Status: Open

Posted date: May 16, 2025

Opportunity ID: 359026

Opportunity number: 2025VE-002A

Opportunity category: Discretionary

Agency name: U.S. Mission to Venezuela

Agency code: DOS-VEN

Award floor: $0

Award ceiling: $200,000

Cost sharing required: No

Curriculum and University Partnership (CUP)A. Basic Information1. OverviewFunding Opportunity Title Curriculum and University Partnerships (CUP)Funding Opportunity Number 2025VE-002AAnnouncement Type Initial AnnouncementDeadline for Applications July 1, 2025Assistance Listing Number 19.040 – Public Diplomacy ProgramsLength of performance period Up to 18 monthsNumber of awards anticipated 1 award (dependent on amounts)Award amounts Up to $200,000 USDTotal available funding Up to $200,000 USD, pending availability of fundsType of Funding FY25 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy FundsAnticipated project start date October 1, 2025Funding Instrument Type: GrantProject Performance Period: Project should be completed in 18 months or lessPriority Region: VenezuelaThis notice is subject to the availability of funding.2. Executive SummaryThe Public Diplomacy section of the Venezuela Affairs Unit announces an opencompetition for U.S. Institutes of Higher Education (HEIs) or U.S. not-for-profitorganizations to submit applications for the Curriculum and University Partnerships(CUP).We seek proposals that build the curriculum development capacity of faculty atVenezuelan academic institutions through collaborative online curriculum-designpartnerships that cultivate university partnerships between these institutions and theirU.S. counterparts. Proposals should be submitted [email protected] by July 1, 2025.B. Eligibility1. Eligible ApplicantsThe following U.S. organizations are eligible to apply:● Accredited U.S. public and/or private higher education institutions (consortiaapplications are eligible).● Registered U.S. non-profit educational institutions and/or organizations withprogramming experience.NOTE: Proposals that include Spanish-speaking staff and the ability to conductsessions in Spanish will be prioritized.2. Cost Sharing or MatchingCost sharing is anticipated. Proposals that include cost-sharing will be assignedadditional review points that will be used to break ties among applications withequivalent scores after evaluation against all other factors.3. Other Eligibility RequirementsAll organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as wellas a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information.Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.C. Program DescriptionA. PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONThis program will focus on building collaborative curriculum development opportunitiesat Venezuelan universities, building curriculum design capacity; connecting Venezuelanacademics with their U.S. counterparts and catalyzing university partnerships.This program supports the VAU’s higher education engagement goals to expandpartnerships between U.S. and Venezuelan higher education institutions. Thisapproach acknowledges that fortifying existing links and promoting new U.S.-Venezuelan partnerships at the university level will make the United States safer,stronger, and more prosperous.We seek proposals that will utilize COIL 1 and other online collaboration tools to developup to six new curricula projects at Venezuelan universities and establish the buildingblocks of international partnerships among program participants and their U.S.counterparts.1 COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) refers to "online learning in an internationalsetting, with interactive involvement of students and faculty from different international and interculturalbackgrounds in and outside the classroom" (Leask, 2020:188). Benefits of COIL: International studiesshow that COIL has a relevant impact on the personal and academic development of participants and thatit is valued by various stakeholders, including teachers, students, and employers. In addition, theinvolvement in COIL projects enables teachers to: establish or strengthen international partnerships,integrate innovative and challenging practices into their courses, convey an international dimension tolearning, collaborate with peers, increase class dynamism, and improve student interest and satisfactionrates. (https://collab-edu.com/hub/coil/p/whatiscoil)Theory of Change: If universities in Venezuela increase their ability to collaborate and enhancetheir curriculum development capacity; and if these universities develop a campus-wide cultureof international collaboration, then Venezuela will be better positioned to build comprehensiveuniversity partnerships with U.S. counterparts.Key Deliverables: The 18-month CUP grant seeks to accomplish the program’s goalsthrough the following deliverables:Online Engagement and Mentoring Sessions on the main components of asuccessful university curriculum development process, including (but not limitedto), 1) Needs Assessment; 2) Goal Setting; 3) Curriculum Design; 4)Implementation; and 5) Evaluation/Revision (as needed). In addition, theseonline sessions should include a wide range of topics that focus on how to fostera culture of learning and international collaboration, including:● Value and importance of integrated and multi-disciplinary teaching andlearning, including leadership support for a campus-wide strategic vision;● Case studies of successful U.S. university curriculum development andimplementation initiatives that led to achieving international standards,improved student outcomes and institutionalized support;● International education and partnership strategies;● Additional topics could include curricula review strategies,student/faculty/administration stakeholder engagement; private-sector/practitioner integrations, critical thinking/problem-solvingcapacities; and● Other key areas that support this effort.International Partnership Facilitation/Professional Networking Activitiesthat support new academic collaborations and university partnerships (orenhance existing partnerships) between Venezuelan academic leaders and theirU.S. counterparts. The grantee will recruit and introduce potential U.S.university counterparts to facilitate these curriculum partnerships. This willinclude working with the Venezuelan participants to shape and design theircurriculum projects and develop their initial partnership strategies.NOTE: Proposals that present a broad group of U.S. universities andinnovative/creative online networking strategies efforts will be prioritized.Curriculum Design through COIL will be implemented and mentored by thegrantee through online support, regular consultations, and other professionaloversight as appropriate.In-Person Curriculum Workshop for up to 12 Venezuelan university academicsand administrators from six Venezuelan universities and six U.S. counterparts.The grantee will organize a Colombia-based academic conference to build on theonline capacity-building sessions and physically bring together internationalpartners for each of the six curriculum projects. The workshop can include traveland participation costs for U.S. experts and collaborative partners to travel toBogota, Colombia, for this program.Implementation and Assessment support for program participants to guide theimplementation of these curricula projects and the assessment and revisionprocess as necessary.NOTE: Spanish language capacity is not required, however, proposals that includekey staff with bilingual capacities (Spanish/English) will be prioritized.Program Participants in partnership with the VAU Public Diplomacy section and local educationalcounterparts, the program will engage up to 12 academics and/or administrators (livingand working in Venezuela) from up to six Venezuelan universities. Recruitment andselection will be jointly conducted by the grantee and the VAU. In consultation with theVAU, the number of participants in each program component may change depending onlocal conditions and budget considerations.