- Kristiania University of Applied Sciences
- Research
- Internationalisation
- International Mobility for Staff
International Mobility for Staff
Contents:
↳ 1. How to undertake a short-term international stay for teaching or training?
↳ 2. How to undertake an international research stay?
↳ 4. Emergency preparedness for staff abroad
Responsible: Department of Research Administration and Internationalisation; Published: 20.06.2025. Last updated: 20.06.2025
1. How to undertake a short-term international stay for teaching or training
Important: The application deadline is 15th May for the autumn semester and 1st November for the spring semester.
For more information, see "Teaching Mobility" and "Training Mobility" to determine if you can apply for support for an overseas stay, and feel free to contact the International Team directly if you have further questions.
If you do not qualify for Erasmus+ support and your mobility is not part of a funded project, please contact your immediate supervisor before making travel plans.
It is also important to consider mobility in the development of research projects. If you are developing a research project and wish to undertake a stay abroad, contact the research advisor at your School.
Purpose
The funds should contribute to establishing more permanent international teaching collaborations and ensure that as many staff members as possible have the opportunity to travel.
How It Works
Each employee can be awarded a maximum of one grant per year. A maximum of two employees from the same department/institute can travel together.
Teaching Stay
It must be agreed in advance which teaching program the employee will be responsible for. The teaching can take various forms, such as seminars, lectures, and supervision. The stay can be combined with other types of activities, such as academic facilitation for student mobility and R&D collaboration, but these cannot be the main activity. It is desirable that the teacher exchange contributes to increasing student mobility and strengthening collaboration with partner institutions.
Requirements:
- The mobility must include teaching at the Erasmus+ partner institution, with the teacher physically present with the students.
- A specified teaching program must be attached to the application and agreed upon with the partner institution. The scope of the program points must be clearly stated.
- The minimum length of the stay is two working days, and there must be at least eight hours of teaching per week.
Priority Criteria when there are more approved applications than available funds:
- Teaching that is part of a "Blended Intensive Program" (BIP) where own students also participate.
- Teaching that is part of short-term mobility (where one’s own students also participate).
- Teaching at a partner institution that contributes to increased two-way student mobility within new (or dormant) partner agreements.
- Teaching at a partner institution with existing research collaboration/teaching collaboration.
If two applications under points 3 and 4 are equal, priority is given to the employee who has not received funds previously or where the longest time has passed since the last allocation. When multiple applications in the same priority group are equal, the supervisor is asked for an academic prioritisation.
Training Stay
Requirements:
- The stay must last at least two working days, and a program for each day must be agreed upon in advance.
- Grants are not provided for conference participation.
Priority Criteria for Training Mobility when there are more approved applications than available funds (applications that meet the most criteria are prioritised):
- Contributes to new competencies or solutions that can be used in teaching or benefit the organization.
- Contributes to increased international activity, research, and/or teaching collaboration.
- Contributes to internationalisation at home (international perspective in teaching at Kristiania through English courses, exchange students, international curriculum, or guest lecturers).
Combined Stays
Requirements:
- Employees on a combined teaching and training stay must have at least four hours of teaching per week.
- Beyond this, the days must be filled with training activities.
This type of stay allows staff to engage in both teaching and professional development, maximizing the benefits of the exchange by contributing to both their own skill enhancement and the educational offerings at the partner institution. The combination of activities should be carefully planned to ensure a balanced and productive experience.
Destinations for Travel
For a list of Kristiania's partner institutions, you can refer to the Kristianias list of partners here.
Additionally, a smaller portion of the funds can be allocated for teaching mobility to a global two-way collaboration partner. For such stays, the minimum duration is 5 days. While the stay can be longer, financial support is provided for only 5 days plus 2 travel days. An Erasmus+ agreement with the host institution is required, and funding for this type of mobility is very limited.
Rates
by the European Commission and the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (Hk-Dir) for one academic year at a time.
Accommodation
The grant for accommodation is based on fixed daily rates. The amount depends on which country you are traveling to.
The accommodation rates are 100/115/130 EUR per day up to 14 days.
For longer stays, the daily rate is reduced to 70% of the rate after the 14th day.
