Faculty Exchange Program

This program advances mutual understanding and demonstrates cooperation in teaching, research and service among the faculties of the ÎçÒ¹Ó°Ôº System and the University of the Western Cape. It has enabled more than 900 faculty exchanges between outstanding faculty members from both universities. Many exchanges are two weeks to one month, but the program also supports longer exchanges.

Program priorities

The Faculty Exchange Program will support, in order of priority: 

  1. Collaborative research projects involving partners from both UM System and UWC designed to lead to publication and/or external funding. Suggested maximum budget: $10,000.
  2. Short-term (two weeks to one month) visits focused on teaching, curriculum development, developing a distance learning course, a research project, or finalizing a grant application (NSF, NIH, etc.). Suggested maximum budget: $5,000.
  3. Long-term (one to six months) visits, including research or teaching all or part of a regular course at UWC/a UM System campus. Suggested maximum budget: $10,000. 

Applications that identify matching funding will be given priority consideration. 

Interested applicants should contact their campus coordinators, who will work closely with the UMSAEP director to help connect potential collaborators. 

University structures

UWC is organized around in Arts and Humanities, Community and Health Sciences, Dentistry, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Law and Natural Sciences. Think about this structure and review the when applying for an award.

The UM System is made up of four universities that are each organized into multiple schools and colleges: 

All four UM System universities follow a similar academic calendar: semester 1 (fall) runs from mid-August to mid-December; semester 2 (spring) runs from mid-January to mid-May. 

South African Partnerships Program

This program supports partnerships between UM System faculty members and institutions throughout South Africa, including postsecondary education institutions, governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations. Initiated in 1996, the program has supported more than 85 partnerships across a variety of training and research fields, including: 

  • Teachers in writing, language and media literacy
  • Role of sports in the lives of political prisoners on Robben Island
  • Women painters as guardians of Ndebele culture
  • Statistics
  • Structural health monitoring
  • Community development
  • Wildlife management and conservation
  • Science education

Only UM System faculty members can apply for the South African Partnerships Program, but UWC faculty members can be part of a proposed project along with a partner from another institution or organization.

Application information

Follow the instructions below to submit a proposal for the Faculty Exchange Program or South African Partnerships Program. Students should refer to the Student Exchange Program information. 

Eligibility

ÎçÒ¹Ó°Ôº System applicants for either program must be benefit-eligible (at least .75 FTE) UM System employees holding tenure, tenure track or academic appointments. Other UM System staff members will be considered in exceptional cases if their proposed project advances the research or teaching interests of UWC, one of the UM System campuses or both. 

University of the Western Cape applicants for the Faculty Exchange Program must hold a full-time academic appointment. 

Awards are non-transferable — if a faculty member is selected for funding and then leaves their institution prior to the beginning of the project, the award must be relinquished. 

Timeline

Applications must be by August 15 of each year. Awards are made in early September each year and recipients are expected to travel during the fall of the award year or the following calendar year.

Application requirements

  • Identification of the issues or needs that will be addressed by the project
  • Intended outcomes/objectives of the project
  • Project methodology, including evaluations
  • Project timeline
  • Detailed narrative description (no more than 10 pages)
  • Written confirmation from collaborator(s) describing the nature of the collaborator’s commitment and contribution to the project, including commitment to host the visit
  • Tentative project budget and justification, with identification of any matching funds (not to include foregone or contributed salary)

Final report requirement

All recipients must submit a final report to the UMSAEP director at the conclusion of their award period detailing the following: 

  • Project work
  • Outcomes achieved
  • Prospects for future collaborations
  • Publications or anticipated publications
  • External funds secured as a result of the project

Review reports from past participants.