Outgoing training visits

Selection process for Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training

Based on the Rector’s order dated 7 September 2018 No. 409 “On the confirmation of the procedure governing the organisation of Erasmus+ teaching and training mobility in Programme Countries”, the selection process is carried out by the committee formed by the Rector.

Candidates eligible to apply for Erasmus+ training visits are all members of VMU academic and non-academic staff. Citizens of third parties who want to apply for this mobility must have a valid employment contract with VMU and a permit for temporary or permanent residence in the Republic of Lithuania.

The application for the Staff Mobility for Training is filled in accordance with the Mobility Agreement.

Employee can apply for training mobility throughout the entire year. The agreement must be sent by email to konstantinas.kurzevas@vdu.lt. If at least one Mobility Agreement is submitted, the committee shall meet at the beginning of the next month (from days 1 to 10 of the said month).

Candidates to be given the priority:

• Candidates without the academic workload;
• Candidates applying for Erasmus+ staff mobility for training for the first time (or fewer times in comparison to other candidates) within the last 2 years;
• Candidates who during their visit will discuss with the receiving institution of higher education or company / organisation Erasmus+ student internship opportunities at the said institution;
• Candidates who have worked longer at VMU;
• Visits during which ties of divisions are strengthened and expanded and projects for future cooperation are designed;
• Visits during which the educational and / or curricula design skills shall be developed.

The shortest available duration for an individual training visit is 2 days, and the longest one is 3 days (travel days excluded). In cases when the mobility is dedicated to go to training events, the duration of which is predetermined by the receiving institution (and applicable to all of its participants e.g. Staff Training Weeks) and / or the visit contributes to the university’s internationalisation in general, the mobility of up to 12 days can be funded (excluding the travel days). A need for a longer visit must be justified in the Mobility Agreement. A decision regarding the longer duration of the visit shall be adopted by the selection committee.

If needed, one extra day can be added for travelling to / from the place of activities (they shall be included into the total duration of the mobility and these days shall also be funded).

There are two types of costs eligible for reimbursement for VMU employees who go to the Erasmus+ mobility for training:

1. Individual support. A lump sum that depends on the country to which the participant is going:

2. Travel costs, taking into consideration the distance between the place of origin (Kaunas) to the place of activities.

• In cases when it is planned that the trip will not take place or it will be funded from other sources rather than Erasmus+ programme (e.g. the participant is already at the venue of activities in relation to another activity), the employee must submit a prior written notice to the ICD about such situation (in writing or email). In such case, a grant for travel costs shall not be provided.
• If the place of departure does not match the location of the sending institution and / or the destination does not match the address of the receiving organisation, participant of mobility must provide a motivated explanation.

The distance in calculated using the distance calculator available on the website of the European Commission..

Funding of travel costs

*"Travel distance" refers to a distance between the place of origin (VMU) to the venue of the activity, while the "Amount allocated" includes the amount for the trip to the venue of activity and return.

Additional support for employees with special needs

Persons with special needs can receive additional grant to reimburse 100% of actual eligible costs incurred due to their special needs. Applications regarding the provision of additional support shall be evaluated and the decision shall be made by the Education Exchanges Support Foundation.

Employees that have been chosen for mobility will have to fill an application for the additional support immediately after the results of the selection process are announced.
The applications can be submitted until the deadline indicated on the website of Education Exchanges Support Foundation. The application of the employee shall be sent by the VMU ICD to the Education Exchanges Support Foundation.

The staff grant is paid in two installments:

The advance amounting to 70 per cent of the grant shall be paid within 15 working days after signing the grant agreement, before the beginning of the mobility, provided the employee submits the Mobility Agreement (and request for posting) no later than 30 days before the visit planned.

The 30% balance is paid when the employee returns from the visit and:
1) fills in and submits a business trip certificate to VMU Finance Department;
2) presents the originally signed visit certificate to International Cooperation Department;
3) fills in the visit report (/ survey), invitation is sent via email;

Please note that expenses (purchase of plane tickets, accommodation, etc.) can only be made after Rectors order for your business trip is released.

