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For Individuals – Benefit Types in Higher Education – Academics/Faculty

Conference Participation

Description

LEARN Logistics has a strong interest in supporting academics and faculties in disseminating and absorbing knowledge by participating in national, regional, and international conferences. Therefore, we offer financial and organizational support to faculty members of supported universities to actively engage in relevant and reputable conferences. Generally, the following occasions are funded by LEARN Logistics:

Geographical Scope

LEARN Logistics funds participation of academics at the national, regional, and international levels. Any eligible fund request will be reviewed concerning its cost-benefit ratio, taking into account the funding history of each individual. National and regional conferences should be of strong significance for individual academics’ research interests and/or of strong interest for the university to have a participating faculty member. Participation in international conferences is limited to well-established conferences. Such conferences might be, for example:

Other conferences with similar international standings might be considered.

Engagement Type

Presentation of research results​​​​​​

LEARN Logistics’ preference is to support individual academics who will present their research findings in the form of a presentation, keynote speech, poster display, listing in the conference preceding, etc… Depending on the national academic acknowledgement system, the faculty member shall engage in conferences only if she or he can collect points for its academic tenure track.

Participation as guest/listener

LEARN Logistics might also fund limitedly the participation of faculty members as conference guests only, i.e., without active engagement in the event. On such occasions, a close relationship between the applying academic’s research area/project and the conference topic/purpose must be evident as otherwise, the funding request will be declined.

Eligibility for Participation and Funding Conditions

LEARN Logistics will only commit to funding any individual academic to participate in a selected conference if such funding commitment has been communicated and confirmed in writing by LEARN Logistics (e.g. either by email or by funding confirmation letter). PhD candidates with LEARN scholarship are NOT eligible for applications because they finance their conference participation through the LEARN Logistics  PhD funding scheme..

In successful application cases, LEARN Logistics will fund the following items – unless otherwise agreed in writing between the academic and LEARN Logistics:

  • Return flights Home Airport to the closest Venue Airport (alternatively local train or public transportation equivalents), all in the economy or second class. Flights will be booked directly through the LEARN Logistics travel agency.
  • Accommodation incl. breakfast with arrival 1 day prior to the begin of conference. All accommodation incl breakfast will be booked and preferably pre-paid by LEARN Logistics.
  • Per Diem to cover the traveler’s cost such as: travel home to airport; venue airport to hotel and return; transportation between hotel and event venue; daily meals incl. lunch and dinner; any other travel cost. Unless otherwise agreed in writing prior to travel, the following Per Diems will be paid out to each travelling individual (preferably by bank transfers prior to travel):
    • Conference with a domestic venue: EUR 25 per person per day
    • Conference with an African or of equivalent cost structure venue: EUR 30 per person per day
    • Conference with an international venue: EUR 40 per person per day*

* If reasonable, the amount might be increased depending on the conference venue.

Currently, only researcher(s) who work as academic staff (they shall NOT be a PhD candidate) from the following universities are eligible to apply for LEARN Logistics’ funding for conference participation. Please note that LEARN Logistics will fund the participation of multiple academics from the same faculty for the same conference only under very limited and specific circumstance, i.e., LEARN logistics will not fund academic group travels from the same university/faculty.

Supported Universities by LEARN Logistics in East- and West-Africa

  • Addis Ababa University, School of Pharmacy
  • Addis Ababa University, School of Commerce
  • Bahir Dar University
  • Mekelle University
  • Jimma University
  • University of Lagos
  • Lagos State University
  • Kaduna State University
  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
  • Makerere University Business School
  • University of Nairobi
  • Strathmore University
  • University of Dar es Salaam
  • Mzumbe University

When to apply for Funding

Generally, an academic can always apply at no specific point in time during the year. LEARN Logistics will decide each application on a case-by-case basis and depend on the total funding amount available. 

Independently, if you plan to be a presenter or a guest only, you shall submit your Application for Funding prior to registering or even submitting your abstract, paper, or presentation to the organizers of the targeted conference. In cases of a positive funding response, LEARN Logistics is open to review and sharpen the drafted abstract, paper or presentation – prior to its submission to the conference. 

