For the Staff

There are many ways for staff members to engage actively in the University’s internationalisation efforts and to benefit from the services offered by the International Relations Office (IRO). We provide support in developing new international agreements and offer funding opportunities for staff mobility - both within Europe and beyond - for training purposes.

Staff Mobility for Training funded by SEMP

Staff members of the University of Fribourg who wish to pursue continuing education abroad can apply for financial support through the Swiss European Mobility Programme (SEMP).

The International Relations Office (IRO) and the University’s Human Resources Service strongly encourage staff to take advantage of this opportunity, as completing further training in an international context offers valuable professional enrichment and contributes to the University’s internationalisation efforts.

 

For any questions, the IRO team will be happy to assist you: international-outgoing@unifr.ch

  • Conditions

    IRO and HR have defined the following 2 conditions for staff members who wish to apply for SEMP funding for continuing education in Europe (list of countries) or outside of Europe:

    1. The stay must be approved by their hierarchical superior.
    2. Their department must be prepared to welcome an incoming staff member who wishes to pursue continuing education at Unifr (such requests are rare).

    The Swiss European Mobility Programme imposes the following conditions:

    • The host institution must be a university or a private or a public institution involved in education, research, and/or training.
    • The training must last a minimum of 2 days (excluding travel days) if it takes place in Europe and a minimum of 5 days (excluding travel days) if it takes place outside of Europe. The maximum duration is 8 weeks.
    • The following are recognized as training: (language) courses, job-shadowing, workshops, and participation in staff weeks (Staff Weeks offers). Participation in conferences is not considered as training.
  • Financial Support

    Financial support consists of a daily allowance of CHF 170 (CHF 80 from the 15th day onward) for each training and travel day (outward and return journey), plus a lump sum for the travel expenses. The amount of the lump sum depends on the distance between Fribourg and the destination: SEMP travel lump sum.

    The yearly budget for staff mobility is limited. Applications that meet all the conditions can only be supported if sufficient funds are available.

  • Procedure to submit an application
    1. Submit your application via the MyUnifr Portal (in French: RH Formation et Développement Formation continue à l'étranger / in German: HR Bildung und Entwicklung Weiterbildung im Ausland)
    2. The IRO examines the application and will aim to distribute funding among different departments.
    3. When a request is accepted, IRO informs the Human Resources Service, who verifies the need to establish an agreement. If such an agreement is needed, Human Resources inform the applicant.
    4. The IRO confirms to the applicant that financial support has been granted. A month before the training, the IRO sends the applicant the documents to be completed before, during, and after the training via MyUnifr (see Mobility procedure below).
  • Mobility Procedure

    Here is a step-by-step description of the procedure for staff mobility for training in French and German.

  • Deadline to Submit an Application

    Funding for continuing education is limited and tied to the academic year. It is therefore advisable to apply as early as possible, and at least 1 month before the start of your stay.

    Apply via the MyUnifr Portal (in French: RH  Formation et Développement  Formation continue à l'étranger / in German: HR  Bildung und Entwicklung  Weiterbildung im Ausland).

  • Staff Weeks Offers

    A Staff Week is a training week organized by universities for staff members from other universities. Staff Weeks are often aimed at international-relations staff, but there are an increasing number of offers for staff members from other departments.

    The following website presents the Staff Weeks offers.