Employees selected for the Erasmus+ mobility for training must go for their training no later than within 6 months after the date the selection committee meeting has taken place. If within the time indicated the mobility does not take place, the grant is annulled.

Before the visit

At least three weeks before the visit, the participant should email (konstantinas.kurzevas@vdu.lt) the coordinator of this programme the final and confirmed version of the Staff Training Agreement. When the coordinator receives the agreement, he shall email you information on how to submit a request for posting and which source of funds to indicate in the said form. When the application is submitted and confirmed, please visit the ICD, sign the grant agreement and take the brochures to bring to the receiving institution of higher education, company or organisation.

Please note that expenses (purchase of plane tickets, accommodation, etc.) can only be made after Rectors order for your business trip is released.

Please note! If you do not have a valid insurance policy:

1. Get a personal insurance policy;
2. Obtain a European Health Insurance Card. This card is issued free of charge. It can be obtained at Kaunas Territorial Patient Fund (Aukštaičių g. 10, ph. +370 37 20 88 46). More information can be found on the website of Kaunas Territorial Patient Fund. If you already have this card, please check its expiration date.

Within 3 working days after the mobility, VMU employee must provide all the documents and perform the following steps:

1. Submit to the ICD: the Certificate of Attendance (with an original signature of an authorised person from the receiving institution. Certificate of Attendance can be issued on a template used by the receiving institution, but it must feature the following: the correct details of the receiving organisation, full name of the employee who has participated in the mobility, the sending institution (VMU), the unit, duration of the mobility with travel days, duration of the mobility without travel days (the period when activities took place; it can match the duration of the mobility, including the travel, if activities have taken place during the travel days) and it also must carry an indication that the visit took place under Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training programme;
2. Fill the online EU questionnaire; (the questionnaire shall be sent to the employee automatically a day after the visit from the Mobility Tools system);
3. Submit to the Department of Finance the completed Certificate of Posting.
   It is considered that the final action to complete the mobility is the request to pay the remaining part of grant (30%). No later than within 30 days after the final submission of all the documents required, the employee shall receive the remaining amount of 30 per cent. If an employee does not perform the above mentioned steps and does not provide the documents, the university reserves the right not to pay the remaining 30 per cent of the grant and demand the return of the advance that has already been paid in full or partially.

• Mobility Agreement for Staff Mobility for Training
• Certificate of Attendance

What is Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching and what is its main aim?
Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training is an activity that promotes professional development of university's academic and non-academic staff through participation in training events (except conferences) and internships (work shadowing, participating in training activities) that take place in foreign institutions (higher education institutions, organisations and enterprises).
The main aim of staff mobility for training is professional development of university employees. In the Mobility Agreement you prepare, please emphasise and highlight the benefits of your mobility to your professional development.
---
Who can apply for Erasmus+ staff mobility for training?
All VMU employees.
---
Where can Erasmus+ staff training visits take place?
In any institution, enterprise or organisation registered and residing in Programme Countries (EU countries, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Turkey, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Serbia).
---
How are the applicants informed about the results of the call?
Results of the call will be personally emailed to the participants of the call.
---
How often can I go abroad for Erasmus staff training?
Employees can participate in the Erasmus+ mobility for training not more often than once in half a year (January–June; July–December). By the decision of the selection committee, exceptions can be applied only in those cases, when there are enough funds for this activity and the mobility will substantially contribute to the internationalisation of the university.
---
What expenses can be covered?
The programme covers participant's costs for travel and living. Other costs incurred during the mobility or related to the organisation thereof (participation fee, transportation within the country, etc.) shall not be reimbursed and must be covered by the participant himself / herself (nevertheless, the received grant most often is sufficient to cover all expenses). The grant is a flat rate and does not depend on the actual costs incurred during the mobility.

