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Internal and External Bursaries and Awards

The below information reflects funding opportunities that are currently open.

Internal Bursaries and Awards

Attention McMaster Researchers and Professional Librarians engaged in international initiatives related to their role at McMaster: The IIMF is intended to provide small, initial investments for first-time international research engagements, typically led by individual faculty members. This seed funding is designed to lower the threshold for starting international research activities, with the goal of fostering future joint projects and partnerships. Individual awards are generally capped at C $5,000, and this year, we anticipate offering up to 20 grants in this round.

  • The application process is simple and straightforward:
    • A one-page project description
    • A one-page outline of the intended use of funds
    • Approval signature from your office
    • The applicant’s CV (SSHRC CV or NSERC Form 100 or equivalent)

Answers to frequently asked questions are available here: IIMF FAQs and Application Form is available here.

Proposals from each Faculty must be consolidated in a MacDrive folder, with a separate folder for each applicant labeled by their name. Once collated, please submit the link to the MacDrive for your faculty to IIMF@mcmaster.ca by February 3rd. If consolidating proposals within MacDrive is not feasible, proposals may alternatively be sent directly to IIMF@mcmaster.ca

OIA welcomes any matching or supplementary funding contributions for IIMF awardees from your Faculty.

For more information or to submit your application, contact IIMF@mcmaster.ca.

External Bursaries and Awards

Applications close: December 13, 2024 

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature established two programs to enable overseas researchers to spend several months at the Institute, engaging in research and interacting with other RIHN researchers. The basic idea is that such visits benefit both the researcher and the Institute.

The programs are open to researchers based outside of Japan (including those with Japanese nationality) and researchers based in Japan with a nationality other than Japanese. Candidates for both schemes are selected competitively.

1. The RIHN Invited Scholar Program enables overseas researchers to spend between one and three months at RIHN and to contribute to the development of the Institute’s
intellectual foundations and strategic directions. Invited Scholars should be widely recognized in their fields and able to provide a strategic overview of the relevance of their disciplinary or interdisciplinary studies to RIHN’s engagement in global environmental studies. Invited Scholars are selected based on nomination by RIHN faculty members who act as their host. Invited Scholars are employed by RIHN during their stay and receive a stipend.

2. The RIHN Visiting Research Fellow Program brings overseas researchers to the Institute for periods of two to six months to engage in specific research in the context of one of the RIHN Programs, Projects, Divisions, Centers or Units. Visiting Fellows are not employed by RIHN, but their travel, accommodation and daily expenses are covered by an allowance. Visiting Fellows are selected based on applications from the candidates themselves. RIHN faculty members act as hosts during the stay and candidates are required to identify and consult with potential hosts before applying.

Please visit their website for more information including the Application Form and Check Sheet For Submission Documents

Application Deadline: Open Until Further Notice

Research Period:  September 2024-March 2025

Value of a Project Grant: Up to CAD$ 8,500/per SSRIF Project Grant

Number of Grants: Twelve (12)

Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI), where McMaster University is a member, is pleased to announce a call for applications for Shastri Student Research in India Fellowships (SSRIF). The desired SSRIF applicants are Canadian students studying in undergraduate and graduate degree programs, primarily in SICI’s Canadian Member universities. SSRIF recipients will commence a 6-8 weeks research project in India under the supervision of Indian faculty members in their host Indian institutions in subject areas where they desire/require research experience. The SSRIF Project is part of SICI’s Canadian Scholars to India (CSI) Program, funded by Global Affairs Canada’s Government of Canada. The CSI Program aims to improve and diversify Canadian scholars’ short-term academic mobility to India.

