2021/22 Call for Proposals: HU Grand Challenge Research Grants Competition

Grant Rationale
The Federal Government of Ethiopia has made research funds available to public Higher Education Institutions to enable University Staff to do problem-solving research and produce scientific knowledge in various disciplines and enhance their careers and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. The government has made the funds available with the intention of increasing the involvement of staff and postgraduate students in research and technology exchange with communities, which is aimed at supporting the Growth and Transformation Plan of the country.

In line with this, Haramaya University (HU) has been offering research fund for its staff members to engage in problem-solving and innovative research in a thematic research approach. Over the last several years, Office of Research Affairs has been funding research projects under five research categories: HU Regular Research Grant (HURG), HU Innovation Fund (HUIF), HU Knowledge Transfer (HUKT), HU Women Grant (HUWG), and HU Special Support (HUSS). However, the existing grant-awarding system is not producing impactful outcomes up to the expectations as most of the awarded projects are small-scale with small funding within the short term and a high risk of incompleteness. It is also believed that this reduced the participation of experienced researchers in the HU research grant competition. In addition, the research projects are not crossing traditional boundaries between fields and disciplines that do not guarantee interconnectedness. Although the University set forth its research priorities under six thematic areas to integrate research endeavours for synergized impacts on societal development and to enhance the quality of education, the approach of conducting research and extension has still remained piecemeal.

As a result, a need has arisen to initiate a new large-scale research grants scheme known as hereafter HU Grand Challenge Research Grant (HUGG). HUGG is aimed to fund multi-year (2-4 years) and multi-/trans-disciplinary research with relatively large budgets and more impactful results.

The goal of Haramaya University Grand Challenge Research Grant (HUGG) is fostering multi/transdisciplinary research collaboration across all colleges and institute at the University. The HUGG aims to support a multi-/trans-disciplinary, rigorous, and technically sound research projects that are relevant to the most pressing societal problem and generate new and ground-breaking research results. The grant is offered up to a maximum of four years period offering researchers the advantage to study the problems in-depth for knowledge and technology generation and transfer as well as effective communication and application of reliable and relevant research outputs to produce impact in the society. 

Deadline Date: July 16, 2021 at 04:00 pm

N.B:- Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the criteria carefully before submitting their applications.

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