NRF/BELSPO: Supporting Joint Networking Research Activities in Marine & Space Sciences

Deadline: 20 September 2017

The South African National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) are seeking proposals for its joint call for supporting joint networking research activities in Marine and Space Sciences between South African and Belgian young and emerging researchers.

Programme Aims

To contribute to scientific advancement in both countries through the funding of joint activities in specified research fields.
To provide an opportunity for young and emerging researchers in the two countries to engage.
To contribute to research capacity enhancement.

Areas of Cooperation

Applications should be submitted in the following domains:

Marine sciences
Space

Funding Information

South Africa: The total funding from the NRF should not exceed R300 000. Funding will be made available for a maximum of 3-years, to be paid in annual installments (R100 000 per year).
Belgium: The maximum budget per proposal to be granted to the Belgian partner is 30.000 EUR

Eligibility Criteria

An application must designate two Principal Investigators, one in South Africa and one in Belgium, who will bear the main responsibility for the project activities, including its technical and administrative coordination as well as scientific and financial reporting. Commercial institutions and private education institutions are not eligible to apply under this Programme.
South Africa:
- This programme is open to young emerging researchers (researchers not older than 45 years at the time of application) and residing in South Africa and affiliated with a recognised higher education or research institution such as a university, university of technology or science council.
- The South African PI (Principal Investigator) must be in possession of a PhD (received within the past 7 years).
Belgium:
- Proposals eligible under the present programme are those related to projects that are or have been supported by one of BELSPO’s research programmes (BRAIN.be (≥ 2012), STEREO III, (≥ 2012), ESA-PRODEX and others to CHECK) or projects of the federal scientific institutions (FSIs).
- At least one investigator of the supported project should be involved in the proposal. It is possible to link with another Belgian research team of an initially supported project. The added value of such extension of the network has to be clearly explained.