Request for Proposal (RFP)

The University of Missouri South African Education Program (UMSAEP) Committee invites proposals for the following two programs:

• The University of Missouri/University of the Western Cape Linkage Program
• The South African Partnerships Program

I. The University of Missouri/University of the Western Cape Linkage Program

Purpose
Since 1986, the University of Missouri South African Education Program (UMSAEP) Committee has sponsored a program to support academic exchanges between the University of Missouri and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Cape Town, South Africa. This program has provided faculty members from each of the four UM campuses and UWC significant opportunity for teaching, research and service. Since 1986, over 900 faculty members have traveled between the two universities.

The University of the Western Cape is organized around faculties in Arts (including Religion and Theology), Sciences, Education, Community and Health Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, Law and Dentistry. Links to the UWC Academic Planning Framework, HDI Institutional Statement, and UWC Home Page can be found online at the UMSAEP website: https://umsystem.edu/president/southafrica.

Eligibility
UM applicants must be benefit-eligible (at least 75% FTE) University of Missouri employees holding tenure, tenure track or academic appointments. Other UM staff members will be considered in exceptional cases if their proposed project advances the research or teaching interests of UWC, one of the UM campuses, or both. UWC applicants must hold full-time academic appointments.

Proposal Deadline
Proposals must be submitted to campus coordinators by August 15 of each year. Awards will made in early September with travel generally to be completed during that fall or the following calendar year.

Elements of an Application

• Identification of the issues or needs that will be addressed by the applicant’s project;
• Intended outcomes/objectives of the project;
• Project methodology, including evaluations;
• Project timeline;
• A detailed narrative description (no more than 10 pages);
• Written confirmation from one’s UWC or UM collaborator which describes the nature of the collaborator’s commitment and contribution to the project, including the collaborator’s commitment to host the visit.
• A tentative project budget and budget justification, with identification of any matching funds (not to include foregone or contributed salary);
• A completed Application Form with approving signatures of the applicant’s department chair and/or Dean.

Priority
The Linkage Program will support (in order of priority);

• Collaborative research projects involving partners from both UM and UWC designed to lead to a publication and/or external funding. Suggested budget maximum: $10,000.
• Short-term (2 weeks - 1 month) visit focused on teaching, curriculum development, developing a distance learning course or finalizing a NSF, NIH or other grant application. Suggested budget maximum: $5,000.
• Long-term (1-6 months) visits, including research or teaching all or part of regular courses at UWC or one of the UM campuses. Suggested budget maximum: $10,000

Proposals that identify matching funding will be given priority consideration. Click to access the Application Form. Additional details are available from UMSAEP Campus Coordinators.

Please note that if a faculty member is selected for funding and then leaves their UM institution prior to the beginning of the project, the award is not transferrable and must be relinquished.

Submission and Review Process

• Individuals interested in applying for the program should contact their UMSAEP Campus Coordinator. The Coordinators work closely with the UMSAEP Director, Rodney Uphoff (uphoffr@missouri.edu), who will seek to connect interested applicants with potential collaborators at UWC.
• Each UM campus has three members on the UMSAEP Committee. The Committee will review and rank all submitted proposals. 
• A TelePresence meeting is held in late August with UWC administrators who have reviewed the proposals from their campus, and the final award decisions are made.
• Rodney Uphoff notifies all applicants by email letter of the committee’s decision regarding their application. For those given an award, he informs the recipients of the next steps, works with recipients on logistics of the visits, and ultimately approves the final budget.

At the Conclusion of Your Award Period
All recipients must submit a final report to Rodney Uphoff (uphoffr@missouri.edu) detailing the work that was done, outputs achieved, and prospects for future collaborations. The Committee also wants to be informed of all published work or external funds secured as a result of the project. 

II. The South African Partnerships Program (SAPP)

In addition to its continued support for the UM/UWC linkage program, the UMSAEP Committee supports collaborative projects initiated with partners in South Africa. The Committee has received funding from the University to increase and expand educational linkages that provide new opportunities to pursue projects and activities of mutual benefit that extend beyond the UM/UWC linkage program.

Purpose – Broader Partnerships
The UM South African Education Program Committee seeks proposals focused on collaborative projects with appropriate organizations and institutions in South Africa. Priority will be given to projects initiated in collaboration with historically disadvantaged tertiary education institutions (including UWC), South African government agencies, non-governmental organizations in South Africa, or other appropriate South African partners. It is important to note that if a UM faculty member is collaborating ONLY with a UWC faculty member, the application should be submitted for a UM/UWC Linkage award, not a Partnership award. If, however, the UM faculty member has a UWC collaborator along with a person from another SA institution or an NGO, then a Partnership application is appropriate).

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

Proposal Deadline
Proposals must be submitted to campus coordinators by August 15 of each year. Awards will made in early September with travel generally to be completed during that fall or the following calendar year.

Elements of an Application

• Identification of the issues or needs that will be addressed by the applicant’s project;
• Intended outcomes/objectives of the project;
• Project methodology, including evaluations;
• Project timeline;
• A detailed narrative description (no more than 10 pages);
• Written confirmation from one’s South African collaborator or collaborators which describes the nature of the collaborator’s commitment and contribution to the project, including the collaborator’s commitment to host the visit.
• A tentative project budget and budget justification, with identification of any matching funds (not to include foregone or contributed salary);
• A completed Application Form with approving signatures of the applicant’s department chair and/or Dean.

Priority

• Collaborative research projects designed to lead to a publication and/ or external funding. Suggested budget maximum: $10,000

The UMSAEP Committee is especially interested in receiving proposals that provide:

• Evidence of commitment from South African institutions, agencies and organizations;
• Evidence of prior experience in South Africa or the region;
• Commitment of matching funds, exclusive of foregone salary, from either the U.S. or South Africa;
• Evidence of institutional support within the University of Missouri; and
• A focus on clearly defined needs and expected outcomes.

The UM South African Education Program Committee anticipates that sponsored projects will be completed with a final report to the Committee by the end of the following calendar year.

Proposals that identify matching funding will be given priority consideration. Please click Proposal Application Form to complete and send to the UMSAEP Campus Coordinator for your campus. 

Proposal Application Form

Proposal Application Form (PDF)

A detailed accounting of your expenditures must be submitted to Professor Rodney J. Uphoff at the conclusion of your project.

Sample Proposals

• Sample Linkage proposals
  • Sample Linkage Proposal (PDF)
  • Sample Linkage Proposal (PDF)
  • Sample Linkage Proposal (PDF)
• Sample Partnership Proposal
  • Sample SAPP proposal (PDF)

UMSAEP Committee Campus Coordinators

University of Missouri-Columbia

Mary Stegmaier
Interim Vice Provost for International Programs
N52 Memorial Union
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-6008
Email: stegmaierm@missouri.edu
Web: international.missouri.edu

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Joy Stevenson, Ph.D.
Director, International Affairs
Atterbury Student Success Center
Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: (816) 235-6234
Email: stevensonjoy@umkc.edu
Web: info.umkc.edu/ISAO/

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Jeanie Hofer, Ph.D., Chair
Director, International Affairs
103 Norwood Hall
Missouri S&T
Rolla, Missouri 65409
Phone: (573) 341-4208
Fax: (573) 341-6356
Email: jeanie@mst.edu

University of Missouri-St. Louis

Liane Constantine
Global interim Executive Director
366 SSB, One University Blvd.
University of Missouri-St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri 63121
Phone: (314) 516-5753
Fax: (314) 516-6757
Email: constantinel@umsl.edu