Science, Technology and Innovation Grant
Call
For Proposals: 2013/2014 Financial Year
Competitive Grants for Postgraduate, Innovations
and Women Scientists Programmes
Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) is
recognized as an essential ingredient for industrialization and sustainable
development of a nation.
The Kenya Vision 2030 and the manifesto of the
Jubilee government envisages a knowledge based economy which has the capacity
to compete in the global market.
This is highly dependent on the ability to
innovate, adopt and apply the relevant technologies to industries and
productive sectors.
To achieve this, ST&I with research and
innovation will play a pivotal role.
The generation, dissemination and application of
new knowledge has become a major engine of economic growth.
Some of the recent legal reforms in the ST&I
sector to facilitate this has led into enactment and gazettement of ST&I
Act, 2013 to create a conducive policy framework.
The ST&I Act transformed National Council
for Science and Technology (NCST) into National Commission for Science, Technology
and Innovation (NACOSTI) with expanded mandate to effectively advice, promote,
coordinate, regulate and assure quality in the Science, Technology and
Innovation sector.
In execution of this mandate, NACOSTI on behalf
of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has been administering the
Kenya Government ST&I Grant since its inception in 2008/2009 financial
year.
The purpose of this Grant is to support
Scientific Research and Innovations in ST&I priority areas for national
development. The ST&I grant has so far supported a total of 975 research
and innovation projects throughout the country in both public and private
institutions.
In order to have maximum impact, the grant has
been structured to support specific targeted categories in line with the
ST&I sector flagship projects.
Some of the key strategic funding programmes the
Commission has put in place are:-
Support of Postgraduate (PhD & MSc/MA),
Innovations and Women Scientists.
The Commission is pleased to invite eligible
applicants for the 2013/2014 financial year to submit their proposals for
consideration under the following competitive ST&I grants.
1) The 5th Call for MSc/MA and Phd Research Proposals
These research programmes are among the key
priority areas under ST&I grant that will significantly contribute in
building capacity for adequate trained human resource required to drive the
agenda of Kenya Vision 2030.
Since the inception of the grant in 2009/2010,
NACOSTI has funded 241 PhD and 194 MSc/MA research projects.
It is envisaged that continued support of these
programmes will go a long way in generating a critical mass of technical and
skilled manpower, new knowledge and innovations that will culminate into
effective interventions for socio-economic development.
Eligibility,
budget limit and project duration
This grant is intended to support only the
research component of the PhD and MSc/MA degree programmes in all disciplines.
Proposals to be submitted for consideration must have been defended and
approved by the respective Universities.
The successful PhD proposals will be funded up
to a maximum of Kenya shillings one million two hundred thousand (Ksh
1,200,000) for a period not exceeding three (3) years to be disbursed in three
installments, maximum of Ksh 400,000 per year.
The successful MSc/MA proposals will be funded
up to a maximum of two hundred thousand (Ksh 200,000) for a period not
exceeding one (1) year. Kenyans registered in foreign Universities may apply
but will be required to get affiliation in a local institution and must conduct
their research in Kenya.
Deliberate efforts are needed to boost certain
disciplines to ensure adequate supply of professionals in those fields. The
Commission encourages applicants in the areas such as ICT, engineering,
biotechnology, nuclear physics, oncology, nanotechnology and space sciences to
apply.
2) The 5th Call for Innovations
The Commission recognizes the critical role
played by innovations in the country’s economic growth. The Kenyan government,
as expounded in the Jubilee manifesto, is putting every effort towards
achieving a rapid economic growth, reduce poverty and meet the requirements of
the growing population.
Support of innovations is one of the
government’s priority, geared towards job creation and improving the quality of
life for its citizens.
This programme is therefore aimed at harnessing
the potential of innovations in the country. So far, a total of 78 innovation
projects have been funded, some of which have been completed and resulted in
business start-ups for the innovators.
In this Call, the Commission is inviting Kenyans
with novel ideas and new inventions to nurture this creativity. This is an
opportunity for Kenyans and particularly the youths to participate in solving
societal challenges and creating wealth.
The ideas/inventions to be submitted should have
a potential to lead into new or improved products, services and new
technologies acceptable in the markets to contribute to improving the quality
of life.
NACOSTI recognizes that intellectual property
rights (IPR) are valuable entrepreneurial products that should be well
protected and their economic potential fully utilized.
Applicants are highly encouraged to protect
their ideas through the national offices in charge of IPRs in the country these
include: Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), Copyright board and Plant
breeders rights office. Non-disclosure forms will be signed by the external
reviewers to enhance confidentiality.
Budget
limit and project duration
The successful innovation projects will be
supported up to a maximum funding level of Kenya Shillings one million (Ksh
1,000,000).
The project period should not exceed one (1)
year.
3) The 5th Call for Women Scientists
The Commission is committed to promoting the
empowerment, equal and full participation of women in ST&I activities.
In efforts of mainstreaming gender in ST&I
policies and programmes in Kenya, NACOSTI created this product for Kenyan women
scientists which to date has funded 90 multi-disciplinary research projects.
Applications are invited for funding
considerations from MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL and MULTIDISCIPLINARY research teams
from both public and private institutions.
Each application must be submitted by a team of
researchers from at least three (3) institutions.
The proposed projects to be submitted should
clearly demonstrate strategies of how to address the varied challenges facing
our country.
For the project to be supported, it must be in
line with the ST&I sector flagship projects identified in Kenya Vision
2030, Millennium Development Goals and in conformity with the new Constitution.
The proposed research work must be conducted in Kenya.
Budget
and project duration
Successful proposals will be funded up to a
maximum of Kenya shillings three million (Kshs. 3,000,000) for a period of two
(2) years.
4)
Submission Deadline
Applications for ALL programmes POSTGRADUATE,
INNOVATION AND WOMEN SCIENTISTS should be submitted not later than Friday, 4th
October 2013.
Incomplete applications and/or those that reach
after the deadline will NOT be considered.
Only the successful applicants will be
contacted.
The list of the successful applicants will be
uploaded on our Website to notify the public.
All applications to be submitted online at http://oris.ncsti.go.ke using the prescribed
application forms.
Applicants must register first with the on-lines
ystem to access the application form and apply.
Copy of duly completed applications also to be
sent to the following email addresses:-
Postgraduate
applicants:- postgraduate@ncst.go.ke
Innovators:-
innovation@ncst.go.ke
Women
scientists:- womensti@ncst.go.ke
Note:
Applicants who have been funded under ST&I
grant with on-going projects are not eligible for these Calls.
Any proposal that is being funded by other
donors should not be submitted for these Calls. Any such proposal will be
disqualified.
Only original work should be submitted,
plagiarism is highly discouraged and will be punishable.
Successful applicants with research proposals
using human participants and/or animals or genetically modified organisms will
receive their funding only after approval by an accredited Institutions.
Female innovators and those with disabilities
are highly encouraged to apply
Secretary/CEO,
National Commission for Science, Technology and
Innovation (NACOSTI),
P.O. Box 30623-00100,
Nairobi
Tel: 020-2242175/020-310571
Fax: 020-2213215
Website: www.nacosti.go.ke
National Commission for Science, Technology and
Innovation
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
