The Ministry of Education has issued a notification regarding the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Dual Exchange (ASEM-DUO) Wallonia-Brussels Mobility Scholarship Programme for the academic year 2025-26, reported NDTV on Wednesday, March 5.
This initiative, managed by the Academy for Research and Higher Education (ARES), is aimed at facilitating academic exchanges between professors and researchers from Belgium’s Wallonia-Brussels region and Asian ASEM member countries.
Objective of the programme
- The scholarship programme promotes balanced and long-term academic exchanges.
- It provides financial assistance to professors and researchers from Asian universities for exchange opportunities with institutions in Belgium/Wallonia-Brussels.
Application details
Applications must be submitted as a single PDF document by the FWB institution applying through the designated contact person mentioned in the application form.
The deadline for submission is March 28, 2025.
Scholarship details
Each selected 'paired mobility project' will receive a Euro 7,000 grant to be shared between the two participants as per their agreement in the application form.
Selection criteria
ARES evaluates applications based on the following:
1) Impact of exchange: Priority is given to projects that strengthen collaboration between the FWB institution and an Asia-Pacific institution.
2) Internationalisation potential: Projects that extend beyond individual exchanges and contribute to long-term networking and institutional ties receive preference.
3) Academic and research excellence: Applicants' qualifications, publications, research work, and artistic contributions are considered.
4) Project complementarity: If two different projects are involved, their complementarity enhances the application's value.
5) Trip duration explanation: Justification for the length of each participant's visit is required.
Eligibility criteria
- Applications must be submitted by a duo of academic or scientific staff — one from an FWB institution and one from an Asia-Pacific institution.
- The Asia-Pacific institution must be from one of the following countries:
Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
- Candidates must be employed (full-time or at least 50% part-time) by their respective institutions. Preference is given to applicants holding positions for at least three years.
- Institutions involved must be recognised/accredited by the relevant higher education authorities.
- Institutions must have an existing cooperation agreement or plan to establish one within two years.
- The call is open to all academic disciplines, and duo members do not need to belong to the same field.
- Citizenship is not an eligibility criterion.
NOTE: The following groups cannot apply for the scholarship:
- Students and PhD candidates.
- Emeritus and honourary professors.
- Teaching assistants.
