholarships for traditional degree (“diploma degree”) students, scientists and university lecturers the Aktion also offers a scholarship for postdoctoral dissertations (“Habilitation”) for research in the respective neighbouring country.

Further information about scholarships of the AÖCZ

Focus of project funding:

• Projects that lead to sustainable collaborations
• Joint academic events for students, e.g. seminars or field trips
• Joint bilateral academic events, such as symposia, conferences and workshops;
• Research visits for scientific research;
• Financial support for the publication of results of completed projects

Further information about project funding of the AÖCZ

Funding for language learning:

• Austrian-Czech Sommerkollegs
• Summer language course scholarships

Further information

Contact in the Czech Republic (German-speaking):

Jan Bouška, programme officer for the Aktion Austria – Czech Republic
aktion@dzs.cz
Website

The Aktion Austria – Hungary, science and education cooperation, was established in the field of science and higher education in February 1990 by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Education. The programme supports bilateral Austrian-Hungarian cooperation.

Scholarships:

The Aktion provides scholarships for graduates of Austrian and Hungarian higher education institutions for study and research stays in the other country.

Further information about scholarships of the AÖU

Focus of the project funding:

• Exchange to carry out joint activities in research and teaching;
• Research visits to obtain scientific documentation;
• Publication of teaching aids;
• Sommerkollegs, i.e. summer language schools for German and Hungarian;
• Publications on the results of the activities supported by the Aktion.

Further information about project funding of the AÖU

Funding for language learning:

• Austro-Hungarian summer language courses
• Summer language course scholarships

Contact in Hungary (German-speaking):

Mag. Agnes Schnaider, managing director of the Aktion
aschnaider@omaa.hu
Website