COVERAGE OF EXPENSES

The grant value will cover the cost of an appropriate Indian visa, vaccination, health insurance, air travel (international), domestic travel in India, accommodation in India, communications, registration and any other mandatory fees in Indian Host Institutions (if required), and a stipend.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

A complete application package should be submitted as a single PDF file containing the following documents in sequential order:

  1. Completed SSRIF Application Form.
  2. ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from the student’s Institution. (template enclosed)
  3. Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae (maximum three pages).
  4. Copies of official transcripts (relevant/most recent).
  5. Letter of reference in SICI format.
  6. Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency (passport, birth certificate, or permanent residency card).
  7. Certificate of Ethical Approval (if applicable).

Email your complete application package to siciapp@ucalgary.ca with the subject line- “SSRIF Project 2024-25″.

For access to the application form and more information, please click here.

 

Applications deadline for first step submissions to AWB: November 8, 2024

Applications deadline for final step submissions to AWB: November 22, 2024

ACADEMICS WITHOUT BORDERS

Academics Without Borders (AWB) is a Canadian nonprofit organization. Its mission is to help low and middle-income countries improve their universities so that they can train their own experts and conduct research to assist in their countries’ development. AWB’s projects involve a full range of university activities, from expanding and improving existing institutions and programs to helping create new ones. AWB fulfills its mission through volunteers who collaborate on projects that originate in and are owned by institutions in low and middle-income countries.

AWB is looking to develop and support projects that enable volunteer experts to engage in capacity-building activities at institutions of higher education in low or middle-income countries. Rather than an application for funding, this is a call for proposals for AWB projects. Applications may be submitted by a faculty or staff member at one of the universities and colleges in the AWB Network in collaboration with a partner institution of higher education in a low or middle-income country.

McMaster University belongs to the Academics Without Borders (AWB) Network of Canadian universities and colleges. AWB is not a funding agency but a nonprofit organization that mounts capacity-building projects in partnership with post-secondary institutions in low and middle-income countries.

McMaster faculty is invited to submit a proposal to AWB introducing capacity-building projects in partnership with an institution of higher learning in a low—or middle-income country. Sustainability of the project is key: Your partner institution must have the resources to engage with the project and ensure its sustainability once the project’s activities have ended.

NOTE: It is important to understand that even though these proposals arise through this call for project proposals the resulting projects are partnerships between AWB and the developing world institution. Should you act as a volunteer on the project you propose, you would do so under the auspices of AWB. Although the AWB Network institution has no formal role in the project, benefits often accrue to the institution by virtue of the volunteer’s participation and through unanticipated relationships that are formed during the course of the activities.

Its fundamental operating principle is that partners in the developing world must themselves identify the areas in which assistance is needed and they take the lead in project design and implementation. AWB assists its partners by providing the expert volunteers necessary for these projects. After the volunteers have completed their assignments, it is these institutions themselves which sustain the projects’ activities.

For environmental reasons, AWB has revised its emphasis on projects and travel as “international travel when necessary but not necessarily international travel.” Thus, they encourage the submission of projects that can be implemented in whole or in part via online methods. They will also consider projects requiring on-site activity, but consideration should be given to maximizing work that can be done remotely in preparation for on-site visits.

COVERAGE OF EXPENSES

Expenses covered include items such as economy air travel, airport transfers, medical and travel insurance, visa, necessary vaccinations and medications, in-transit costs for hotels and meals, and a stipend for the volunteer’s living expenses. Other costs may also be considered to facilitate volunteer involvement with the project, especially for projects implemented virtually, however, AWB does not cover the cost of equipment or books and does not provide a salary or honorarium for its volunteers or stipends for participants at the partner institution. 

Since partner institutions are asked to make some financial or in-kind contributions, the OIA will allocate $3,000 to the winning proposal to support the volunteer involvement in the project. If consideration is given by AWB to a number of proposals originating from McMaster University, the OIA will distribute the amount evenly across the winning proposals. 

APPLICATION

Application for the first stage proposal is available here.  Your proposal must conform with AWB’s mission and operating principles and be in the countries in which AWB works.

