The guidelines and the application form for the 2025 call are HERE.
The exchange visit programme between Estonia and Taiwan provides opportunities for researchers from one partner country to visit research institutions in another partner country with the aim to facilitate research cooperation between Estonia and Taiwan; promotes mobility, the building of international contacts and knowledge transfer.
Each year, a joint call is launched, resulting in up to three travel grants with duration up to 2 weeks (14 days) for researchers from both countries.
The call is announced every year in autumn (October-November) and the deadline is in the first quarter of the following year. The potential travel period is from May-June to the end of the year.
Applications do not have to be joint projects between researchers from the two countries, but contact must have already been established with the partner researcher before the application is submitted.
The Estonian-Taiwan travel grant is an individual grant for one researcher and it cannot be applied for the several members of one working group for the same travel.
Eligibility for Estonian researcher
- Each candidate must possess citizenship or be a permanent resident of Estonia.
- The travel grant can be applied by a scholar who is holding a doctoral degree and has worked in the Estonian research institution at least for three years prior to the application deadline.
- Proposed projects must directly involve researchers working at a research institution (i.e. university, research laboratory or research institute) of the receiving country. Estonian applicant must hold a position at a positively evaluated research institution in Estonia. List of evaluated institutions is provided in the Estonian Research Information System (ETIS).
Applicants from Taiwan must follow the guidlines of the call and the information provided on the NSCT website.
Amount of the travel grant
– ETAG covers the Estonian researcher’s travel expenses up to 1,400 € (reimbursement on the basis of expense documents) and the Taiwanese researcher’s daily allowances and accommodation costs 100 €/day (application by the host researcher/research institution before the visit).
– NSCT covers the Estonian researcher’s daily allowances and accommodation costs 3500 TWD/ approx. 100 €/day (by the host Taiwanese researcher/research institution).
PS! Inorder to receive an Estonian researcher in Taiwan, the host institution must also submit an application to the Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology (NSCT) before the deadline. ETAG can only award the grant if the application has been submitted to NSCT and it has been accepted.
To host a Taiwanese researcher in Estonian institution, applicants have to inform ETAG about the visit by email katrin.saar@etag.ee (name of the Taiwanese researcher, organisation, time of the planned visit).
The guidelines and the application form for the 2025 call are HERE.
Applications are submitted to the funding organization in respective countries, who evaluates them and selects the applications to recommend for funding. Estonian applicants must submit a digitally signed application form with CV by email (katrin.saar@etag.ee) by the deadline.
Recipients of the travel grant will be jointly decided at a meeting between ETAG and Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology (NSCT).
Evaluation criterias
- Proposal’s novelty, scientific quality and innovativeness
- Competence of the applicant. Soundness of the research plan
- Outcome and expected impacts (incl. European and International level)
- Academic Goals and Career Prospects after the travel
Reporting
– The Estonian researcher has to submit a content and expense report to ETAG on the prescribed form, along with copies of expense documents and tickets no later than three weeks after the visit to Taiwan.
– For Taiwanese researcher visit to Estonia, the host Estonian researcher has to submit a digitally signed application to ETAG for the transfer of daily allowances and accommodation sum. The application has to be submitted at least two weeks before the start of the visit. After the visit, the host Estonian researcher has to submit to ETAG a Document signed by the Taiwanese researcher to prove the transfer of funds.
Successful applicants in the last 5 years:
2024 Call
– Allen Kaasik (University of Tartu) „The Role of CISD2 in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Aging: A New Therapeutic Approach“, for a visit to prof. Ting-Fen Tsai (National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University).
– Kristel Vene (Tallinn University of Technology) „Effect of emerging processing technologies on organoleptic properties of Estonian and Taiwanese fruit-vegetable juices“, for a visit to prof. Mohsen Gavahian (National Pingtung University of Science and Technology).
– Kadri Tüür (Tallinna University) „Cultures of Environmental Protest: Civic Engagement and Ecological Resistance in Estonia and Taiwan““, for a visit to prof. Joan Chiung-huei Chang (National Taiwan Normal University).
2023 Call
– Kalev Sepp (Estonian University of Life Sciences) „Drone-based environmental monitoring for temperate and tropical forests in Estonia and Taiwan“, for a visit to prof. Hui Ping Tsai (National Ching Hsing University).
– Lauri Mälksoo (University of Tartu) „Constitutions and International Law: A comparison between Taiwan and Estonia“ , for a visit to prof. Yen-Tu Su (Academia Sinica).
– Mikk Espenberg (University of Tartu) „Advancing microbial communities for anaerobic digestion and integrated bioelectrochemical-wetland systems for greenhouse gases and wastewater mitigation“, for a visit to prof. Hsun-Yi Chen (National Taiwan University).
2022 Call
– Margit Olle (NGO Veggies Cultivation) „Improved nutrition of vegetable crops through insect frass fertilization“, for a visit to Director Wen Li Lee (Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute).
– Mikk Espenberg (University of Tartu) „Application of integrated bioelectrochemical-wetland systems to advance the microbial communities for the power production and mitigation of agricultural water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions“, for a visit to prof. Hsun-Yi Chen (National Taiwan University).
– Rain Männikus (Tallinn University of Technology) „Improvement of Directional Wave Spectrum Measurement and Analysis using Miniature Buoys Array“, for a visit to prof. Hwa Chien (National Central University).
In 2021, travel grants were not allocated due to COVID travel restrictions.
2020 Call
– Anu Reinart (University of Tartu) „An Integrated Framework to Monitor Environmental Changes by Joint Estonia and Taiwan Satellite Data Agencies“, for a visit to prof. Fuan Tsai (National Central University).
– Kuno Kasak (University of Tartu) „Greenhouse gas emissions and related microbial activities in mangrove ecosystems„ for a visit to prof. Hsing-Juh Lin (National Chung Hsing University).
– Margit Olle (️Estonian Crop Research Institute) „Improved agrotechnology for better nutrition of vegetable crops„ for a visit to Director Wen Li Lee (Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute).
Estonian applicant must submit the electronically signed application by e-mail to:
Katrin Saar
katrin.saar@etag.ee
(+372) 731 7386
Estonian Research Council