To find out more, visit the DelPHE website
or contact info.afghanistan@britishcouncil.org
To subscribe to the quarterly newsletter, click here ...WHAT IS DELPHE?
DelPHE (which stands for Development Partnerships in Higher Education) provides funding to support partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in selected countries working on collaborative projects linked to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
DelPHE is funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) which, since the programme started in June 2006, has invested up to £3 million each year in it. DelPHE will run for a period of seven years, with the last round of new applications being accepted in early 2010 and the last payments being made in March 2013.
The overall goal of DelPHE is to enable HEIs to act as catalysts for poverty reduction and sustainable development. DelPHE aims to achieve this by building and strengthening the capacity of HEIs to contribute towards the MDGs and promote science and technology related knowledge and skills. It does this by providing research funding for up to 3 years. It is anticipated that around 200 partnerships will be funded during the lifetime of the scheme.
WHO CAN APPLY FOR FUNDING?
All applications must involve a partnership between HEIs in at least two countries, with the lead partner being an HEI from Afghanistan (or one of the other 21 DfID focus countries listed below). However, other HEIs in the partnership can be in the UK or any other country. Projects between focus and non-focus countries in the global south are particularly encouraged.
The emphasis is on the lead partner in the focus country to work with whoever they wish and work out how they wish the partnership to work. The team within the lead HEI should jointly write the proposal with appropriate partners on the basis of local needs. Partners must ensure that the initiative is locally owned and driven by development needs of the focus country or countries.
DFID FOCUS COUNTRIES
Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam and Yemen.
MUST PARTNERSHIPS ONLY INVOLVE TWO COUNTRIES?
No, partnerships can take on many different forms. At its simplest, a partnership is between two HEIs in two different countries (the lead partner being in the focus country). However, if you would like to involve several different countries or two or more institutions within the same country, that is also possible. Click here to find more information about the different types of partnerships.
HOW DO I FIND A PARTNER INSTITUTION?
If you already know an HEI who can become your partner in a DelPHE project, then that is fine. But if you have a good research idea but don’t have an partner university to link with, the British Council can help you find one. We now have a unique partner finding database – it’s very easy. Just register your HEI by entering various details and your interested research topics, wait a few days while we check your details – and then you can start looking for your ideal partner HEI! Once you’ve registered, you can also look at the projects taking place in other countries. Click here to register
WHICH SUBJECT AREAS CAN BE FUNDED?
Proposals are expected to cover a
wide range of topics including scientific and technological research with a particular focus on local issues, health, education, gender equity, infrastructure, water, fisheries, agriculture, and information communication technology. Proposals in any subject area will be considered as long as the applicants can clearly demonstrate how the project will result in outputs and outcomes which will strengthen HEI capacity and impact more widely in ways which work to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development. All projects should demonstrate a fundamental commitment to the Millennium Development Goals.
The DelPHE portfolio is currently under-represented in several areas:
Subjects: Science & Technology, Engineering, Governance & Human Rights, and Business & Enterprise
Applications from subject areas outside of these priorities will be considered but applicants should be aware that the above areas will be given priority at selection.
WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITY CAN BE FUNDED?
Funding will be for a maximum of three years and is expected to vary from £15,000 per annum for a bilateral project to up to a maximum of £50,000 a year for complex larger-scale projects involving a number of institutions or countries. Projects are usually awarded between £15,000 and £30,000 per year and it may be that the funding awarded is less than is requested. The scheme provides 'seed funding' primarily for travel and subsistence, to facilitate joint research, new courses, networking and exchange of ideas, workshops, professional development, improved training of education and health workers and policy development. No staff time or costs for permanent members of staff can be funded.
For more information please download the DelPHE financial guidelines (MS Word). The guidelines explain the maximum amounts available for different types of partnership, the types of activity that can and cannot be funded and includes a table of recommended accommodation and subsistence rates.
HOW DO I APPLY?
From September, DelPHE is accepting applications for the final round of grants (Round 5). If you are interested in applying for a DelPHE grant, you need to complete the necessary application form and ensure you have followed all aspects of the application procedure. The deadline for Round 5 applications is 7 April 2010. Hard copies of all applications should be presented to the British Council Afghanistan, House #15-17, Behind Nadirya High School, Kart-e Parwan, Kabul by that date. Click here to get information on how to apply. If you would like to have more information in Dari or Pashto languages, please click on the links below .
Dari Version
DelPHE financial guidelines form
DelPHE selection criteria form
Pashto Version
HOW IS THE PROJECT MONITORED?
Twice each year, each project submits a narrative and financial report which states the actual activity and expenditure to date and the planned activity and expenditure for the coming period. Receipts for all payments must be retained so that they can be checked by the British Council. These reports must be submitted by the end of February and the end of August each year. Future instalments of the grant will not be paid if reports are not received by the deadline. The most recent versions of all report templates and guidelines can be found in the Project Managers Toolkit.
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