ERA Knowledge Exchange Programme

I. Purpose

The purpose of the Knowledge Exchange Programme is to foster the sharing of expertise and innovative clinical practices between leading nephrology professionals and institutions within the ERA geographical area. This program is designed to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and skills, thereby enhancing the quality of nephrology care and education on a global scale. 

Key objectives of the program include: 

1. Professional Development: Enabling nephrology professionals to gain insights into new techniques and treatments by learning from esteemed nephrologists/experts in nephrology at the visited institute/hospital. 
2. Collaboration and Networking: Promoting collaboration between nephrology departments and institutions, which can lead to joint research projects, shared resources, and long-term professional relationships. 
3. Advancement of Nephrology: Encouraging the dissemination and implementation of best practices and innovative approaches in nephrology, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes. 
4. Global Health Improvement: Contributing to the global effort to improve kidney health by ensuring that knowledge and advancements in nephrology are shared widely and applied in diverse healthcare settings. 

Every year the ERA Council is in charge of deciding the amount dedicated to this programme.
Any exception to any of the rules of this programme must be evaluated by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the SAB and/or by the Council, depending on the nature of the exception. 

 

II. Deadline(s)

The deadline(s) decided by the Council will appear in the appropriate section of the ERA website.

 

III. How to apply 

Applications must be submitted using a specific application form available in the appropriate section of the ERA website.

 

IV. Institutions where to do the Knowledge Exchange Programme

All applications must involve a receiving institution located in the ERA geographical area (European, countries bordering Europe and the Mediterranean Sea) and should involve movement between two countries.
Before applying for the Knowledge Exchange Programme, the applicant must contact the preferred centre to verify the feasibility of the clinical project he/she wants to carry out and the relevance of experience in the chosen clinical practice to learn/improve. ERA is not responsible for this process. 

 

V. Eligibility

Only Full ERA members who are staff nephrologists/experts in nephrology working already in that area of the exchange project (age limit: 55 years at the time of application submission) can apply.
Applicants who already received an ERA Knowledge Exchange Programme grant in the past cannot apply again.

 

VI. Duration

The duration of the exchange period is 1 month (30 days).

 

VII. Selection of the applications
The ERA HQ does an administrative pre-screening and all applications with administrative fails are automatically discarded.
The valid applications are submitted to the SAB for screening, scoring, and ranking.
Said ranking is submitted to the Council for the final selection. 

  

VIII. Factors normally considered in the selection of applicants

1. Educational and clinical knowledge status of the applicant
2. Need of specific knowledge in the home institute
3. Feasibility of the proposed exchange in the chosen centre
4. Knowledge transfer and the possibility of implementation of the project from host to home institute
5. ERA membership status of director of the hosting institute. 

IMPORTANT. Upon completion of the exchange period, the applicants should return to their home institution.

 

IX. Start of the exchange period

The exchange period should start, without any further significant delay, within 6 months after reception of approval by ERA.

 

X. Payments and amounts

The Knowledge Exchange Programme grant amounts are based on the EMBO -European Molecular Biology Organisation-daily subsistence rates: these daily flat fee figures will be applied for the duration of the exchange period (30 days) and are meant to cover living expenses and any work-related taxes and insurances.   

IMPORTANT any taxes and insurance are the responsibility of the visiting ERA member, for no reason will ERA be held liable for these matters.  

In the event of early termination of the exchange period, the final balance to be paid will be reduced accordingly and any extra amounts already paid will have to be repaid back to ERA.  

ERA will not give any other financial support apart from what is clearly mentioned above.  

The payment of the grant will be the following:  

• 75% of the total amount due to be paid 10 days prior to the arrival in the host institute (travel documentation must be used to verify this date) provided that a letter from the chief of the host
  institute confirming that all is “on track” is received 

• the remaining 25% will be given only after the “End of Knowledge Exchange Programme” form will be submitted and approved
   

XI. End of exchange report

At the end of the exchange period, the visiting ERA members are asked to provide the ERA HQ with a report of the activity done at the receiving institute, using a specific template, within one month after the completion of the exchange programme. The report must be signed by the director of the hosting institute.
Upon approval of the end report, the visiting ERA members will receive the last part of the grant payment as well as a certificate by way of acknowledgement: this document will include the dates and duration of the exchange period, the place and title of the project and it will be signed by the SAB Chair and the ERA President. 

  

XII. Various
If a granted applicant “refuses” the grant, without a valid reason, he/she will not be able to participate in the Knowledge Exchange Programme in the future. 

  

Last update: November 2024