SAIA, n. o. (Slovak Academic Information Agency)

At the beginning of the 90s of the last century, new conditions in the society called for the need to establish an independent information agency which would provide access to information and advice on studying abroad to the general public, and would create an open and transparent application procedure for scholarships offered at the time of political change to Slovakia by foreign governments and various non-governmental organisations.

SAIA, n. o. major programmes in 2009:

ACADEMIC MOBILITY

This Programme is connected with the establishment of SAIA in 1990. It has been financially supported by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic. As part of this Programme, SAIA provides information and advice to people interested in studying abroad; organises selection of scholarship holders for stays in 30 countries on the base of bi-lateral intergovernmental agreements and offers of foreign governments; coordinates admissions of foreign scholarship holders of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic for study and research stays in the Slovak Republic; organises seminars and information days focused on studying abroad and scholarship programmes for students of secondary schools and higher education institutions; promotes Slovak higher education institutions at national and international educational fairs; produces publications on studying abroad as well as a monthly Bulletin SAIA.

Regional SAIA offices in Banská Bystrica, Košice, Nitra, Prešov and Žilina assist with the implementation of the programme.

NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC FOR THE SUPPORT OF MOBILITY OF STUDENTS, PHD STUDENTS, UNIVERSITY TEACHERS AND RESEARCHERS

Establishment of this Programme was approved by the Government of the Slovak Republic in 2005. It is funded by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic. SAIA is its administrator. It supports mobility of foreign and Slovak students, PhD students, university teachers and researchers. The first phase of the programme ends in 2010, at the moment the last selection will be organised in the autumn 2009 (further information – ).

ACTION AUSTRIA – SLOVAKIA, CO-OPERATION IN SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

It is a bilateral programme the objective of which is to intensify co-operation between Austria and Slovakia in the field of education and research. The Programme has been funded by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and the Federal Ministry of Science and Research of the Republic of Austria on the basis of the agreement signed in 1992. The Programme is administered by SAIA (further information - ).

CEEPUS (Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies)

This Programme supports co-operation between universities from 14 countries (Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia).

It is funded through respective national ministries for higher education. In the academic year 1994/1995, the first mobility activities took place. SAIA serves as a CEEPUS National Office in Slovakia. Universities collaborate within the framework of approved networks.

NIL FUND SUPPORTING CO-OPERATION IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

NIL Fund has been established with the aim to contribute to strengthening of bi- and multilateral co-operation between Slovakia and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein in the field of education. A possibility to submit projects and apply for grants was open in 2 calls to all types of Slovak secondary schools and higher education institutions in co-operation with partners in target countries. The first projects submitted by Slovak secondary schools and higher education institutions were approved in June 2008. Programme will end in April 2011.