The grant consists of two parts:
- lump sum for travel costs depending on the distance between the place of origin (Kaunas) to the place of activities(the distance is calculated by the EU-designed distance calculator);
- individual support for subsistence, a flat rate for each day (including travel days), depending on the country training activity takes place. (please see section Funding for more information)
---
Can people with special needs receive additional funding to enable them to participate in the program?
An additional grant may be awarded to persons with special needs to reimburse 100% of the costs actually incurred as a result of the special needs.
---

When is the grant agreement signed?
The grant agreement is prepared and signed when the participant submits a trilateral mobility agreement and request for posting.
---
Is it possible to postpone the Erasmus+ mobility until the fall semester due to the quarantine in Lithuania?
Yes. According to the procedure confirmed by Rector and based on the recommendations by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania and the National Public Health Centre, all Erasmus+ mobilities for the spring semester of 2019/2020 have been suspended. It is recommended moving those visits to the fall semester. The mobilities will resume once it is safe to travel again.
More information at https://www.vdu.lt/lt/informacija-del-covid-19.
---
Can I plan mobility for the fall semester?
Planning mobilities is not forbidden, yet currently (due to the restrictions imposed) requests for posting and approval thereof is suspended. We recommend refraining from purchasing tickets and accommodation services until further notice that mobilities have resumed.

Candidates eligible to apply for Erasmus+ training visits
All members of VMU academic and non-academic staff. Citizens of third parties who want to apply for training visits must have a valid employment contract with VMU and a permit for temporary or permanent residence in the Republic of Lithuania.

VMU employees can go for their training mobility to:

• Any Erasmus+ partner country, except their country of residence;
• To those foreign institutions that are announced in the call for applications.

Selection process for Erasmus+ training mobility
Centralised.

When the applications are to be submitted?
When the call for the selection has been announced.

How to submit the application?
Please send your completed application to the ICD by email at erasmus@vdu.lt.

What is the deadline to submit an application?
As established in the call for applications.

When are the results announced?
The results are announced when the selection procedure is over.

Application documents
Application for the training mobility call.

Who carries out the selection process?
Centralised selection committee formed by the Rector's order.

What is the duration of training mobility visit?
The mobility must last at least 5 days (excluding the travelling days) and no longer than 7 days (including the trip).

In what cases the priority is given?

• Candidates participating in Erasmus+ programme for the first time (or fewer times in comparison to other candidates) within the last 2 years.
• Candidates who have worked longer at VMU;
• Visits during which ties of divisions are strengthened and expanded and projects for future cooperation are designed;
• Candidates who contribute actively to the promotion of internationalisation of their unit / university (organisation of student / employee exchange, development of joint international programmes, development of programmes or subjects in foreign languages, preparation of international projects, etc.);
• Candidates that during their visit cultivate their pedagogical and / or curricula development skills.

1. The following must be agreed with the receiving Institution of Higher Education:

• the date of the visit;
• Mobility Agreement for Staff Mobility for Training.

The period for training indicated in the Mobility Agreement:

• Planned period of the training activity (at least 5 days);
• Duration (days) – excluding travel days (at least 5 days);
• Additional day for travel needed directly before the first day of the activity abroad and Additional day for travel needed directly following the last day of the activity abroad – both fields to be ticked, if an additional day is needed for travelling (no training takes place on the day of travelling).

2. When the training mobility is agreed with the receiving university:

• Please send to the ICD coordinator the Mobility Agreement signed by all parties. Then the coordinator will send you information necessary to complete the request for posting (Komandiruotės paraiška);
• Fill the request for posting (Instruction how to fill the request for the Partner countries);
• When the Rector's order for posting is issued, ICD coordinator shall prepare a financial agreement which must be signed before the beginning of the visit.

3. Before the visit takes place, you should get an insurance policy and check information whether it is obligatory to get vaccinated before entering a specific country (information available at http://keliauk.urm.lt).

4. Just before departing for your Erasmus+ mobility, please visit the International Cooperation Department to sign the financial agreement and take the info package for introducing the university in the partner institution of higher education.

Employees that participate in Erasmus+ staff mobility for training, receive grant for two types of costs:

1. Individual support

2. Travel costs

Travel distance* is calculated between the participant's place of origin and venue of activity using the distance calculator available at the website of the European Commission.

