• CIRRUS/Nordplus mobility 2019 agreement has been prolonged until May 31, 2021 (instead of September 30, 2020). All activities – projects and teacher/student mobilities alike – may take place also in 2020/2021 (in parallel with the new agreement due to arrive in May)
• Digital mobility announced by Nordplus – possibility to buy soft-and hardware if needed, to make N+ mobility happen in digital formats.
• CIRRUS online network meeting will happen in May/June 2020.
  
  More information from: sandra.mell@artun.ee
  

Nordplus New Digital Mobility option and more on Covid 19

17.03.20 
https://nordplusonline.org/eng/News2/NEWS-AND-ARCHIVE/Nordplus-New-Digital-Mobility-option-and-more-on-Covid-19
Author: Eva Einarsdóttir 

The spread of the COVID-19 virus has naturally raised questions among project managers and individuals who have received funding from Nordplus. For this reason, the Nordplus National Agencies wish to convey the following message regarding participants’ trips that are currently underway or ahead.

It is clear that Nordplus mobilities and other Nordplus project activities will be affected in the coming weeks and months. Nordplus beneficiaries are encouraged to keep a close eye on information on their respective national authorities’ websites and follow the recommendations given there.

Promoters evaluate to the best of their ability whether trips will be delayed due to the virus. Irreversible costs for travel that occur due to the virus and fall on Nordplus projects will normally be accepted as project costs in the final report even if the trips have not been completed.

We ask all the Nordplus project coordinators who are forced to change their plans to send a written explanation to their respective Nordplus National Agency or the sub-programme ‘s administrator informing about the change to their projects.

The National Agency handles such requests individually but draws attention to the fact that the approved grant cannot exceed the total amount allocated to the project.

It is important that all data (proof of cost) is kept available in order to document the reasons why the project has changed its plans.

Digital activities

Nordplus would also like to draw the attention to the following extraordinary changes to the Nordplus regulation:

– In mobility projects: “Digital mobility” will exceptionally by accepted as “regular mobility” from now and until the end of June 2020

– In collaboration projects: Costs linked to on-line meetings replacing planned physical meetings will exceptionally be accepted from now and until the end of June 2020. 

-Beneficiaries with open grant agreements will also have the option of extending the project period to be able to carry out postponed activities.

Approved funding for “digital activities” can be used for direct costs such as IT-support service or to purchase needed hardware and/or software or indirect cost such as training for participants. Approval of these costs will be a temporary exception from the general Nordplus funding rules set out in the handbook due to the exceptional situation created by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Approved funding for “digital implementation” cannot exceed the grant that has been allocated to the “original implementation” of a given activity.    

This will apply for active projects/networks (2017, 2018 and mostly 2019 allocation – not for future 2020 agreements).

Do not hesitate to contact the Nordplus office closest to you for further information or clarification.