SOUTH AFRICA / CHINA JOINT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COLLABORATION

Background 

Formal diplomatic relations between the Republic of South Africa and the People’s Republic of China were established in January 1998. The following year, namely 1999, marked the signing of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa, under which the Joint Committee (JC), composed of representatives from both sides, was put in place to translate the Agreement into cooperative activities. In 2001, the relations were given impetus through the creation of a Bi-National Commission to champion bilateral relations in seven sectoral committees, including science and technology. The past decade witnessed a very satisfactory pace of development of relations between the two countries in all key areas of their economies. 

Areas of Cooperation

Joint research proposals may be submitted in:         

• Biotechnology
• Natural and Traditional Medicine
• New and Renewable Energy
• Palaeontology
• Water Research

In terms of human capital development, South African applications from previously disadvantaged researchers are encouraged, as is the involvement of historically disadvantaged higher education institutions.

Duration of projects

The projects will be supported for a period of two years starting from 2014.

Who may apply? 

South Africa: This call is open to working researchers residing in South Africa and affiliated with a recognised higher education or research institution such as a university, university of technology or science council. An application must designate two principal investigators, one in South Africa and one in China, who will bear the main responsibility for the project, including its technical and administrative coordination as well as scientific and financial reporting. The South African applicant must be in possession of a PhD.  Commercial institutions and private education institutions are not eligible to apply under this programme.

China: This call is open to working researchers residing in Mainland China and affiliated with a recognised Chinese higher education university/college, research institution, or enterprise.

How do I apply? 

South Africa: Applications must be submitted through an online application process to the National Research Foundation (NRF) by accessing the link: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za/.  

No hard copies will be accepted and will automatically be disqualified by the NRF. Only applications endorsed by the research office or its equivalent at higher education or research institutions will be accepted. 

China: Application forms and guidelines for Chinese applicants may be found in the website link: http://www.cistc.gov.cn/. 

The onus is on the applicant to find their own research partner. Proposals must be received in both South Africa and China. Proposals which have only been received in either South Africa or China, but not both, will not be considered for funding. The call process is highly competitive; therefore submission of an application does not guarantee funding. The availability of funds and the evaluation of applications from both countries should be positive for them to be considered for funding. The NRF will not be held responsible for non-submission, administration or evaluation of the application in the partner country. 

Which activities may I apply for? 

Within the project, the following activities may be implemented:

• International travel, accommodation, subsistence and local travel
• Workshops as part of a collaborative project
• Research days
• Conference organisation (not attendance) as part of joint research projects
• Symposia organisation
• A maximum of 10% of the budget may be used for consumables 

The maximum number of days for stay to be funded is 30 days per year and minimum 15 days. The researcher and student can visit the foreign country twice a year with a maximum stay of 15 days for each visit. Alternatively, the visit can be a maximum of 30 days once a year. 

Funding Modalities 

Funding will be available for a maximum of two years, starting from 2014.

• 2-year collaborative research projects jointly developed and completed by researchers on both sides.
• In both countries, all the approved projects will get funding support from the two parties in terms of the cost of exchange of experts, scientists and other specialists unless specified otherwise by the two parties. Apart from the financial support from the two parties, institutions and universities in both countries are encouraged to solicit other funding resources.
• Funding will be available for a maximum of two years, starting in 2014. The following may not be funded from this allocation: consultant’s fees, educational expenses (scholarships, etc.), insurance and medical care, large equipment, project management fees, publication costs, salaries, temporary staff fees, etc.
• The sending party will be responsible for financing international travel, while the receiving party will be responsible for financing the accommodation, subsistence and ground transport of their international visitors. Local travel and fees relating to the organisation of joint scientific events (venue, catering, audio-visual equipment etc.) will be the financial responsibility of the investigator representing the country in which the event is held, to be paid from his/her allocation of the joint funding accorded or other funding resources. 

How much should I apply for? 

South Africa: The NRF funding total amount should not exceed R200 000. Funding will be made available for a maximum of two years, to be paid in annual installments (R100 000 per year). Note that a commitment to both scientific and financial reporting on the project following its completion is an obligatory condition of funding. Please also note that the requested amounts do not necessarily imply that this amount will be awarded upon selection for funding. 

China: Funding from China will be approximately RMB 180,000 for two years (RMB 90,000 per year), which will be funded to the implementing institutions by reimbursements. Reimbursements shall be applied annually by submitting scientific and financial reports to MOST. A Guideline of Implementation shall be provided after projects being endorsed by the Program.

Please do take note that you will be funded only for the activities within the scope of the guidelines should you be successful. 

How are applications evaluated?

Following the closing date indicated below, applications will be submitted to both a postal and a panel review. The panel will include recognised local experts in the various fields of research represented by the proposals received. These experts will evaluate each proposal based on the following criteria: 

• Scientific and technical merit
• Suitability and feasibility
• Methodology
• International significance
• Budget
• National priority
• Capacity development 

Note that, for South African applicants, excellent research proposals demonstrating strong elements of capacity building, particularly among previously disadvantaged socio-economic population groups, will be favorably considered.

A final decision on projects to be funded will be made in consultation with the Chinese authorities. Funding will only become available once both funding agencies have completed their respective evaluation and operational processes. Note further that both scientific and financial reporting on the project is an obligatory condition of funding. It is highly recommended that students should travel abroad in this programme. 

When is the closing date for applications? 

Applications for both South Africa and China must be submitted by 30 April 2014. Applications received after this date will not be considered for funding. 

Only applications endorsed by the research office or its equivalent at higher education or research institutions will be accepted. Please note that the NRF will not be held responsible for applications that were not received. Researchers are also advised to ensure that their research partners’ applications are submitted and have also been received in China. Hong Kong and Taiwan applicants are not eligible under this programme.