For more information, please read full proposal application details under AWB’s website

Please submit this proposal in MS Word format to Corrie Young, Associate Executive Director – Programs & Network, cyoung@awb-usf.org

 

Applications open: 15 November 2024

Applications close: 30 January 2025

Candidate selection: March-April 2025

Start of PhD projects: September 2025

The Maison de la Création et de l’Innovation (MaCI), UGA’s International Center for the Humanities, is launching its annual Matching PhD Programme funded by the France 2030 ANR project GATES (Grenoble ATtractiveness and ExcellenceS).

The present call is open to proposals aiming to fund matching PhDs (thèses en miroir) involving a collaboration between an international partner in the humanities and social sciences and the Maison de la Création et de l’Innovation (MaCI). The aim of this call is to develop doctoral projects within the context of an international partnership in the humanities and social sciences.

This call for projects is intended for colleagues from the UGA scientific and academic community (researchers, professors-researchers and equivalent positions) in the field of the humanities and social sciences. The PhDs projects will largely take place at the MaCI and will be supervised, or co-supervised, by one or two faculty members from an UGA research unit matching a corresponding, fully funded thesis at the partner institution. A co-supervision of the MaCI matching PhD by the UGA supervisor(s) and the supervisor(s) from the international partner is recommended but not compulsory. In addition to a fully funded doctoral project, the recipient of the matching PhD fellowship will also benefit from an extra 15 k€ funding (5 k€ per year) for travelling expenses and the organization of research activities (workshops, conferences) at the MaCI with the international partner.

Contact address for general questionshumanitiesfellowships@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

More information available here.

Applications Open: 1 November 2024

Applications Close:  1 September 2025

ACU Commonwealth Climate Resilience Challenge Grants are professional and academic staff at ACU member universities to support collaborative work focused on the priority
themes of the ACUCommonwealth Climate Resilience Network (CCRN).

What does the grant include? 

  • Three grants of up to GBP 3,500 each   

How to apply

  1. Be a staff member at an ACU member university 
  2. Submit an application through the online application form. 
  3. If you already have a MyACU account, you can access the grant application form here. 
  4. If you do not already have a MyACU account, please ensure that you first register for an account here and then follow the instructions in the registration email to log in to the system before accessing the application form.
  5. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other ACU member institutions to promote further Commonwealth partnerships.  
  6. Applications led by ACU members, but are in partnership with institutions outside of our network will also be considered. 
  7. Grant applications that allow matching or additional funds from the applicant’s institution will be looked upon favourably. 

The grants can be used for a diverse range of projects, workshops and events in one of the following project focus areas:

  1. Improving learning, teaching, and training for climate change adaptation – e.g. virtual exchange or collaboration, teaching or professional practice collaboration and sharing and co-development of learning materials.
  2.  Increasing the research capacity of CCRN members in climate change adaptation – e.g. virtual fellowships or collaboration, comparative analyses, research management and uptake capacity building, understanding and documenting indigenous knowledge and resilience practices.
  3. Improving institutional resilience policies and practice adopted by Commonwealth universities – e.g. developing tools, training and approaches to support contingency and continuity of operations planning at higher education institutions 

To date, the grants have funded a diverse range of climate action projects in universities across the Commonwealth – from sea-temperature monitoring in the coral reefs of Fiji, to integrating indigenous knowledge on climate change adaptation with academia in New Zealand. 

More information and how to apply available here

Deadline to Register:  3 December 2024

Application deadline:  10 January 2025

Pivotal Ventures, Melinda French Gates organization, called Action for Women’s Health , a $250 million global open call that will fund organizations, each of them receiving between $1-$5M USD, around the world that are improving women’s mental and physical health.  Higher education institutions are eligible only when the main purpose of either the entity or one of its departments, schools, or centers is improving women’s health.
For more information and how to apply, please click here

King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme. Inspired by His Majesty King Charles III, and his life’s work to create opportunity and to tackle contemporary challenges including climate change and inequality, the programme has been developed in response to urgent economic, social and environmental development challenges affecting Small Island Developing States (SIDS).  

