RFP for Summer Programs and Internships in Sciences Summer 2024

6 September, 2023

Background and Goals

Around the world, there is growing demand among students to participate in short study programs and internships during summer months, whether at undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral level. These programs allow students to experience a different academic environment and gain practical training, giving them professional experience, academic enrichment, and a more diverse professional and personal toolbox.

In light of this trend, the International Authority attaches great importance to the development of short summer programs to attract international students. The advantages of holding such summer programs include:

  1.  Exposure of the University and of the organizing faculty/unit      Summer programs expose participants to the excellence and innovation that characterize the University, and to the rich possibilities it offers for further studies. After the program, these students share their experiences and impressions with other students and faculty at their own institutions.
     
  2. Tool for recruiting outstanding international students
    Summer programs mainly attract outstanding students. The courses themselves create direct encounters between faculty members and potential research students, and help with the recruitment of high-quality students for further studies at the Hebrew University.
     
  3. Giving local students global skills
    Hosting international students at the University, if only for a short period, and arranging interactions with Israeli faculty and students offers an international experience to both groups, helping forge academic and personal relationships and fostering the development of global skills, which are vital for the international labor market.

Proposals for Summer Programs

The International Authority invites the University’s academic units to develop and submit funding proposals for short summer programs. Different formats of program may be proposed, including summer schools, intensive courses, summer internships,1 and more.

Priority will be given to programs that include interactions between international students and local students.
 

Funding and Support

The Authority’s staff are at your service to help you develop appropriate programs, support marketing activities2, and identify potential partners.

The funding model is as follows:

  •  Funding will be provided for each international student participating in a short summer program at the Hebrew University, as follows:                 

                  o $500 for flights 

                  o $1,000 per week for accommodation and living expenses 

                  o Health insurance ($1.50 per day)

  • Total support will not exceed $3,000 per student
     
  • Additional funding of NIS 2,000 will be provided for arranging social activities and/or field trips as part of the program.

Funding will be transferred directly to the faculty/unit in accordance with these general rules. The faculty/unit will be responsible for managing expenditures in accordance with the University’s bookkeeping procedures.

Requirements

  1. The program will be conducted in English
  2. Length of program: 2–8 weeks
  3. The program courses must appear in the University course catalogue
  4. Programs will only be opened with the participation of a minimum of 10 international students
  5. Academic coordinator—a member of academic faculty will be responsible for developing, coordinating, and leading the program

Guidelines for Submitting Proposals

Proposals will include the following:

  1. General description of the proposed program, including reference to the academic subject, rationale, and attractiveness and suitability for international students
  2. Detailed description of the proposed curriculum3, including target audience and academic partners (if applicable)
  3. Detailed budget4—total estimated expenditure, funding to students, etc.
  4. Organizational responsibility—details of the unit, name and contact details of academic coordinator and administrative coordinator of the program
  5. Approval from the dean of faculty / head of unit

All the above should be submitted as a single PDF file to Keren Sagie, Head of International Program Advancement, via email to: kerensa@savion.huji.ac.il.

Final date for submissions: November 1, 2023

Selection Criteria

The committee’s decisions will be based on the following considerations:

  1. Academic quality
  2. Attractiveness for the international student community
  3. Interactions and encounters between international students and local students—advantage
  4. Partnership with academic institution abroad—advantage
  5. Practical training—advantage

Notification and Publication

Notification of funding decisions will be provided by mid-December 2023. If funding is awarded, the unit will be required to begin publishing the summer program during January 2024, so that outstanding students can be recruited.

For further information and for consultation on program development, please contact Keren Sagi: kerensa@savion.huji.ac.il
 

Notes
1   For an example of a summer internship program in mathematics, see: https://mathematics.huji.ac.il/research-experience-undergraduates-reu-ei...
2   For example, the International Marketing Dividion will help prepare a flyer and various types of adverts for the program, and help with advertising the program via the University’s social media channels. This support will not include paid advertising.
3   It is recommended that the program should also include a limited amount of social activities and field trips.
4   It is important to ensure that the program can provide accommodation for the students in Jerusalem at a reasonable price. Students may be accommodated at Beit Bretter on the Safra Givat Ram Campus up between 1-28/5/2024 or 1-21/6/2024, subject to availability and to accepted rates. Keren Sagi may be consulted on this issue as well.