A university digitalisation project needs a defined service problem, an implementation plan and an operating budget. External funding may support eligible work, but a programme name does not establish that a particular university, platform or cost qualifies.
Start with the Change, Not the Purchase
Describe the student or staff journey to improve, the current barriers and the outcome the institution wants. Identify the service owner, affected systems, data and people responsible for adoption. A list of software licences is not a complete project.
Define a baseline and a measurement method. For example, the institution might measure the time needed to complete a request, repeated contacts or accessibility barriers. Targets are planned outcomes, not evidence of savings already achieved.
Distinguish the Programme Routes
| Programme family | What to check in a specific call |
|---|---|
| FERS | Whether the call supports the institution’s education, skills, accessibility or organisational-change activities |
| FENG | Whether the research, innovation, infrastructure or cooperation project and applicant/consortium are eligible |
| KPO | The precise investment, beneficiary rules and completion milestones |
| Regional and national instruments | Whether the institution, location and proposed work match the active scheme |
These are directions for investigation, not a list of open calls or guaranteed funding uses. FENG measures are not interchangeable, and an instrument aimed at enterprises may not fund a university’s internal administration. Read the call’s documents and the responsibilities of its implementing institution.
Check the Whole Budget
Separate analysis, software development, licences, integration, data migration, infrastructure, accessibility work, training and operation. Confirm eligible categories, limits, the treatment of taxes and the earliest eligible expenditure date.
Check procurement and competition rules applicable to the institution and funding. The technical specification should explain the required outcome without assuming a supplier’s proprietary product is automatically necessary.
Plan for the Funded Period and Beyond
Assign responsibility for maintenance, content updates, accounts, support and future licence costs. Consider what happens when the funded period ends or a supplier changes. Training and adoption need time in staff workloads as well as a line in the budget.
Model cash flow and any own contribution. An award may not mean immediate reimbursement, and the institution must be able to meet its obligations under the agreement.
Build a Defensible Application
Connect the needs assessment, work plan, budget and indicators. Explain how accessibility, security and data protection will be assessed for the actual service. These are responsibilities to address, not automatic scoring bonuses or a guarantee of a funding decision.
Keep sources for assumptions and quotations. Specify the evidence needed for acceptance and settlement, the people responsible for each item and the process for approving changes. Retention and durability requirements come from the applicable rules and agreement.
Scope the Software Work
Q-Dev can develop software for a defined university workflow with individually agreed scope, price and schedule. An application following an audit belongs to stage two of Q-Journey, including when it does not use AI.
A technical project description can inform planning. It does not establish eligibility, promise a grant award or include application preparation unless separately agreed. The institution and its funding specialists should verify the call and obligations.
Where to Check the Current Rules
Use the official European Funds portal, PARP, NCBR and the institution named in the call. A programme name is not evidence that a call is open, that your organisation is eligible or that a particular cost will be funded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which programme will fund our university project? That depends on the applicant, activity and current call. Investigate the relevant FERS, FENG, KPO, regional or national instrument and assess its documents against the project.
Can an AI platform be an eligible cost? Possibly, if the specific call permits the cost and the project meets its conditions. A technology label alone does not establish eligibility or a funding priority.
Does a grant cover maintenance after launch? Only to the extent allowed by the rules. The institution still needs an operating plan and budget for the period after support ends.
Can QA10 guarantee funding? No. Technical scope and evidence can support planning, but the programme’s rules and assessment determine eligibility and the funding decision.