SIDA to support integrated science in Africa

NCST as an ICSU National Member would like to draw your attention that ICSU signed a five-year agreement with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) to work with NASAC and ISSC to support integrated science in Africa.

The programme entitled «Leading integrated research for Agenda 2030 in Africa » seeks to develop the potential of next-generation scientists in Africa in production and communication of solution-oriented knowledge required for addressing complex regional sustainability challenges.

The programme will provide two-year collaborative research grants (each 90 000 Euro/2 years) with a thematic focus on global environmental change, disaster risk reduction, sustainable energy, human health and well-being in urban environments and related nexus issues. The grants are intended to support integrated and solutions-oriented research by reaching across disciplines, and engaging with other knowledge partners (e.g. civil society, policy makers, and private sector). The grants are expected to foster research collaboration among early-career scientists in Africa, with an emphasis on researchers based in low income countries.

The programme will also provide training for early career scientists on co-design and co-production, science communication and science advice to governments.

Annual events will be organized to promote scientific exchange and provide opportunities for South-South and North-South research collaboration. Outstanding early career scientists will also have opportunities for career development through participation in international scientific committees and conferences, working groups, and inter-governmental policy processes.

ICSU’s co-sponsored international research programmes – Future EarthIntegrated Research on Disaster Risk, and Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment – will provide an overall thematic framing for the programme’s activities. In that way, ICSU aims to increase contribution from the African scientific community to the implementation of ICSU co-sponsored global research programmes.

NCST would like, thererefore,  to encourage the scientific community in Malawi to participate in the upcoming call for pre-proposals to be launched through ICSU website later during the summer (in the Northern Hemisphere). Representatives of successful pre-proposals will be invited to attend a training event on integrated research to be held during fall of 2016. Following the training, participants will be given two months to develop full proposals, which will be peer-reviewed. Based on the review, the programme advisory committee will make research funding decisions to be announced in the beginning of 2017.

The 5-year programme seeks to increase global and regional institutional and financial support for integrated research and capacity building by building partnerships with regional stakeholders and by holding strategic meetings with funding agencies and key regional institutions. Therefore, if your institution is interested in supporting integrated research and associated capacity building and networking activities, please contact katsia.paulavets@icsu.org to discuss collaboration opportunities.

Visit the programme’s pages for more information about the programme.