September 3rd, 2023 at 06:45 am

University of Cambridge fellowship: 2023 Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund

Africans who meet the required qualifications are being asked to submit applications for the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund 2023 right now. The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund was founded in 2012 with the generous support of The ALBORADA Trust. This fund makes it possible for researchers from the University of Cambridge and institutions located in sub-Saharan Africa to work together.

The Fund provides financial assistance to researchers (at the post-doctoral level and above) from the University of Cambridge or an affiliated institution, as well as African institutions located in sub-Saharan Africa, in order to encourage them to begin or further develop research partnerships.

About The Research Fund

The goal of the Research Fund is to promote collaborative research, educational opportunities, and other forms of engagement between Cambridge and countries located in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, it is intended to play the role of a seed fund or catalyst in order to facilitate the creation of fresh research activities and additional collaborative funding applications.

The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund offers competitive grants ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 British pounds to cover the costs of research, research-related travel between Cambridge and Africa, and the execution of research training activities in Africa.

Eligibility

The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund aims to promote collaborations in research, education, and engagement between Cambridge and sub-Saharan Africa. In order to co-create the projects, applicants from Cambridge submit applications alongside those from sub-Saharan African universities and research centers. True collaboration must be shown in the application in order for the funding to be used effectively. It must not just be used to pay for activities that will be performed at one institution on behalf of another.

The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund’s role as a seed fund or accelerator for the growth of new research activities and subsequent joint grant applications is crucial. Applications that create new alliances (or deepen existing ones) with the potential for ongoing cooperation will be given preference. Projects should preferably increase the African researcher’s and/or the African research institution’s or university’s capability for research.

It is recognized that by submitting an application, both applicants—who must both be post-doctoral level or higher—are doing so with the approval of their head of department or an equivalent. Both applicants must be officially connected to a research team, department, or academic member at their home institution. Additionally, it is anticipated that both applicants will continue working once their ALBORADA awards expire.

Although limited student support (for example, as part of a research project or training visit) will be taken into consideration when there is a demonstrable way to show that doing so will strengthen the relationship between the Cambridge and African Principal Investigators (PIs), post-graduate students are not the intended beneficiaries of the awards.

The applicant from Cambridge must be employed by the University of Cambridge or a Research Institute connected to the University. Previous Wellcome-Trust Sanger candidates to Cambridge have been successful

Departments/Faculties/Institutes.

The African applicant must be based at a university or research institute in sub-Saharan Africa.

Available Awards

Generally, applications should fit into one of these five research-related categories and be within the given standard funding levels. Only exceptional requests that are significantly over the established limits will be taken into consideration. Before submitting, you might want to talk about special requests with alboradafund@cambridgeafrica.cam.ac.uk.

Applications for the same project cannot be submitted in more than one category. For instance, a science research project must include a £20,000 budget for travel and equipment.

Please be aware that the fund is unable to pay for overhead or administrative expenses. Since the rewards are modest, we do not pay either PI’s salary. The fund will not assist with conference participation or registration, either.

If you have any questions about what expenses qualify, email alboradafund@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk

Please think about whether services like sequencing are offered locally or across the continent.

After the project is over, any equipment purchased with money from the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund must be used in Africa and stay with the African partner institution or university that collaborated on it.

Projects in the social sciences are given a lower budgetary cap because they often have lower costs. This cap, however, might be surpassed in circumstances where it makes sense for the project.

 Application

On the CambridgeAfrica website, there is a saveable online application form that both applicants must fill out and register for. The following files should be included in final submissions:

• A lay summary and a case for support
• An itemized budget using the given template.
• A letter of support from the Cambridge PI department or faculty. A letter of recommendation from the head of the division is required for the Department of Engineering.
• A letter of support from the AfricanPI’s division or institution
• Curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages) for the Africa and Cambridge PI
• Two referees’ names and contact information must also be provided. These people should not have any ties to the research team or the project, for example, they should not be from the same department.
• Applications may be submitted at any time up until the submission deadline of September 4, 2023. Contact information for questions is alboradafund@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk

Returning Recipients

Returning Cambridge or African grantees’ requests for additional assistance will only be taken into consideration in the following circumstances:

• To assist newly created or previously sponsored courses and seminars throughout Africa.
• The explanation for the application must show that other funding options have been explored and outline any strategies for long-term financial sustainability. Additionally, a report or reports for the earlier money had to have been submitted.
• A request for financing for research (reagents, equipment, or travel) on a new project with the same or a different collaborator. Report(s) for the earlier funding received need to have been submitted.

Pre- and post-award administration

The Cambridge PI Department/Faculty will handle award administration. The application form must identify a staff member who will be in charge of managing the grant within the department or faculty, and applicants must attest that this staff member has been contacted beforehand.

The Cambridge Principal Investigator (PI) must sign and return an award letter from the winning applicants, and, where necessary, a research cooperation agreement must be signed by the partner institution’s designated legal representative before any money can be sent. Here are several templates.

Please be aware that the side award letters and collaboration agreements are not negotiable.

In cases where Collaboration Agreement Letters are granted, Awards will only be activated and given a project number by the Research Operations Office at Cambridge University upon receipt of signed Award and Collaboration Agreement Letters. Upon completion of the collaboration agreement, it is anticipated that the Cambridge University Department will advance the percentage of funds needed for use by the collaborating institution and will thereafter reconcile expenditures against the advance.

Any equipment purchased with Fund funds must be acknowledged by the partnering institution in the final report and with the administering Cambridge department.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE

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