Funding of travel costs

*Please note. "Travel distance" refers to a distance between the place of origin (Kaunas, Vilnius) to the venue of the activity, while the "Amount allocated" includes the amount for the trip to the venue of activity and return.

The advance amounting to 70 per cent of the grant shall be paid before the beginning of the mobility, provided the employee submits the request for posting and Mobility Agreement no later than 30 days before the visit planned.
After the mobility, the employee must deliver the following documents (see "After the mobility"). No later than within 45 days after the final submission of all the documents required, the employee shall receive the remaining amount of 30 per cent.

Persons with special needs can receive additional grant to reimburse 100% of actual eligible costs incurred due to the special needs. Applications regarding the provision of additional support shall be evaluated and the decision shall be made by the Education Exchanges Support Foundation.

Employees that have been chosen for mobility will have to fill an application for the additional support immediately after the results of the selection process are announced. The applications can be submitted until the deadline indicated on the website of the Education Exchanges Support Foundation. The application of the employee shall be sent by the ICD to the Education Exchanges Support Foundation.

Within five working days after the visit, the employee must deliver the following to the International Cooperation Department:

1. Certificate of Attendance signed by an authorised representative of the foreign Institution of Higher Education that should feature:

• Duration of the visit (including travel days);
• Duration of the visit (excluding travel days);
• Confirmation that this visit has been carried out under Erasmus+ programme.

2. Online training report (a questionnaire shall be sent to an employee automatically a day after the visit from Mobility Tools system);

3. Travel documents (plane / bus / train tickets);

4. Certificate of Posting (Komandiruotės pažymėjimas) must be filled, signed and delivered to the Finance Department .

It is considered that the final action to complete the mobility is the request to pay the remaining part of grant (30%). No later than within 30 days after the final submission of all the documents required, the employee shall receive the remaining amount of 30 per cent of the grant. If an employee does not perform the above mentioned steps and does not provide the documents, the university reserves the right not to pay the remaining 30 per cent of the grant and demand the return of the advance that has already been paid in full or partially.

Application form for staff mobility for training
Mobility Agreement for Staff Mobility for Training
Certificate of Attendance
VMU presentation (PowerPoint)
VMU video (YouTube): no. 1; no. 2; no. 3

What is the aim of Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching?
Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training is an activity that promotes professional development of university's academic and non-academic staff through participation in training events (except conferences) and internships (work shadowing, participating in training activities) that take place in foreign institutions of higher education.

The aim of staff mobility for teaching is professional development of university employees. In the Mobility Agreement you prepare, please emphasise and highlight the benefits of your mobility to your professional development.
---

If I want to apply for Erasmus+ mobility, should the Inter-Institutional Cooperation Agreement be signed with the receiving institution?
Academic staff can only go for training mobility only to those foreign institutions with which VMU has signed Erasmus+ cooperation agreement.
---

Where to find the OID (Organisation ID) codes to identify an organisation in order to fill the mobility agreement?
You can find the OID (Organisation ID) codes at https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-esc/organisation-registration/screen/home
Detailed information about OID https://erasmus-plius.lt/programa/kaip-gauti-oid
---

How are the applicants informed about the results of the call?
Results of the call will be personally emailed to the participants of the call.
--

Can mobility documents be sent by email?
According to the procedure established by VMU ICD, the mobility agreement can be scanned and sent by email.
The grant agreement is signed at the ICD, except VMU divisions which are located not in Kaunas or Kaunas District (e.g. the Education Academy in Vilnius), in which case the grant agreement can be sent via registered mail or courier (the signed originals of documents must be submitted).
---

Is it possible to postpone the Erasmus+ mobility for training until the fall semester due to the quarantine in Lithuania?
Yes. According to the procedure confirmed by Rector and based on the recommendations by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania and the National Public Health Centre, all Erasmus+ mobilities for the spring semester of 2019/2020 have been suspended. It is recommended moving those visits to the fall semester. The mobilities will resume once it is safe to travel again.
More information at https://www.vdu.lt/lt/informacija-del-covid-19.