A seed fund has been made available for Aalto schools and departments to develop projects focused on lifewide learning with financial viability. The lifewide learning funding is specifically aimed at boosting academic activities and helping departments get a kick-start in offering lifewide learning courses that are both sustainable and financially viable.
Two types of funding are available in the autumn 2023 round of applications:
We are committed to providing learners with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. By providing seed funding for lifewide learning development, we are investing in the future and helping to create a culture of lifewide learning that will benefit the society and industries. In committing to this seed funding initiative, Aalto University is actively investing in our society's upskilling and reskilling needs.
Project funding helps schools and departments to develop new products, models, tools, and methodologies that foster a culture of lifewide learning and bring feasible lifewide learning products to life. Each development project can be granted up to 100k€ per one year.
To apply for the funding, schools and departments need to submit proposals outlining their lifewide learning initiatives. Proposals must demonstrate how the project aligns with the lifewide learning approach and promotes innovative teaching and learning approaches. The project proposals will be evaluated based on their commercial potential, impact, feasibility, and sustainability.
The first step is to prepare a project proposal outlining your life-wide learning initiative. The proposal should clearly describe the project's objectives, expected outcomes, activities, and methods. It should also explain how the project aligns with the lifewide learning approach and how it promotes innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
In the application form, you will be asked to provide the following information:
The lifewide learning team at Aalto evaluates the proposals based on their commercial potential, impact, feasibility, and sustainability. Applicants who meet the criteria will be requested to submit a project plan. The project plan should include the proposed budget and business plan.
At this stage, project teams are encouraged to workshop their proposal further with lifewide learning and commercialization specialists to ensure financial feasibility and commercial opportunities for the project. Dialogue with lifewide learning and commercialization specialists is essential in ensuring market and portfolio fit.
Once the final proposal is received, it will be evaluated based on its commercial potential, impact, feasibility, and sustainability. The project idea proposal and project plan will both be included in the evaluation.
If your proposal is approved, you will receive a grant of up to 100k€ per year for your lifewide learning project.
Once you have received the grant, you can start implementing your lifewide learning project. The project will need a Steering Team to support the project's progress.
At the end of the project, you will need to provide a final report summarizing the project outcomes, impact, and any lessons learned. The report should also include a financial report outlining the use of the grant.
A faculty recruitment funding supports schools and departments to initiate faculty recruitment efforts which increase lifewide teaching.
Each recruitment endeavor can be granted up to 60k€ per year for a maximum of 5 years, when the department commits to match 50% of the funding. The first funding is granted for 18 months (6 months preparation + 12 months for LWL delivery), further funding is subject to LWL contribution (metrics ECTS equivalent or € revenues).
The faculty recruitment should aim to attract scholars, researchers, and educators who can foster a culture of lifewide learning and contribute to the development and delivery of feasible lifewide learning methodologies and products. Typical titles for recruitment include, but are not limited to, Professor of Practice, Executive in Residence, and Lecturer. Normal academic processes and criteria and Aalto policies for the respective positions need to be followed.
Proposals must demonstrate how the recruitment aligns with the university's commitment to lifewide learning and how it promotes innovative approaches to lifewide learning at Aalto.
| Deadline for applications (project funding & faculty funding) | 16 October 2023 |
| Deadline for project plans | 31 October 2023 |
| Decision will be taken | 30 November 2023 |
| Funding period for this call | 1 January – 31 December 2024 Recruitments: 2024–2028 |
Lifewide learning specialists can provide expertise on innovation in teaching and learning, learner needs, as well as opportunities in the market and emerging trends in lifewide learning. This can help schools and departments identify the most effective lifewide learning initiatives to pursue.
Commercialization specialists can provide expertise on how to develop sustainable and financially viable lifewide learning initiatives. They can help schools and departments identify potential markets for their initiatives, as well as strategies for scaling their ideas.
Lifewide learning and commercialization specialists can facilitate brainstorming sessions with schools and departments to help generate innovative and impactful ideas for lifewide learning initiatives. They can also help schools and departments refine and prioritize their ideas based on feasibility, impact, and financial sustainability.
Specialists can provide feedback and evaluation of proposals during the ideation phase, helping schools and departments to refine their ideas and ensure that their initiatives are aligned with best practices and emerging trends in lifewide learning.
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