Please consider the following timeline, i.e., please submit your application for funding in due time to ensure a smooth process. LEARN Logistics will reject applications if the processing time is too short.

Travel arrangement to be organized Working Days to submit Funding Application to LEARN Logistics prior the Conference Date Working Days to submit Funding Application to LEARN Logistics prior the Submission Deadline of the Abstracts/Paper/ Presentation
  Guest only participation Presenter of abstract/paper/presentation
Local travel only 10 15
Domestice travel 15 20
International travel without Visa or with Visa on Arrival 20 30
International travel with Visa obtained from embassy 60 60*

 

*LEARN Logistics and the applying academic will jointly decide if to apply for the visa already prior to the decision of acceptance of abstract, paper or presentation by the conference organizers.

 

Application for Conference Particiaption and Disclaimer

Terms and funding conditions

To obtain financial support for your participation in conferences, it is essential to adhere to LEARN Logistics’s established application process.

Before you apply, review our Checklist first:

  1. LEARN Logistics will only consider Conference Applications that have been submitted onlinethrough the following link. Any submitted Applications to fund Conference Participations by email will not be entertained.
  2. Prior to applying through the online formular, please review the EVENT page, if the conference you intend to participate in has been listed already. In such cases, you must apply directly there. Only use this application formular for conferences that have NOT been listed yet.
  3. If you plan to travel with a total of two or more faculty members to the same conference (please see the funding limitations first under Eligibility for Participation and Funding Conditions), every traveler must submit her or his individual application using the online format.
  4. The application process consists of multiple steps: 
    • Complete your application using the provided online formular below (Click on link)
    • LEARN Logistics will review your interest to participate in a specific conference and will provide either positive or negative feedback. You will receive an email from LEARN Logistics stating the decision if your application for financial support will be granted or not, and will include a short explanation by LEARN Logistics for its final decision.
    • IF the decision is negative, i.e., LEARN Logistics will not fund your participation in the specified conference, the application process is terminated.
      If the decision is positive, i.e. LEARN Logistics will provide financial support for your participation in the specified conference, you will obtain additional information and a LEARN Logistics contact person to jointly discuss the next practical steps (e.g., review your abstract, paper or presentation prior to submission to the conference organizers; if accepted: booking of flights, accommodation; payment of potential registration fees, etc…).
    • Once you have successfully participated in the conference and provided a short report including two pictures of you during the conference, the LEARN Logistics funding process will be terminated.
Application for Faculty Conference Participation*

Your online application must contain the following mandatory data and information. Please have all documents and copy availbe for uploading prior to starting the process. You can not save your input during the application, but must finish the application in one attempt. If you lack mandatory documents or information, you may need to re-start the application at a later time again.

  1. Personal Data of the applying researcher*
  2. Copy of your passport*
  3. Description of the conference, you wish to attend*
  4. Link to conference website*
  5. Justification for participation, i.e., benefits for the academic*
  6. Registration Fee (no / yes); Amount converted to EUR* 
  7. Will you collect points for your academic tenure/academic career? (if yes, how many; scale included)*
  8. Desired travel itinerary incl. Home Airport, Venue Airport, preferred Hotel, etc..*
  9. History of previous engagement/funds obtained by LEARN Logistics* 
  10. Draft presentation, abstract, or paper you aim to present**
  11. Visa requirement information**
  12. Attachments (e.g. invitation letter for international-required conferences)**

* Mandatory information required for all applications
** Only mandatory, if applicable

Disclaimer

The final decision about any form of financial or organizational support by LEARN Logistics for the applying academic to participate in a conference, is solely and exclusively with LEARN Logistics. It is LEARN Logistics’ sole discretion to i) accept or reject applications; ii) to determine the total number of funded academics; iii) to stop or add funding opportunities; iv) and to withdraw funding commitment if the academic fails to comply with LEARN Logistics requirements, and/or provides false or incomplete information and data.