Joint Innovative Projects Fund STDF - IRD 2011, Joint announcement 2nd Call for Proposals

The Institute of Development Research (IRD) and the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF)  are announcing the launch of their second joint Call for proposals. With a budget of 1.8 million euros, this Call aims to encourage and strengthen the research partnership between theEgyptian and French researchers.

I- Background

The first Call for proposals was published jointly in May 2010. A Joint Steering IRD / STDF selected nine programs last year including seven research projects, a chair of excellence and a scholarship of scientific mobility. These teams began their work in September, and has received a support of around € 100,000 to € 300,000.

The following cooperation mechanisms will be financed under this call for proposals:

• Research Projects developed by joint Egyptian-French research teams.
• Cross Chairs of Excellence.
• Scientific Mobility Grants.

II- Objectives and Themes

The aim of this announcement is to support innovative and application-oriented joint projects in all the fields of science, in particular the fields that correspond to the specific research priorities defined by the STDF and the IRD.

These priorities are:

• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Environment and Water Technologies
• Health and Life Sciences
• Renewable Energy and green technologies
• Agriculture and Food
• Space Sciences and their applications

III- Cooperation mechanisms

III-1- Joint Research Projects
Two types of projects are to be awarded under this call:

• Type (a) with a maximum of 100000 Euros per project.
• Type (b) with a maximum of 300000 Euros per project.

Eligibility: Who can apply?

• Joint French-Egyptian teams composed of at least one Egyptian Principle Investigator (PI) and one French Principle Investigator (PI) and working in the priority fields mentioned above can submit their applications.


• On the Egyptian side, the PI should be affiliated to a research organization, a private or public higher education institution, private sector (in particular SME), or civil society organizations.


• On the French side, the PI should be a member of an organization member of the AIRD.

Application procedure

For each research team, two perfectly identical copies of the proposal must be submitted simultaneously by the Egyptian PI to the STDF and the French PI to the IRD/AIRD.

• On the Egyptian side: the proposal must be uploaded to the STDF website (www.stdf.org.eg).
• On the French side: the proposal must be sent to the IRD email address (egypte@ird.fr).

Endorsement letters from the PIs institutions will be submitted in a second phase, at the contracting process.

Call for proposals documents:

Download here the call for proposals
Download the Model Submission Document / Research Projects
Download the Gantt Chart

III-2- Cross-Chairs of Excellence
Eligibility: Who can apply?

• The candidate must be an eminent scientist affiliated to a university / research institution linked to the French IRD. Preference will be given to bright mid-career candidates.
• A proposal detailing the planned activities and expected results must be submitted.
• A joint application must be submitted simultaneously by a researcher working in an Egyptian university or research center and by the French scientist affiliated to IRD/AIRD

Call for proposals documents:

Download here the call for proposals
Download the Model Submission Document / Chairs of Excellence
Download the Gantt Chart

III-3- Scientific Mobility Grants

Two types of scientific mobility grants

1. Support for the preparation of research projects:
   

   Support for research teams composed of at least one Egyptian institution and one institution member of the AIRD, willing to cooperate to prepare a research proposal that might be funded later in the framework of the STDF-IRD cooperation.

2. Support for Chairs of Excellence:

   In support of the Chairs of Excellence mechanism, a member of the Egyptian formed team or a French researcher interested in joining the team for a short period of time could be awarded a mobility grant.

Eligibility: Who can apply?

1. Support for the preparation of research projects:
   

   - Candidates must be affiliated to a public or private Egyptian university or research center and a body member of the AIRD.
   - The duration of the visit should not exceed three months.

2. Support for Chairs of Excellence:

   - Candidates must be affiliated to a public or private Egyptian university or research center and a body member of the AIRD.
   - The total number of visits should not exceed four (4) visits for a total of (6) months for the whole duration of the projects.

Call for proposals documents:

Download here the call for proposals
Download the Model Submission Document / Scientific mobility grants 
Download the Gantt Chart

The deadline for receiving the online applications is 18th of december 2011

IV- Further Information

For further information, candidates may refer to the following contacts:

Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF)
Dr. Reem EL KHODARY, reem.elkhodary@stdf.org.eg
101, Kasr El Aini St., 7th floor, Downtown, Cairo, Egypt
Tel: +20 (2) 27922551 - Fax: +20 (2) 27924956

Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD)
Représentation en Egypte
Amro Fayez BAHGAT, egypte@ird.fr
46, Road 7, 11431 Maadi, Cairo, Egypt 
Tel: +20 (2) 23597153 - Fax: +20 (2) 23783308