SOUTH AFRICA – ITALY JOINT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COOPERATION

Background 

 

 

Within the framework of the Agreement of Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Government of Italy and the Republic of South Africa signed during January 1998, and implemented during February 2000,  the Directorate General for Country Promotion (Economy, Culture and Science) – Unit for Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the South African Department of Science and Technology herewith invite proposals for joint projects between South Africa and Italy. 

 

Areas of Cooperation 

 

Projects may be submitted in the following priority research areas of cooperation:

 

–          Physics, Astrophysics and Radio-Astronomy

 

–          Information and Communication Technology

 

–          Biotechnology

 

–          Nanotechnology and New Advanced Materials

 

–          Medicine and Health

 

–          Green and Renewable Energy and Environment 

 

Projects for Exchange of Researchers 

 

Duration of projects

 

The projects will be supported for a maximum of three years: 2014-2016 and funding will be paid in annual instalments 

 

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 Italy, 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 at least a Master’s degree (preferably a PhD). Preference will be given to projects that involve industrial counterparts, benefit from third parties’ funding (such as public or private research institutes and organizations) and/or take part in multilateral research programmes.

 

How do I apply? 

 

–          South African Applicants can apply by following the steps below:

 

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.

 

 For the Italian Party, only applications endorsed by the Director, the President or the Rector (in case of Universities) according to the internal procedures of the Research Centre/University will be accepted. 

 

 

 

Procedures applicable to Italian researchers: The Italian coordinator must prepare and submit her/his proposal exclusively through the dedicated web-interface reachable here: http://web.esteri.it/pgr/sviluppo

 

Any inquire about the present call can be sent to: [email protected] 

 

 

 

The onus is on the applicant to find their own research partner. Proposals must be received in both South Africa and Italy. Proposals which have only been received in either South Africa or Italy, 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. 

 

 

 

* Italian submission (also refer to additional notes at the end of the document):

 

Each researcher may submit one project only; the submission of a proposal as a joint research project (according to the point 1 of this Call related to projects for exchange of researchers) excludes the possibility for the project coordinator of the same project to apply for funding under point 2 of this Call (significant bilateral projects). 

 

Which activities may be funded? 

 

Within the project, the following activities may be funded:

 

–               Exchange study visits of researchers; 

 

Funding Modalities

 

 

For the South African Side, funding will be available exclusively for researcher mobility. The sending party will be responsible for financing international travel costs and medical insurance. The receiving party will be responsible for accommodation and subsistence of the foreign visitors. The total length of stays within the partner country per project shall not be longer than 30 days, and may be financed annually within the limits of the available annual resources. 

 

 

Researchers can apply for a maximum of R450 000 (R150 000 per year). Note that a commitment to reporting annually on both scientific and financial aspect of the project is required. This will be followed by a final report upon project completion. This is an obligatory condition of funding. 

 

 

 

Note that applicants will be funded only for the activities within the scope of the guidelines should they be successful. 

 

 

 

It is highly recommended that students should be afforded the opportunity for exchange visits under this programme. 

 

 

 

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 of the project

 

–          Methodology

 

–          Added value to bilateral cooperation

 

–          National priority

 

–          Capacity Building 

 

–          Use and dissemination of results 

 

(Note that the NRF encourages that researchers develop proposals demonstrating strong elements of capacity building, particularly among previously disadvantaged socio-economic population groups). Following local evaluation, a shortlist of projects to be funded will be constituted in consultation with the Italian Republic based on the results of the evaluations done in both countries. Although the NRF undertakes to execute the evaluation and selection process as quickly as possible so as to notify applicants of the results, the nature of the bilateral process requires the alignment of the commencement of each phase of the process with the foreign partner, whose schedule may differ. 

 

When is the closing date for applications? 

 

All South African and Italian project proposals must be submitted by 28 February 2014. Applications received after this date will not be considered for funding. Proposals which have only been received in either South Africa or Italy, but not both, will not be evaluated or considered for funding. Kindly insist on an acknowledgement of receipt of your submission, as the NRF will not be held responsible for the loss / non-submission of applications. Only applications endorsed by the research office or its equivalent at higher education or research institutions will be accepted. No hard copies will be accepted and or processed.