Deadline: 31-Mar-23
The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) invites researchers to submit their research proposals for the first round of receiving research proposals for the year 2023.
Goal
- The goal is to not only expand and build a growing body of knowledge in each key area, but also to ensure the translation and adoption of research outcomes from these research grants, as a means to foster and advance social and economic growth nationally, as well as contribute to scientific advancement globally.
Priorities
- The new KFAS 2022-2024 strategy is focused on funding research projects that address key, national priority areas, through basic, applied and policy research. Proposals will be accepted in these key domains: Health, Education, Energy, Environment, Water, Food Security and Digital Transformation.
- In addition to these priority areas, the call is also open to proposals on science, innovation and technology (STI) in a broader sense. However, priority will be given to the six domains.
- Preference will also be given to proposals that are collaborative, interdisciplinary and intersectoral in nature.
- The Call is also open to Young Researchers Grants focused on the key priority areas, as well as general STI topics.
Types of Research Grants
The following are the research grants that applicants can apply for in this call:
- Basic Research Grants: Research that focuses on the advancement of knowledge, increasing understanding in fundamental principles, and is not directed towards immediate practical solutions or commercial objectives.
- Applied Research Grants: Research directed towards creating practical solutions to specific problems for specific end-users/stakeholders through innovation in practice, products, or procedures. Proposal should include concrete plans for implementation, engagement, and real-world impact. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Research in which outcomes may lead to commercialization of products, generation of patents, or the potential to produce a relevant policy engaging stakeholders, policy makers and interest groups.
- Translational Medical research directed towards translation into clinical applications or practice, implementation into health services, or population level outcomes and prevention research.
- Policy Research Grants: Types of research can include program evaluation, cost-benefit, and cost analysis, needs assessment, single-subject or case studies, surveys, secondary data analysis, implementation studies, and outcome studies. It is expected that these research studies would include, as a result of the research, potential policy recommendations and/or policy drafts for stakeholder consideration and implementation.
- Young Researcher Grants: Young Researcher Grants are aimed to promote and support students, working professionals and researchers (without Ph.D. degrees) under the age of 33 who are interested in leading research projects to help foster their research careers. These grants should be implemented at local research or academic institutions or entities, and the researchers awarded these grants will be under the supervision of a qualified mentor at these institutions or entities.
Funding Information
- Basic Research Grants, Applied Research Grants and Policy Research Grants:
- Proposals under KD 10,000 will be subject to one external peer review.
- Proposals between KD 10,000 – 25,000 will be subject to two external peer reviews.
- Proposals between KD 25,000 – 50,000 will be subject to three external peer reviews.
- Basic Research Grants and Applied Research Grants:
- Proposals above KD 50,000 will be subject to three external peer reviews.
- Young Researcher Grants:
- A budget of up to K.D. 5000 will be granted for applied and basic non-applied research for topics relevant to the priority focus areas announced in the KFAS Call for Proposals.
Eligibility Criteria
- Researchers and scientists from the following sectors are eligible to apply:
- Research & Higher Education sector
- Public/Governmental sector
- Private Sector: Kuwaiti Shareholding Companies (KSC)
- Civil Social Organizations
- Researchers and scientists from international academic and research institutes may apply for research grants only through a Kuwaiti institution, and the project must demonstrate substantial collaboration with a Kuwait-based research team.
Priority Criteria for Evaluation
- Basic Research Grants, Applied Research Grants and Policy Research Grants:
- Early Career: Early Career Principal Investigators is defined as an individual that has received their PhD degree within the last 3 years.
- Local Collaborations: Collaborative research with local entities or research/academic institutions. Letters of support from relevant local entities and/or end-user stakeholders for the research proposal are required.
- Intersectoral Collaborations: Collaborative research between private and public sectors, such as those between academic/research institutions and governmental agencies, civil society organizations, NGOs, and corporate or Kuwaiti Shareholding companies. Letters of support from relevant local entities and/or end-user stakeholders for the research proposal are required.
- International Collaborations: Collaborative research with international academic and research institutions will be prioritized, conditional to a clear commitment from the international institution(s), or from the applicant’s home institution, to cover the cost of the international counterpart. This should be supported with a letter of support from the co-funding institution be it the international counterpart or the applicant’s home institution.
- Interdisciplinary Research: Interdisciplinary research topics, which is defined as research teams that integrate information, concepts, knowledge and data from two or more scientific disciplines.
- Engagement of junior researchers: substantive engagement and professional development of junior researchers (i.e., research assistants, technicians, etc.) as a part of the research team.
- Commitment to dissemination of outputs: proposals that include plans for publications (especially Open Access), public events, stakeholder and international engagements, translation between Arabic and English, etc.
- Young Researcher Grants:
- Applied Research: Applied research with clear translational objective, concrete plans for implementation and clear engagement of stakeholders.
- Local Collaborations: Collaborative research with local entities or research/academic institutions. Letters of support from relevant local entities and/or end-user stakeholders for the research proposal are required.
- Intersectoral Collaborations: Collaborative research between private and public sectors, such as those between academic/research institutions and governmental agencies, civil society organizations, NGOs, and corporate or Kuwaiti Shareholding companies. Letters of support from relevant local entities and/or end-user stakeholders for the research proposal are required.
- Interdisciplinary Research: Interdisciplinary research topics, which are defined as research teams that integrate information, concepts, knowledge and data from two or more scientific disciplines.
- Engagement of junior researchers: substantive engagement and professional development of junior researchers (i.e., research assistants, technicians, etc.) as a part of the research team.
- Commitment to dissemination of outputs: proposals that include plans for publications (especially Open Access), public events, stakeholder and international engagements, translation between Arabic and English, etc.
For more information, visit KFAS.