CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Please read the full details of this call to ensure compliance!!!
INTRODUCTION
Internal Funding Rounds provide seed funds for academic staff to collect and analyse data, and disseminate research results in line with the university’s research agenda as informed by the national development priorities.
Call Opens: 31st August 2023
Call Closes: 10th October 2023: 2359hrs
- Full-time University of Botswana academic staff members at all levels
- Staff members pursuing their postgraduate studies at UB can only apply as postgraduate students
- EXCLUSIONS
The following are not eligible for funding
- Staff members with incomplete and unreported projects from a previous funding round
- Staff members on study leave or other engagement of more than 12 months outside the university/country
- Staff members who are at UB on sabbatical or other non-employment arrangements
- FUNDING CATEGORIES
- Early Career Researcher - P50, 000. (5 years or less postgraduate research experience)
- This category is for early career researchers doing independent research, unless the project objectives require collaboration.
- Innovative projects by Early Career researchers can be considered above the funding category limit, provided guidance was obtained from the ORD before application. This is not a guarantee for funding approval! Please contact ext. 2900 for enquiries.
- Senior Researcher - P100, 000. (More than 5 years research experience)
- This category is for established researchers, working alone, with a team or mentoring an early career researcher. Postgraduate students cannot be listed as mentees. The mentee cannot apply as the Principal Investigator.
- Multi-disciplinary Collaborative Project - Up to P250,000
- This category is for projects that require expertise from different research fields/disciplines based on the proposed project objectives. All necessary expertise must be represented in the project team and relevant and demonstrable in the implementation of the project.
- Allowable Costs
- Funding is meant to support data collection, analysis, production of research outputs and dissemination. Only costs related to these activities are allowable.
- Supplies/Consumables required to run experiments and small storage devices (USBs) are allowable
- Costs to support access to or rental of facilities (sample processing, analysis, etc.) at other institutions/organisations are allowable if such facilities are unavailable within UB. Any facility rental costs should be accompanied by a clear justification in the budget. Quotations should not be submitted with the application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that these costs, including sample shipping are correct.
- Travel costs to disseminate findings from the funded project are allowed for one person at one international conference per project. Conference costs should be specific to a known conference at a known location/venue to ensure accuracy of the budget.
- Unallowable Costs
- Equipment and other items with insurable value as per UB procurement regulations will not be approved (computers, GPS, recording devices, cameras, etc.). Applicants should ensure that the major infrastructure needed to implement their projects, is available within their departments or other departments in the university before applying for funding.
- Hiring of professional staff is not allowed. Applicants should collaborate to cover all technical skills required to complete the project.
- Applicants should use the current travel allowance rates which will be posted under this call on the Research page of the University website.
- The university will not pay/refund any research expenses incurred before funding approval. Any costs so incurred will be personally borne by the applicant.
- The University will not fund a project that is already in progress/being implemented.
Important information
- Internal Funding is very competitive and limited. Proposals that offer solutions to societal and national development challenges in the short, medium and long term will be prioritised.
- Funding is intended to support data collection, analysis and dissemination activities, and does not cover major, durable equipment (computers, GPS, recording devices, cameras, etc.). Applicants should ensure that the main infrastructure required to complete their projects, is available within their departments before applying for funding. The costs of accessing external facilities/equipment that are unavailable internally are allowable and must be reflected clearly in the budget.
- Applicants should use the current travel allowance rates which are available in the application documents folder online. No documents will be emailed to applicants.
Collaborations
- This is internal funding, and approved projects will be funded 100% by the University.
- The Multidisciplinary funding category is meant to promote inter-disciplinary collaborations across university departments/faculties as determined by the research objectives. Applicants seeking collaborators should contact the ORD to be linked with relevant departments. Otherwise, projects that require external collaborations should seek external funding which provides neutral funding.
- Access to external parties’ research facilities should not be used as a reason for external collaboration. Applicants should fully cost the use of external facilities and include them in the budget.
- Academic staff are allowed to hire Research Assistants with proper justification to expedite data collection, entry, cleaning etc.). Research Assistants should not be hired to supervise other Research Assistants or undertake researchers’ duties such as report writing etc.
- APPLICATION PROCEDURE
- The application form provides important introductory details about the proposal and should be completed in full. The form can be accessed online here .
- Applicants should use the most current version of the application form which is dated August 2023.
- Application forms are updated all the time and applicants should not use forms from previous rounds. Applicants should also avoid getting the forms from other applicants.
- Word count limits in all sections and the application page limit must be adhered with at all times.
- The checklist at the end of the application form should be used to ensure application completeness and compliance. No additional unrequested document(s) should be submitted.
- FORMATTING
- All application documents should be typed and should use the black, 11pt font, Times New Roman or Arial and 1-inch margins formatting.
- All pages of the proposal and other required documents must be numbered
- Applications must be submitted in PDF.
- No hand-written submission will be accepted. All text must be in black font
- Before uploading any document. Applicants should ensure that they are legible.
- Applicants are advised to name their documents as follows:
- Surname+Initial_document name_Round # (Example: KgosiP_Application Form_Round 45)
- Applications with tracked comments will be rejected and sent back to applicants.
- SUBMISSION
- The application form and related documents can be accessed under this call on the website. All documents should be submitted online through the Research Management Systems(RMS). Submissions will not be received in any other way.
- All application documents listed under the checklist in the application form are required.
- The Principal Investigator should upload the application, NOT someone else.
- For guidance with online submission, applicants should contact researchsystem@ub.ac.bw or call (355-2900 /5524/ 2016).Applicants should keep track of their applications on the RMS after submission.
- ETHICAL CLEARANCE
- All research by UB staff and students must undergo ethical clearance. Ethical clearance is not required to apply for funding. However, successful applicants are required to have research permits before they can access their funds.
- Applicants should contact the Ethics Unit research.ethics@ub.ac.bw for guidance with ethical clearance processes.
APPLICATION SUPPORT
- The Office of Research & Development provides support throughout the call open period.
- Training workshops will be conducted to guide prospective applicants within two weeks of this call. This will be communicated after announcement of this call. Potential applicants are encouraged to attend these workshops.
Important Information:
- Funding is very competitive and limited. Application does not guarantee funding. High quality projects that offer solutions to societal problems will be prioritised
- Applications can be submitted any time after announcement of this call, until the stipulated closing date.
- Applications will NOT be received after the deadline.
- This is an online self-submission application process. Applications should be submitted by the applicants in person. The ORD will not take responsibility for applications submitted by someone else other than the applicant.
- The proposal evaluation criteria will be availed online for applicants to give their proposals the best chance of success. The criteria is not a template, applicants should follow the format used within their respective disciplines while addressing the key evaluation areas.
Please contact the ORD with any specific enquiries about this call at (355) 2900.
Please send an email to researchsystem@ub.ac.bw or call 5524 / 2016 / 2900 for any submission or related assistance.