Deadline: 25-Feb-22
The Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC) is inviting universities or research-based institutions for its Development Research Grants Programme.
Funding Information
- The total allocation available for development research funding in 2022 is approximately DKK 200 million. Funding is conditional on approval by the Danish Parliament of the 2022 Finance Bill.
- The expected duration of research projects is up to 5 years within a maximum grant of DKK 10 million for a project.
Themes
- Climate change, nature and the environment
- Making progress towards the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations in Agenda 2030 requires renewed research efforts, particularly to understand the causes and consequences of global warming and environmental degradation.
- An action agenda on climate change, nature and the environment is outlined in the development cooperation strategy “The World We Share” (2021-25), which constitutes the thematic framework for this call for research proposals.
- Research in countries with expanded development cooperation with Denmark
- The following theme outlines topics that may be investigated in selected countries with an expanded development cooperation with Denmark. In 2022, these countries are: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Palestine, Uganda and Tanzania.
- Research in countries with targeted development cooperation with Denmark
- The following themes cover topics that may be investigated in selected countries with a targeted development cooperation with Denmark through specific strategic sector cooperation (SSC) programmes :
- The energy sector transition in Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa and Vietnam. Social, economic and technological assessments are required to understand the factors determining the development of renewable energy, including investigation of overall planning and modelling to increase power sector capacities and diversify supplies, as well as topics such as access to electricity, energy efficiency and the establishment of smart grids.
- Enhancing water resource management in Ghana and South Africa. Understanding innovation in the context of adaptation and resilience to climate change, including analyses of groundwater supplies, demand factors and reduced water losses, infrastructure improvements and resource planning to ensure service provision, wastewater regulation, etc. Research may combine social and natural science perspectives, taking institutional factors into account. International efforts to design and build sustainable cities in Indonesia, Kenya and South Africa.
- Investigation of the processes determining the transformation of urban landscapes, transport and infrastructure with a particular focus on waste management as well as innovation to promote recycling and the circular economy in urban development. Research into institutional factors may be particularly important.
- Food and agriculture in Indonesia, Kenya and Vietnam. Investigations focusing on food quality, safety measures and legislation, through strengthening capacities for regulation and product control along value chains, as well as the promotion of “one health” approaches focused on reduced antibiotic use, improved hygiene and disease control. Sustainable livelihoods perspectives will be particularly important.
- The following themes cover topics that may be investigated in selected countries with a targeted development cooperation with Denmark through specific strategic sector cooperation (SSC) programmes :
Eligibility Criteria
- Main Applicant:
- Only universities or research-based institutions nationally registered in Denmark are eligible to submit an application. The application must be submitted by the researcher who will, if the project is granted, become the project coordinator (project lead) on behalf of the responsible institution.
- The project coordinator must have an affiliation with the applying institution.
- At the time of submitting the application, the project coordinator must hold a PhD or equivalent qualification, documented clearly in the CV. Documented evidence that he/she is a Professor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor is regarded as equivalent to a PhD.
- Experience shows that the project coordinator plays a key role in ensuring that a research collaboration project is successful. An effective engagement/involvement of the project coordinator will entail a substantial workload, noticeably at the beginning of the project.
- It is important that the project coordinator and the research team are able to document relevant scientific merits and qualifications as well as a research background within the topic applied for. A person may appear as project coordinator on several applications, but only one project per project coordinator may be approved for funding.
- Project participants:
- The application must name the research partner institutions (nationally registered) and other collaborating partners in Denmark and in the country/ies where the research will be undertaken, and if applicable partners in third countries and/or international partners.
- At least one researcher from each partner institution (project participant if non-academic partner) must be named in the Phase 1 application (task: Project participants in SMA).
- Research collaboration is considered an important means to strengthen research capacity. In order for research partners to benefit from the collaboration, partnerships should be equal, and partners must contribute actively in preparing both Phase 1 and subsequent Phase 2 applications (if prequalified).
- Other important aspects of equal partnerships include joint fieldwork, joint publishing, knowledge sharing, access to databases and libraries, etc.
- It is strongly encouraged to involve partners from the private sector and other relevant nonacademic institutions in partner countries or in Denmark, and grant funding can be used for their direct input to project activities but not for overhead expenses.
- International research institutions and research institutions in countries outside Denmark and outside the partner country/ies can equally be supported by the grant for their direct input to the project activities with no overhead.
- All partners are encouraged to contribute with additional resources (funding or in-kind) for the projects.
- Support to PhD students is considered an important part of research capacity strengthening of the partner institutions. The application should indicate the intentions for involvement of PhD students in the project. Danish PhD students may be included for their direct input to the project.
- PhD students who are included in the project and from the country/ies where the research will be undertaken must seek enrolment at a university in their home country, alternatively at a university in the region.
- Enrolment in Denmark can only be considered if enrolment in the home country or the region is not possible, and if sufficient justification for this is provided.
For more information, visit https://dfcentre.com/development-research-call-2022/