An ambitious interdisciplinary three-part initiative, it will offer fellowships for mid-career professionals, undergraduate scholarships, and PhDs. Delivered together, these three strands will enable sustained short, medium and long-term impact for Commonwealth SIDS and their communities. 

Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the most vulnerable countries in the world, facing numerous economic and environmental shocks, youth out-migration and skills shortages in public services, and experiencing disproportionate and deeply damaging effects of climate change. 

Efforts to strengthen their resilience and capacity to tackle these intersecting development challenges are urgent. Inspired by The King and established with a significant personal donation from His Majesty, The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) has been co-created in partnership with universities and stakeholders in SIDS and from across the Commonwealth.  

Activities included in the programme will take place in-country, with an emphasis on local impact and retaining skills and talent in SIDS regions. The programme aims to strengthen climate resilience, build capacity in education, health and engineering, and develop resilient public services and the skills of those who support them, by: 

  • supporting civil servants, local government and mid-senior career professionals to further develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of climate resilience and its impact on other sectors through part-time fellowships undertaken alongside work; 
  • addressing significant capacity challenges in key education, healthcare and engineering sectors via undergraduate training;  
  • upskilling university academic staff and ‘train the trainers’ of future generations of researchers and workers in industries vital to SIDS resilience, through PhDs delivered in collaboration with ACU’s network of universities across the Commonwealth. 

This prestigious programme will fully fund, train and support multiple cohorts of undergraduate, postgraduate and mid-career King’s Fellows in its first few years and seeks to engage participants from every Commonwealth SIDS. The programme will be tailored to the specific and unique needs of SIDS, but with broad thematic focus areas to facilitate knowledge sharing. Participants will have the opportunity to join a cohort of SIDS King’s Fellows, with the opportunity to network and exchange learning and shared problem solving with peers across SIDS and with ACU’s wider network of universities.  

More information available here

 

Applications Open: 19 November 2024

Applications Close:  14 January 2025

Fully funded master’s degree (maximum two-years) at an ACU member university in a low- or middle-income country. Open to applicants from Commonwealth countries.

Kindly check back on November 19th for more information and how to apply.

Applications Open:  4 February 2025

Applications Close: 8 April 2025

Training programme for early- and mid-career researchers at ACU member
universities run by Universal Impact / The Conversation.

Kindly check back on February 4th for more information and how to apply.

 

Applications open: 9 April 2025

Applications close: 4 June 2025

Fully funded master’s degree (maximum two-years) at an ACU member university in
a low- or middle-income country. Open to applicants from Commonwealth countries.

Kindly check back on April 9th for more information and how to apply.

Applications open: 1 May 2025

Applications close: 26 June 2025

Grants for early career researchers at ACU member universities to participate in conferences, both in-person and virtual.

Kindly check back on May 1st for more information and how to apply.

Applications open: 1 May 2025

Applications close: 26 June 2025

Fellowships for academic and professional staff at ACU member universities to
promote the exchange of knowledge, skills and ideas between members.

Kindly check back on May 1st for more information and how to apply.

Applications Open:  3 March 2025

Applications Close: 5 May 2025

Funding for ACU member universities to train staff and support initiatives that will boost gender equity and equality.

Kindly check back on March 3rd for more information and how to apply.

Applications Open:  7 March 2025

Applications Close: 5 May 2025

Grants for staff working in human resources to support their professional development and the strengthening of HR processes/structures at ACU member universities.

Kindly check back on March 7th for more information and how to apply.

Applications Open:  4 February 2025

Applications Close: 8 April 2025

Grants for ACU member universities to provide training programmes to researchers, covering essential skills to enable them to succeed in their careers. (Formerly known as Early Career Researcher Training Grants.)

Kindly check back on February 4th for more information and how to apply.