The AfOx Catalyst Grants program plays a pivotal role in promoting collaborative research endeavors by offering seed funding to facilitate partnerships between researchers affiliated with African research institutions and those at the University of Oxford. These grants are not constrained by disciplinary boundaries and are accessible to researchers from a wide spectrum of academic fields and backgrounds. Over the past half-decade, this program has been instrumental in disbursing more than 200 Catalyst Grants, catalyzing the inception of novel collaborations involving researchers hailing from over 100 African institutions and spanning across more than 50 Oxford Departments.
One of the hallmark achievements of the AfOx Catalyst Grants is their role in nurturing enduring partnerships between African and Oxford-based researchers. These collaborations have transcended geographical boundaries and have blossomed into robust networks that have yielded substantial research outcomes, exerted influence on policy formulation, and attracted significant additional funding. As a result, these grants have not only sown the seeds of collaborative research but have also nurtured and cultivated these partnerships into flourishing endeavors with far-reaching impacts on academia, policy, and society at large.
There are two routes through which applications for a Catalyst Grant can be made: AfOx Travel Grants and AfOx Starter Grants.
AfOx Travel Grants
- AfOx Travel Grant supports the establishment of new collaborations through travel by applicants in either direction from an African institution to Oxford or vice versa. Travel Grants enable researchers to meet in either an African institution or Oxford and work together on an area of mutual interest.
- The AfOx Travel Grants fund activities including but not limited to, workshops and conferences, co-supervision, curriculum co-development, joint lectures and seminars, co-authoring publications, joint grant-applications and conducting of primary research.
- The duration of the travel grant can be between 1 to 8 weeks, and grants can be applied for a maximum of £5000.
- Applications for a travel grant must be made jointly between academics or researchers based in Africa at either an academic and non-academic institution and academics or researchers at the University of Oxford.
AfOx Starter Grants
- The?AfOx?Starter?Grants fund activities including but not limited to, the early-phase development of ideas, feasibility studies, public engagement, and conducting of primary research.???
- AfOx?Starter Grants provide seed funding for activities?which aim to?develop?sustainable partnerships and strengthening?applications for longer-term fellowships and funding.??
- AfOx?Starter Grants?can be up to 12 weeks.?
- AfOx?Starter Grants?can be applied for a maximum of £5,000.?
- Applications for a?starter?grant must be made jointly between academics or researchers based in Africa at either an academic and non-academic institution and academics or researchers at the University of Oxford.??
- AfOx?asks all applicants for the?Starter?Grants scheme to carefully consider the necessity for travel prior to?submitting an application.
Benefits
The Travel Grant can be used to cover costs of travel (in either direction i.e. University of Oxford, UK to an institution in Africa or vice versa), accommodation and incidental expenses to a maximum of £5000.
The Starter Grant can be used to cover the costs of developing new collaboration including expenses arising from a defined research project, feasibility studies or public engagement activities to a maximum of £5000.Applications must clearly address at least one Sustainable Development Goal and demonstrate how the proposed activities will bring benefits to the chosen area of study, and generate societal benefits beyond providing knowledge and understanding in the area of focus.
Requirements For The AfOx Catalyst Grants
- Catalyst Grant support the development of sustainable and equitable partnership between researchers in Africa and the University of Oxford. Applications should indicate the value of the proposed activities to both collaborators.
- If applicable, please indicate how your project addresses a particular challenge linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Awards for both the Catalyst Grants are made up to a maximum of £5,000 and must be made jointly between researchers based in Africa at either an academic and non-academic institution and researchers at the University of Oxford.
- The Catalyst Grant may cover more than two people and additional individuals should be named under ‘Purpose of the Grant’.
- The overarching aim of the scheme is to foster the development of new collaborations and the scheme is not intended to be used as alternative support for already established collaborations.
- Applications from doctoral students should be accompanied by a letter from the supervisor or head of department indication how the proposed activities will contribute to the development of sustainable, long term partnership between researchers in Africa and the University of Oxford
Method of Application
Visit The Official Website to Apply
Applicants will be required to submit a brief report within one year of the award. Reports should outline:
- The activities undertaken,
- The outputs arising from the collaboration
- The next steps to be taken, including any long-term collaborative projects arising from the award.
Application Deadline: October 27, 2023
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