General Information

The international Staff Mobility Initiative (SMI) at SFU supports the ongoing internationalization of the university through improvements and innovations in service, practice and programming.  SMI also provides an international professional development opportunity for continuing non-academic staff at SFU and helps to strengthen SFU’s international partnerships through broader engagement.

Terms and Funding

Proposals & Funding
Dependent on available funding, each year SMI sets aside funds to support a limited number of proposals as follows:

• Consideration will be given to proposals that could benefit SFU’s internationalization efforts through innovations or enhanced levels of service and/or programming.

• Priority is given to SMI proposals that will take place at one or more of SFU’s official partner institutions outside of Canada.  (For a list of SFU’s official international partner institutions, please here.  SFU International is pleased to work with the applicant during the application phase to identify potential host institutions.)
  
  
• The duration of each short-term attachment should be two to six weeks; the duration of each full staff exchange should be a maximum of eight months.
  
  
• Each approved attachment or exchange will be supported by a maximum of $5000 to help with costs for economy air travel, required ground transportation, accommodation, meal per diems, and immigration/visa costs.
      - Personal funding or additional financial support may be required.
      - Participants are encouraged to seek additional funding through the application of professional development funds, external sources, and/or through financial support from the participants’ department or faculty.
      - No funds are available to support a replacement salary to ‘back fill’ your position in your absence
          - this should be made clear to your immediate supervisor when seeking approval.

Selection
A selection committee will deliberate on the proposals; successful applicants will then be notified and, if successful, nominated by SFU International to the partner institution(s).

Applicants should not contact the partner institution during the application process; SFU International will liaise with colleagues at the identified institutions to assess feasibility and fit of attachment for successful applicants. If no appropriate match can be made with the proposed institutions, SFU International will work with the nominee to identify other possibilities. On occasion it may not be possible to find an appropriate match.

Approved Participants
Travel and visa arrangements will be made by the participant. If required, a travel advance should be requested for proposed SMI costs at least 1 month prior to departure.

Usually, there will be no interruption in normal salary. Standard benefits (mandatory and optional) and APSA/CUPE policies will normally continue to apply.

When a person leaves BC for temporary employment, benefits may normally be maintained for up to 12 months. Approval by MSP to maintain coverage while out of the country for any absence that exceeds 6 months is limited to once in five years. Employees are also responsible for ensuring that their extended health care plan(s) is appropriate for their approved SMI destination(s) and duration of stay outside of Canada.  Employees should contact their insurance provider directly to inquire about this.

Upon return to SFU the participants’ responsibilities will include:

• SMI funds must be reconciled with SFU International by submission of original documentation and receipts within 2 weeks of return to SFU.  SFU International will then submit a travel claim on behalf of the participant within 1 month of return.
• a written report to be submitted to his/her supervisor, with copies to the appropriate Dean/Director and to SFU International, normally within two months of return.
• a public presentation to colleagues on the findings of her/his experience, normally within two months of return.

Applications

Deadlines: TBA (program currently closed)
Note: The number of proposals approved each deadline varies as it is dependent on available funding.

Application checklist:

• Completed application form
• Two page proposal (see application form and related proposal guidelines)
• Detailed budget (see application form and related budget guidelines)
• Approval of your direct supervisor AND approval of the Dean/Director/VP of your Faculty/Department/Unit*

(*Note: if your supervisor is the Dean/Director/VP of your unit, you are asked to also seek the signature of the person to whom they report)