Travel
The travel grant is a lump sum calculated based on the distance between the sending institution and the receiving institution. The European Commission's distance calculator (ec.europa.eu) is used to calculate the distance.
| Distance | Rate per participant |
| Between 10 and 99 km | € 23 |
| Between 100 and 499 km | € 180 |
| Between 500 and 1999 km | € 275 |
| Between 2000 and 2999 km | € 360 |
| Between 3000 and 3999 km | € 530 |
| Between 4000 and 7999 km | € 820 |
| 8000 km or longer | € 1500 |
Application Process Step by Step
- Inform your immediate supervisor about your mobility plans.
- Contact the International team so you can get help during the process. PhD candidates are also encouraged to contact their PhD coordinator. If you are developing project applications, also contact the research advisor at your School.
- Get confirmation from the receiving institution by: contacting an institution you wish to travel to to see if they will accept you, or applying/registering for a relevant event/course
- If you will be teaching during your stay, fill out the teaching mobility form. If you will be observing, job shadowing, language training, or other training, fill out the training mobility form (see next point).
- Remember the application deadline is May 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester.
- If you are granted support, you will receive a scholarship contract that must be signed and returned to the International team before departure.
During the stay
Ask the receiving institution to confirm the dates by signing the "Confirmation of Stay" form, which you will receive from the International team.
After the stay
- Return the Confirmation of Stay signed by the receiving institution to international@kristiania.no.
- You cover your own expenses related to the trip and submit a regular travel expense claim to your department/unit in the HR system. Note that the scholarship is not intended to cover all expenses related to the stay. If travel expenses exceed the support amount, your institute/unit must cover the excess amount. This must be clarified with the supervisor in advance. Many also use their annum.
- Submit an electronic evaluation. You will receive a link after our trip.
- Remember to share your experiences with your colleagues, and preferably with a travel letter on kristiania.no! The scholarship is transferred to your department/unit after the stay is completed. The International team sends confirmation to you and the supervisor.
Application Forms
2. How to undertake an international research stay
Funding opportunities for PhD candidates and postdocs
All PhD candidates, postdocs, and permanent staff are encouraged to undertake stays abroad at a partner institution. This can contribute to competence development, networking, and the development of new project ideas. International experience can provide an advantage in the competition for academic positions and externally funded project grants. A prerequisite for an international research stay is an invitation from a collaborating institution. The academic staff or PhD candidate/postdoc must have a workplace within an academic environment at the institution.
PhD candidates with funding from the Research Council of Norway can apply for an overseas scholarship here. Support is only provided for stays abroad lasting three to 12 months. For shorter trips related to conference participation, etc., candidates must use their own operating funds.
Erasmus+ offers the opportunity for scholarships related to teaching and training. Note that the Erasmus+ Scholarship does not cover research visits, network meetings, conferences, and the like.
The EU has established the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, which offers mobility funds for PhD candidates and postdocs.
Contact a research advisor for guidance.
Funding opportunities for permanent staff
Permanent academic staff in positions which entail doctoral competence or equivalent at Kristiania can apply for a research sabbatical, which may allow for an international research stay: Further develop research activities and competence.
Participation in conferences and seminars can be covered by own operating funds (annum) or possibly the department's allocated funds. Invited speakers usually have travel and accommodation covered by the organiser.
Participation in established networks with external funding may include funds for network participation. Examples include Nordforsk networks and COST networks. In international externally funded project collaboration, the allocation may include funds for travel, and it is important to include this in the application where possible.
Erasmus+ offers the opportunity for scholarships related to teaching and training. Note that the Erasmus+ Scholarship does not cover research visits, network meetings, conferences, and the like.
Contact a research advisor for guidance.
What to do when you have been granted a research sabbatical for a stay abroad?
Stay abroad at a partner institution
A stay abroad requires that the academic staff member is invited by a partner institution for an extended stay that includes access to a workplace and the institution's infrastructure. The minimum length of the stay is 3 months. A visit to the institution that only involves meetings is considered a trip abroad. The Research Council's scholarship rates for stays abroad apply only to research sabbaticals at a host institution for at least 3 months.
