Deadline: 14-Mar-25
The National Research Foundation (NRF) is currently accepting applications for the Africa-UK Physics Partnership (AUPP) Programme to improve physics training, research, infrastructure and collaboration in SSA with the overall objective of supporting the SSA physics community to produce world-class research and contribute to developmental priorities.
Aim and Objectives
- The aim of the AUPP Programme is to unlock the potential of the SSA physics community through sustainable capacity-building in problem-based physics training, and innovation-focused research, to empower physicists in SSA to make fundamental discoveries, and significantly contribute to addressing major local and global challenges.
- The overall objectives are to:
- establish a platform where African physicists can collaborate;
- support existing physics networks between African universities,
- support networking through conferences and seminars;
- train and build new collaborations between physicists from South African Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs), including the two new South African universities and the African partner country universities;
- strengthen research collaboration amongst African partner countries through networks;
- provide African early-career physicists with access to research infrastructure not readily available in their home countries; and
- where feasible and practical link African physicists with industry partners.
Thematic Areas
- Energy
- Climate and Weather
- Health
- Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
Funding Information
- Funded initiatives will fall within the following two funding streams:
- Two-way research mobility and networking grants at R1mil (around £50 000) each.
- Multi-country research mobility and networking grants at R2,5mil (around £100 000) each.
Eligibility Criteria
- PIs must be in possession of a PhD and may either be emerging researchers (up to seven years post-PhD) or established researchers (eight-plus years post-PhD).
- PIs and their collaborating team members must be based at higher education and research institutions of the 18 eligible African countries.
- Collaborating teams are expected to incorporate capacity development (i.e. the development of ECR).
- Project teams may include non-academic research partners (e.g. industry/private sector) to foster co-creation and co-learning in instances where this is necessarily or feasible. Evidence of such active engagement with the private sector will be important in the assessment of project proposals and may be demonstrated through submission of the letter of support from the participating industry partners. Private sector collaborating partners cannot lead the network or serve as PIs.
For more information, visit NRF.