Exploring, discovering and experimenting: that's what the Radboud Teaching and Learning Centre's TLC vouchers are for. A voucher offers you and your colleagues the chance to experiment with new initiatives in education, develop them and then learn from them. In addition, you can use a voucher to research an educational issue that has been on your mind for ages, for example. TLC vouchers are issued in cooperation with the Radboudumc Health Academy. On this page, you will find more information about the possibilities and application procedure of such a voucher.
Quick links:
- The possibilities of a TLC voucher
- Guidelines
- Guidelines for applying for a TLC voucher
- The application procedure
- After the TLC voucher is awarded
- Planning
The possibilities of a TLC voucher
With the support of a TLC voucher, it is possible to carry out different types of projects. TLC voucher projects can focus on renewing and innovating education, the professional development of teachers and educational developers, or on exploring teaching and learning for everyone involved.
With a TLC voucher, you can, for instance, experiment with new educational technologies on a small scale. It is also possible to carry out a combination project of innovation and research, investigating, for example, the effects of an innovation or determining through research what is an appropriate improvement.
Focus on students, teachers or the organisation
Voucher projects can target different audiences. There is room for research or innovation aimed at students, teachers and the educational organisation. A combination of the different target groups is also possible. For example, a voucher project can be used to reduce teachers' workload and conduct research on the associated impact on students.
What can be funded with a TLC voucher?
The funding is intended for additional cost items not covered by the regular educational process. You can use the budget for such things as:
- Project work such as compensation of teaching hours, the use of working students or hiring external expertise.
- Material costs such as the purchase of hardware or software, data transcription, translations, graphic design, organising panel meetings or presenting results at conferences.
Guidelines
- The applicant is employed at Radboud University or Radboudumc.
- Projects have a maximum duration of two years.
- Deadlines for submitting a voucher application are set annually. In between, the voucher team is happy to think about a possible application with you.
- There is room for one voucher per course, training or department and a person can use a maximum of one voucher at a time.
- Depending on the impact and scope of the project, €2,000 to a maximum of €10,000 per voucher can be applied for.Being eligible for a TLC voucher
Guidelines for applying for a TLC voucher
There are a number of conditions that voucher applications must meet. These conditions are in line with the ambitions of the Teaching and Learning Centre.
When assessing voucher applications, a number of things are considered.
- Applicability: A broad relevance of the problem or question is important, so that colleagues and other faculties can also learn from the project. We ask you to share insights you gain in the project with your colleagues and through the TLC network.
- Approach: The approach you choose should be creative, cross-border or unique and therefore also be stimulating to colleagues and other teachers.
- Collaboration: In the project expertise is bundled together and work is done in a team. Thanks to our network of teacher ambassadors, educational researchers and educational support staff we can help you with putting together a team.
- Substantiation: You base your working method on insights from research or practical experience. This way we build on each other's knowledge and learn more about our education together.
- Maturity: The work plan is clear and contains concrete actions and intended results. Should your plans not yet have reached this stage, we will be happy to help you develop your ideas further.
What can you finance with a TLC voucher?
The financing is intended for extra costs that do not fall under the regular education process. For example, you can use the budget for:
- Project activities such as compensation for teacher hours, the deployment of students or the involvement of external expertise.
- Material costs such as the purchase of hardware or software, data transcription, translations, graphics, costs of organising panel meetings or costs of presenting outcomes at a conference.
Application procedure
1. Submit your idea
You can submit your idea for a voucher project to us using this form. After submitting your idea, the TLC-voucher team will contact you. Then we will discuss your idea together and see if it is suitable for a TLC-voucher.
2. Pitch your idea
After the discussion, you will develop your idea further and present it in a pitch of about ten minutes to the members of the voucher team. After the pitch, we will discuss your plans together. We think along with you and offer ideas to help you realise your plans. This can help you write the official voucher application.
We aim to have two or three candidates pitch and discuss their idea during a pitch meeting. This will give you broader input and help others along the way as well.
3. Submit your application:
You will process the points you have taken away from the pitch meeting into an official application for a TLC voucher according to a standard format we will give you. Two formats are available to work out your application. The format 'TLC-voucher for innovation' can be used when your ideas are related to the innovation or development of education. The format 'TLC voucher for research' is for ideas to research education.
There are four deadlines per year for submitting voucher applications (see planning). You submit the application by emailing the completed format to TLCvouchers [at] ru.nl (TLCvouchers[at]ru[dot]nl). You can also contact us via this e-mail address if you want to discuss anything about your application.
4. Assessment of the application
We discuss the voucher application in our team. If the application is sufficiently developed and meets our TLC voucher criteria, we will award the voucher. Sometimes we still need to see some points of improvement in the application before we award the voucher. In that case, we ask you to incorporate the feedback points and then resubmit the application. Should the answer be negative, we will let you know why your application is not eligible for a TLC voucher.
After the TLC voucher is granted
Start project
Has the application been approved by us? Congratulations! Then the TLC voucher has been granted and the project can start. After awarding, you will receive a letter confirming the commitment and requesting a cost centre number (of your department) to which the awarded project can be transferred. We will also contact you for a short description of your project on our website.
During the project
During the project, we keep in touch to hear how things are going. After about one quarter and three quarters of the duration of your project, we will ask for an update on the status of the project and hear if there is anything else you could use our help with.
During the course of the project, we may invite you to tell the TLC network about your project, for instance during one of the TLC activities or by means of an article in our newsletter.
Closing the project
You share the results of your project during Voucher Connect, a time to put your project in the spotlight. During Voucher Connect you will present your completed project and attend the presentations of some other completed vouchers. We would like to receive a final report in which you include the financial justification of the costs incurred. Your presentation can serve as a final report. You can submit the final report at TLCvouchers [at] ru.nl (TLCvouchers[at]ru[dot]nl). This completes your project.
Planning
1. Submit your idea using this web form: all year round
2. Pitch your idea; apply for your pitch opportunity via TLCvouchers [at] ru.nl (TLCvouchers[at]ru[dot]nl) for
- 20 January 2025
3. Submit your TLC voucher application at TLCvouchers [at] ru.nl (TLCvouchers[at]ru[dot]nl) by
- 15 November 2024
- 31 March 2025
N.B. Always register your idea first and engage with us before submitting a voucher application.