Deadline: 1-May-22
The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance award through this Request for Proposals (RFP) for a University Research Development Program.
The Public Diplomacy Section invites U.S. and Georgian universities and educational institutes to submit proposals for a one- to two-year project to improve the standards of Georgian academic research in Georgian universities, and to encourage greater interaction between Georgian and American academic researchers.
Goals
- The project is meant to enhance research and academic writing skills of Georgian scholars – PhD candidates and their mentors — through teaching research methods, methodology and statistics through online and in-person exchange visits; mentor PhD candidates to develop manuscripts; facilitate the publication of Georgian scholarly research articles/papers in peer reviewed journals and/or a conference presentation; and raise Georgian scholarship to international standards. Priority research areas can be selected from the following fields: economics, business, health, computer sciences ad STEM fields. Applicants are encouraged to include teaching academic English vocabulary in the program.
- The direct beneficiaries of this program will be young Georgian academics, primarily doctoral-level faculty members who teach and mentor PhD students and candidates, PhD students/candidates (graduating level) with research projects in progress; and the indirect beneficiaries will be their Georgian host universities.
Objectives
The project has the following specific objectives:
- To improve research practice of advanced PhD students and PhD candidates with research projects in progress.
- To train the program beneficiaries in research methods, methodologies and statistics including coursework and/or workshops in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, evidence-based research, statistical and comparative analyses, etc.
- To train them in academic writing, to include proposal design, bibliography preparation, APA style, research grant application writing, and scholarly article/thesis/dissertation writing.
- Build a culture of academic advising and mentorship among doctoral-level faculty; assist faculty to upgrade existing research teaching modules to international level.
- To guide faculty to improve oversight and/or coaching of PhD candidates throughout the process of preparing an article/thesis/dissertation for publication, conference presentations and/ or for defense.
- To hone academic English skills of university professors and PhD candidates. The grantee should identify the criteria by which the English-language instructor(s) will be selected.
Funding Priorities
The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) seeks to fund an effective, creative and sustainable project to improve the research capacity of Georgian universities. An organization with prior international experience implementing similar University research projects will be favorably considered.
Funding Information
- Award Period: One to two years upon Applicant’s program design.
- Award Amount: $250,000 is available for this grant program.
Expected Results
The program is intended to improve the quality of university research: to enhance research and academic writing skills of Georgian scholars – PhD candidates and their mentors — through teaching research methods, methodology and statistics through online and in-person exchange visits; mentor PhD candidates to develop manuscripts; facilitate the publication of Georgian scholarly research articles/papers in peer reviewed journals and/or a conference presentation; hone academic English skills of doctoral-level professors and PhD candidates, and raise Georgian scholarship to international standards.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is limited to U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations subject to 501 (c) (3) of the tax code, U.S. and Georgian universities and educational institutes.
- Applicants must have a demonstrated expertise in teaching research and academic writing skills; in mentoring researchers (in preparing an article/thesis/dissertation); in teaching academic English vocabulary. Knowledge of the Georgian higher education system and established relationships with Georgian universities and educational organizations will be favorably considered.
- As the project is intended to improve research capabilities at the Georgian universities – including by having participants share their gained knowledge with students – researchers at national science institutes and think tanks who do not teach at universities will not be eligible to be beneficiaries of this project.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=338806
