The Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute invites applications under a program of collaborative research, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency.
Objective:
The Shastri Applied Research Project (SHARP) aims to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development in India through support for bi-national research projects that will provide information and analyses in the areas of economic reform, social development-health and environmental management.
SHARP will support research of significant relevance to important public policy issues identified by policy makers and others influential in policy development. Research projects are invited in the following public policy areas:
Economic Reform
– Research that will assist the development of pro-poor economic liberalization policies:
- Globalization and economic opportunities for the urban and rural poor
- Structural reforms and reduction of unemployment
- Improvement of rural infrastructure including credit to reduce rural poverty
- Market reforms for poverty reduction, including but not limited to commodity markets
- Links between poverty reduction and access to information and communication technologies for a broader cross-section of Indian society
Social Development
– Health Research that will support public policy improvements in health promotion and health care delivery:
- Health system reform including health care delivery, governance and financing
- Increasing availability and appropriate use of medicines
- Sustainable approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and cure
- Role and regulation of health professionals including traditional medicine practitioners
- Changing family and social structures and their impact on the health of vulnerable sectors of the population
- Socio-cultural aspects of sustainable approaches to reproductive health
- Dietary diversification for preventing micronutrient deficiency
Environmental Management
– Research that will support sustainable development policies:
- Pollution control
- Water security
- Bio-diversity management
- Alternative energy
- Waste management
- The role of the public and private sectors in sustainable environmental management
Note:
Research projects are expected to include plans to ensure that project results benefit women and men equally.
Value:
The maximum funding per project is $130,000 (Canadian funds).
Eligibility:
Applicants must be a partnership between a Canadian and Indian team composed of:
- Canadian or Indian universities
- Research centres or institutes affiliated with universities
- Independent research institutes
- Teams of researchers affiliated with any of the above
- All researchers participating in the projects must be citizens or permanent residents of Canada or citizens of India
The Shastri Institute’s mandate covers humanities and social sciences including education, management and law. Projects that fall primarily within natural sciences and engineering cannot be funded. However, projects including scientists and engineers within the research team are eligible.
Deadline:
Part 1: Brief Project Description and Explanation of Policy Applicability application materials due Jan. 30, 2003.
Part 2:
Full Project Proposal application materials due Feb. 27, 2003.
Please remember that the ORA has an internal deadline of Jan. 15, 2003 for Part 1 and Feb. 13, 2003 for Part 2.
Assessment:
Research proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria (please see applicant guidelines for further details):
- Importance and relevance of the research question(s) to knowledge-based public policy formulation in India
- Track record of senior research team members as they relate to project plans and ob Soundness of the research approach (methodology)
- Appropriateness of plans for knowledge dissemination and transfer beyond the academic community
- Strength of project team plans and ability to engage policy makers and those influencing policy-makers during the project, including evidence of interest in the research project on the part of policy-makers and others influential in policy development
- Strength of the gender equality dimension in the research plan
It is expected that final decisions will be communicated to applicants by June 2, 2003.
How to apply:
Detailed application guidelines and application materials can be obtained from the Canada Office, the India Office or from the Shastri Web site, www.ucalgary.ca/~sici.
It is important that applications are completed in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Institute and submitted by the Principal Investigator on behalf of a bi-national team. Copies of the application should be submitted in a hard copy and electronic format. Applications sent by facsimile will not be accepted.
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York University faculty members are reminded that applications for external sources of funding (i.e. outside York) must first be submitted to ORA before forwarding them to the granting agencies.
When submitting to ORA, applications must be accompanied by a completed ORA application checklist (including the Chair's and dean's signatures). To assist in meeting the agencies' deadlines, it is recommended that applications normally be submitted two weeks prior.