Scholarship
If an academic staff member has been awarded internal or external funds for a stay abroad, these can be paid as a scholarship. The scholarship is paid based on a budget that shows the need, according to the Research Council's rates (see below). Scholarships are not pensionable.
The scholarship can cover round-trip travel costs (cheapest mode of travel) and two round-trip journeys (normal home-partner institution) during the research sabbatical. The scholarship should cover additional expenses and costs incurred in connection with the stay abroad (such as rent and travel costs). The scholarship does not cover expenses such as food, clothing, course and/or conference fees, bench fees, or other operating costs. If the academic staff member has rental income from their primary residence in Norway, the portion of the scholarship for rent abroad can be reduced by 30%.
Living expenses:*
- 22,000 NOK per month for singles
- 38,000 NOK per month for families
(*Research Council's rates for 2023)
Rules for payment
The finance department normally pays the scholarship based on an application and in advance before departure. The application with the attached budget should show available funds and planned expenses. The budget is signed by the administrative leader in the School. Travel expenses with documentation are submitted in the personnel portal UBW by the academic staff member after prior agreement with their manager, either per calendar year or upon completion of the trip/stay abroad. The travel expenses are offset against the advance received. The remaining amount is taxed or repaid by the academic staff member.
Guidance for documentation of expenses
Tax exemption
Academic staff must apply to the Tax Administration for exemption from tax withholding for scholarships. The application form is obtained from the finance department and signed by the finance manager at Kristiania. The Tax Administration grants preliminary approval. Final tax exemption must be applied for by the academic staff member in connection with the annual tax return. The preliminary approval from the Tax Administration must be sent by the academic staff member to the payroll department for registration. The academic staff member's tax card is automatically adjusted, and Kristiania pays adjusted salary from the time of the decision. Any overdraft will be refunded in connection with the tax settlement the following year. After completing the stay abroad with a scholarship, the academic staff member must apply to the Tax Administration to reset the tax rate.
Information on tax rules
Tax for individuals - Tax Administration
Deduction guide - Tax Administration
National Insurance
Academic staff must contact NAV to retain membership in the National Insurance Scheme. It is recommended to have the European Health Insurance Card.
Contractual Pension (AFP)
Academic staff are still covered by the AFP (Contractual Pension) scheme if they retain their employment relationship at Kristiania and are members of the National Insurance Scheme's pension section. This also applies outside the EU.
Insurance
Academic staff have insurance through their employer, which also applies to the stay abroad. Liability insurance, occupational injury insurance, accident insurance, and business travel insurance are recommended. Academic staff must arrange other travel and personal injury insurance for themselves and their families. It is recommended that the insurance at least covers accidents, contents, and travel, hospital expenses if outside the EEA area or in the USA, and expenses for repatriation in case of serious injury or death. HR assists academic staff.
Address change
Academic staff must register contact information for the partner institution and new residential address in KristianiaHR.
Emergency preparedness
3. Incoming Staff Mobility
Guest Researcher Stay
An important measure to stimulate increased research activity and quality is to invite a reputable guest researcher into a research group, e.g., as part of a sabbatical. Contact the administrative leader in your School for guidance on planning, invitation, and care of international guest researchers.
Contact a research advisor for funding opportunities.
Visits from guest lecturers and staff in training
- A common way to host international colleagues is as incoming staff mobility in Erasmus. The timeframe is from two days and upwards, and the incoming will usually have an Erasmus scholarship awarded from their home institution. Read more about incoming mobility within the Erasmus programme.
- Do you want to invite an industry contact from Europe to lecture for your students? The timeframe is 1-5 days. The application deadline is the same as for staff mobility: 15 May and 1 November. Contact your international advisor for guidance.
- Fulbright scholarships for guest lecturers from the USA can be invited for 2-5 day stays.
- Each year, the Department of Research Administration and Internationalisation organises International Partner Days ahead of 17 May, usually 15-16 May. We encourage scheduling training stays during these days. The programme includes presentations and workshops on useful topics, the opportunity to meet international colleagues and presentation of Kristiania, as well as campus tours. Contact your international advisor for guidance.
4. Emergency Preparedness for Staff Abroad
Academic staff travelling with students are responsible for following up on incidents during the trip.