Funding Opportunities

Overview

PittGlobal has developed a set of criteria for identifying potential strategic partnerships through their Global Partnership Inventory Tracking Tool (GPITT). This detailed, comprehensive tool systematically categorizes the breadth and depth of Pitt's international interinstitutional partnerships and catalogs details on international partner institutions including number and scope of established programs, level of engagement, amount of institutional investment, and other measurable data points from numerous schools, departments, and individuals across the Pitt network.

A “strategic partnership” is defined as one which scores a minimum of 25 total points on the GPITT and scores at least 15% of the potential points in each of the three categories: academics, engagement and mobility, and research. The University will focus on strategic partnerships which can offer significant, committed, long-term resources that can move the needle on projects of impact, offer mutual benefit, and can work towards the greater goals and needs of all engaged institutions and their communities.

International engagement is often quite siloed, with relationships and details known only to those engaging in a specific project or program. The goal of this grant is to provide opportunities using existing resources and established relationships with strategic partners and those partners nearing a strategic status.

The strategic partnership grant helps facilitate the exploration of academic, research, or mobility programs between the University of Pittsburgh and an identified partner institution(s). This grant provides schools, faculty, and administration the funding to explore areas of collaboration using the funding priorities as the guiding principles.

Current Funding Priorities:

Pitt’s Global Partnerships & Partner Engagement Team has identified funding priorities by exploring strong existing partnerships and identifying areas of need, gaps in engagement, and opportunities to explore key topics or programs that are currently unexplored, underexplored, or not fully constructed.

1. Academic Programs with Newcastle University

Newcastle University, located in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, has proven to be a strong partner to the University of Pittsburgh with significant collaborations in the areas of mobility/engagement and research. Joint conferences have been held, leadership from both institutions have traveled to partner campuses, and a variety of research collaboration exists, spanning a variety of schools, departments, and areas of study. In order to better support this important partnership and uplift it to a truly holistic strategic partnership, Pitt seeks to expand collaborations with Newcastle in the area of academics. For additional information on Newcastle University and its existing relationship with the University of Pittsburgh, please contact GlobalPartnerships@pitt.edu.

The following are examples of programs that may qualify for strategic partnership funding involving academic programming with this institution.

• 3+1 Program
  • Student attends their home university for three years, then attends Pitt for their final undergraduate year (paying tuition to the University of Pittsburgh for this year). After the completion of all 4 years, the home university awards undergraduate degree.
• 3+1+1 Program
  • Student attends their home university for three years, then attends Pitt for their final undergraduate year (paying tuition to the University of Pittsburgh for this year). After the completion of all 4 years, the home university awards undergraduate degree. The student then attends one of Pitt’s graduate 1 year degrees and receives a Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
• 3+1+2 Program
  • This is the same as the 3+1+1 but the student attends 2 years of graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh to earn a Master’s degree.
• 4+1 Programs
  • This program enables undergraduates in any unit to take an early admissions option into a Pitt School. The option is intended to attract XXX-oriented students before their senior year; it formalizes an existing policy permitting students of exceptional ability to gain acceptance to a graduate program prior to the completion of the bachelor’s degree.

Note: The Provost Office Policy for 3+1, 3+1+1, 4+1, etc. can be found here.

• Collaborative Degrees: This agreement facilitates dual degrees or joint degree programs between the University of Pittsburgh and the potential partner.

Amount of Grant:

It is important to note that awards are limited and may not always be available in a given year due to changes in institutional priorities and budgetary limitations.

• For this first iteration, the Strategic Partnership Award offers up to $10,000 to support partnership collaboration development. This award requires certain deliverables that are outlined below.

Allowable Expenses:

These funds may be used for a variety of programs to support academic, mobility, or research collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh and designated partner institutions. A few examples of potential supported activities include:

• Ground and air transportation to Host location for program exploration. All travel must follow University policy
• Visa expenses
• Lodging and meal expenses
• Curriculum development
• Compensation for staff time or additional student staff/TA support relating to this particular project ONLY
• Registration fee for conference or workshop where applicant is a presenter
• Copy and duplication costs and other supply needs
• Payment for translation services

Non-allowable Expenses:

This Award is intended to discuss and develop collaboration opportunities between international institutions that benefit not just an individual, but a school, department, or institution. Therefore, the following programs are not eligible activities under the Strategic Partnership Award. (Additional restrictions may apply.)

• Funding to pay staff salary/hiring of students not explicitly relating to this project
• Personal Research
• Personal Travel in Host Location
• Honoraria
• Equipment purchases or rental
• Membership fees
• Conferences and workshop fees where applicant is NOT a presenter
• Purchase of promotional items and other non-essential supplies
• Any expenses unrelated to the proposed project/activity

Deliverables:

In order to ensure clear objectives, promote project advancement, and report on focused analytical collaborations, the following deliverables are required for all parties awarded a Strategic Partnership Grant.

• Feasibility Report
• Implementation Plan
• MoveOn Reporting
• Periodic check-ins and reporting to Global Partnerships & Partner Engagement team (GP&E) to discuss movement of the initiative and to analyze both short- and long-term results.

Eligibility:

Full-time and part-time tenure-stream and tenured faculty at the University of Pittsburgh from all schools and departments, centers, institutes, and campuses are eligible to submit a proposal. Priority will be given to applicants who include proof of matching funds from units outside the centers and programs housed within the University Center for International Studies (UCIS).

Letters of Support: Applications must include two letters of support for the development of one or more of the funding priorities below. This includes one letter from your Chair endorsing the idea and one from your Dean articulating their support for this potential collaboration.

Additional Support: It is advised that applicants consider approaching their school to discuss potential matching funds to further support this initiative.

Application:

All applicants must submit the following application documents to the Global Partnerships team for review.

• Letter of Intent outlining intended objectives, academic alignment, timeline, etc.
• Budget proposal
• Two letters of support
  • Letter 1: From your Department Chair endorsing the proposal
  • Letter 2: From your Dean articulating their support for this potential collaboration

Review Criteria:

• Is this project original, impactful, and significant?
• Does the project involve collaboration with an international partner institution and align with the current funding priorities?
• Does this proposal meet all necessary requirements and include sufficient details on the scope and objectives of this project?
• Does the project have an impact at Pitt beyond the research record of the applicant?
• Does the project have an impact at the partner institution? Is this truly a mutually beneficial engagement?
• Have matching funds been secured to help in advancing this project?
• Is the proposed budget reasonable for the activities proposed?
• Does the proposal demonstrate an impact on the international profile of the University of Pittsburgh?