Deadline: 15-Nov-21
The University College London (UCL) is offering the Research Grants to fund Iraqi-led research into the sustainable development of Iraqi history, heritage and the humanities.
Aims
These awards support interdisciplinary research on themes relating to one or more of the Nahrein Network’s six aims:
- To better understand the current situation: Why, and how, have local experts and audiences been excluded from the production and consumption of knowledge about the past of Iraq and its neighbours? They aim to develop a fuller historical and political understanding of this problem.
- To raise the profile of local expertise: They aim to support Iraq humanities academics and heritage professionals to engage with regional and global academic communities, as producers of research for international consumption.
- To improve the job prospects of the region’s youth: They aim to improve employability and leadership potential for humanities graduates from Iraqi universities.
- To help heritage organisations better serve local needs: They aim to enable Iraqi museums, archives, cultural heritage sites, and registered NGOs to contribute to, and diversify, local tourism and knowledge economies.
- To help post-conflict healing and reconciliation: They aim to develop the role of Iraqi history and heritage in repairing past injustices, and in building inclusive communities and a fairer, more cohesive society.
- To address Iraq’s climate emergency: They aim to foster an integrated, holistic approach to heritage and the environment, in order to mitigate against the effects of impending natural disaster.
Type of Grants
This scheme offers 3 types of grants:
- Starter grant: up to £10,000 over 12 months
- Small grant: up to £30,000 over 18 months
- Large grant: up to £100,000 over 24 months, no more than £30,000 spent outside Iraq
Eligibility Criteria
- Iraqi researchers, with or without international collaborators
- Researchers do not need to have a PhD but they need to demonstrate their capacity to conduct research
- Small and starter grants must be led by:
- an Iraqi researcher employed by, or with another formal affiliation with, an Iraqi university, registered cultural heritage organisation, NGO or community group. All Iraqi organisations that the Nahrein Network funds must be formally registered with relevant authorities in Iraq
- Large grants may be led by:
- Either an Iraqi researcher employed by, or having another formal affiliation with, an Iraqi university, registered cultural heritage organisation, NGO or community group, who has previously successfully led a Nahrein Network-funded project to completion
- Or a researcher employed by, or having another formal affiliation with, an Iraqi or non-Iraqi university, registered cultural heritage organisation, NGO or community group, provided at least one Iraqi researcher is in the project’s leadership team and at least 70% of the budget is to be spent in Iraq
Selection Process
The Nahrein Network team assesses all applications according to the following criteria:
- the quality, value and urgency of the proposed research;
- the qualifications and experience of the applicant(s) to manage and conduct this research;
- the feasibility of the proposed management plan, timetable and budget;
- the viability and suitability of the project’s planned outputs, dissemination and publication strategies;
- the likely long-term sustainability and/or impact of the project;
- the degree to which the project meets the aims and addresses the themes of the Nahrein Network;
- the degree to which the project addresses relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/nahrein/apply/research-grants
