The Ministry of Education has released a notification mentioning about the ASEM-DUO Wallonia-Brussels Mobility Scholarship Programme 2025-26. As per the official notification, the DUO-Belgium/Wallonia Brussels Programme is managed by the Academy for Research and Higher Educalion (ARES) and aims to promote exchanges of Professors/Researchers between Belgium Wallonia-Brussels and Asian ASEM member countries on a balanced and permanent basis. Under this programme, professors/researchers of Asian university can have financial support for their exchanges with Belgium/Wallonia Brussels.
The applications must be submitted as one single document in PDF format to ARES by the FWB institution applying, via the contact person indicated in the application form. The deadline to submit the application forms is March 28, 2025.
Scholarship
The amount of the scholarship awarded per 'paired mobility' project is a lump sum of Euro 7,000, to be shared between the two beneficiaries according to a distribution key set by them in the application form.
Selection criteria
ARES selects beneficiaries of the ASEM-DUO Wallonia-Brussels Mobility Scholarship programme based on the following criteria:
-The impact of the exchange and of the project on the development or strengthening of ties between the higher education institution in the FWB and the institution in the Asia-Pacific region. Since the ASEMDUO program aims to establish and enhance collaborations between institutions in the FWB and the Asia-Pacific region, applications demonstrating significant potential for developing collaboration between partner institutions will be given higher priority.
-The level of internationalisation of the project, i.e. opportunities for developing collaborations that go beyond the project itself (international collaboration opportunities, network development, long-term impact of the internationalisation project, diversity of beneficiaries (students, faculty, scientific or administrative staff, etc.
-The scientific, academic or artistic quality of the applicants (e.g. publications, publications with the partner institution, research or artistic project, exhibitions, work experience, competitions, academic background, etc.
-The complementarity of the projects submitted between the members of the duo (if the projects are different). The fact that the application involves two different projects is not restrictive; however, the complementarity of the projects is considered an added value for the evaluation of the applications.
The explanation for the duration of the trip of each applicant.
Eligibility
The applications must be submitted by a duo of two members of academic or scientific staff from higher education institutions, one of whom is from the FWB and the other from one of the Asia-Pacific countries covered by the programme:
-The Asia-Pacific institution must be located in 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 and Vietnam.
-A candidates must be remunerated by their respective institutions and it must be their main occupation (full or part-time (50% minimum)). Priority will be given to candidates whose position within the institution extends for a minimum of three years.
- The Wallonia-Brussels and Asia-Pacific HEIs must be recognised/accredited by the competent authorities in the field of higher education.
- Representatives of the Wallonia-Brussels and Asia-Pacific HEIs must sign a cooperation agreement or must have expressed the intention to sign one in the two following years.
- The call is open to all disciplines. The two members of the duo do not have to belong to the same disciplines.
-The citizenship of the candidate is not a criterion for eligibility.
The following groups are not entitled for a scholarship:
-students and PhD students
-professors emeritus and honorary
-teaching assistants
