2011 Request for Proposals
The deadline for applications has now passed. Details on the 2011 Fund recipients can be viewed here.
Below is the original Request for Proposals, announced in November 2010:
The Office of Global Affairs is excited to announce new seed funding to support the global dimensions of teaching and learning at Brandeis. The second Global Brandeis Fund is designed to support innovative efforts that stimulate a future-oriented, collaborative approach to the curriculum and co- or extra-curriculum.
Project Period: Calendar year 2011
Eligibility: Faculty, staff, students, and even alumni or other community members are eligible to apply. (Any faculty member of any rank is eligible. Any full-time administrator is eligible. Any full-time undergraduate or graduate student is eligible.) Co-applicants/teams are especially encouraged, and preference is given to applicants who are applying on behalf of a department, unit, office, school, or program.
Grantees that were awarded 2008 funding are eligible to apply for new funding; however, the proposal must show how the project will be enhanced or expanded with the new grant, and what other funding options are available now or in the future.
Criteria: Projects must
a) address an international or global dimension of teaching or campus life at Brandeis. Some examples include integrating overseas experiences into the curriculum and campus; fostering long-term projects between international students and U.S. students; teaching the campus about the products of international collaboration; or infusing global or cross-cultural perspectives into courses and syllabi. Applicants may want to refer to the draft "global learning goals for Brandeis undergraduates" developed by the Assessment sub-committee on global learning.
b) embody strategic thinking about the development of teaching or campus life, using a long-term, sustainable approach. Projects should not be geared toward one-time ventures, although certainly pilot and experimental projects will be considered.
c) Build upon or begin to develop a sustainable collaboration between units on the Brandeis campus or create a system for increased collaboration.
d) Produce a tangible product or set of products that can be used, shown, or distributed to members of the Brandeis community in the calendar year 2011 (some exceptions for courses offered in 2012 may be considered).
The following are examples of types of projects that might qualify for this round of funding. These are only some hypothetical examples and are certainly not meant to be exhaustive nor explicitly desired.
- A faculty member and graduate student develop a new course on the cross-cultural history of colonialism, dealing with critical treatments of both empire and the colonized.
- Returned study abroad students team up with international students to produce interactive, web-based "country guides" for future Brandeis travelers to that country -- perhaps focused on particular issues like human rights or public health.
- Faculty members in two different departments create a new, common course assignment to assess the degree that students understand complex global and cross-cultural issues within their courses.
- A faculty member from a professional school teams up with an international graduate student and an A&S department to create a mechanism for integrating the life experiences of professors of practice and international students into a regular undergraduate course.
- A student organization and an academic department work together on developing a publication that disseminates student writing and artwork related to a certain region of the world.
Again, we encourage applicants to read over the work of the sub-committee on global learning goals for ideas. We also encourage faculty and graduate students to work with their respective department(s), and with the Office of the Dean of Arts & Sciences, to develop ideas for new course development.
All project teams must have a Project Director, who will serve as the main coordinator for the project; multiple (co) directors are also possible. All project team members should be identified on the proposal form.
Project teams must submit a preliminary budget. This budget should indicate other funding sources and other co-sponsorships.
Amount of Award: Awards will generally be in amounts ranging from $500 - $1500, although amounts up to $3000 will be considered.
Duration: Projects should be fully completed by the end of the calendar year 2011 (although, ideally, they will continue beyond the life of the grant). Faculty members and graduate students are encouraged to consult with their department about curriculum planning for fall 2011 courses. In certain cases, courses to be offered in 2012 will be considered.
Responsibilities: Project Directors will be expected to participate in a limited number of meetings during the calendar year 2011, intended to foster collaboration and maximize the impact of the projects. Project teams will be expected to produce a tangible product or set of products that can be used, shown, or distributed to the extended Brandeis community. Tangible outcomes include events, lectures, courses, assignments, web sites, videos, journals, reports, abstracts/articles, etc. Project Directors will also be expected to submit a brief report (including financial report) at the conclusion of the project period.
Selection: All applications will be considered by a review committee comprised of faculty, administrator, and student representation. Selections will be announced by February 15, 2011.
Application: Please complete the Fund application and submit it by midnight on January 31, 2011. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. If you have trouble with the online form, please let us know at oga@brandeis.edu. If you have questions, please email us or contact us at 6-5642.
Application Information Session: An "open house" information session will be held on December 8 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Office of Global Affairs, Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex (ASAC), room 308. We will be inviting in prior recipients of the Fund, and it will also be a chance to brainstorm ideas with fellow applicants.