The call for proposals for Sida funded partnerships between universities in Rwanda and Bolivia and Swedish universities is now open. This new programme named "Research Training Partnership Programme as an integral part of Institutional Research Capacity Strengthening" aims at supporting the strengthening of institutional research training capacity at universities in Sweden's target countries and regions, contributing to increased number of research graduates.

This first call will be directed at five year collaboration with the following target universities in Bolivia and Rwanda:


University Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia

Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia

National University of Rwanda


Swedish universities will have the opportunity to work in partnership with these universities.

Background

The Swedish investment in research cooperation over the last 37 years has resulted in islands of research capacity that can be targeted for concerted research training with the aim to develop local training in target countries. 

With these developments, Swedish research cooperation has stepped up to organise bilateral/regional research capacity strengthening cooperation in accordance with normal praxis of research, i.e. open competition for collaboration.

Focus of the partnerships

Collaborations can focus on strengthening research capacity through training or through supporting components essential for high quality research.

Depending on the situation at the target country university in question, postgraduate research training may aim directly at:

i) local PhD training

ii) start/continue with masters training programmes for the recruitment of competent candidates

iii) continue sandwich training at Swedish universities coupled with establishment of local courses until the number of researchers allows the initiation of local research training.

Comprehensive partnerships between individual Swedish universities or a consortium of universities which contribute to the development of human resources and the research capacity of universities in Bolivia or Rwanda are encouraged to apply.

Applications for funding of research support such as these are also encouraged:

• Use of research
• Innovation
• Quality assurance 
• Components that strengthen the conditions for carrying out research and research training

Examples of such components could be:

• Research management
• Library services (including electronic scientific journals)
• Information Communication Technology.

Expected outcomes

-          Quality assured research training programmes within prioritised areas of national importance established and run in universities of Sida's target countries

-          Long-term institution-based postgraduate research training partnerships between universities in Sida's target countries and Swedish universities established and maintained and of mutual benefit

-          Joint integrated research training programmes of high international standards built on the principles of mutual recognition of studies and qualifications established

Concept notes

Invited universities in Bolivia (University Mayor de San Andrés [UMSA] and Universidad Mayor de San Simón [UMSS]) and in Rwanda (National University of Rwanda [NUR]) have submitted concept notes/papers that describe 10 year plans for implementing their institutional research strategic plans. The concept notes identify areas where needs for Masters and PhD trained people lie, as well as areas that need to be supported to provide the conditions for doing research. These areas in turn address needs and priorities within national strategies on research and higher education.

Click here to read the concept notes:

Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Concept note

Collaboration areas

University website



University Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia

Concept note

Collaboration areas

University website



National University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda

Concept note

University website

Who can apply?

Applications for research training partnerships will be accepted from the bodies/entities responsible for research training at applying Sida country universities in Bolivia and Rwanda (i.e. the faculty, vice rectories, directories for research or Schools etc.) together with their proposed partner Swedish university bodies/entities responsible for research training and with the right for examination in Sweden. Lists with contact details are available here.

Making contact

Contact details for the Bolivian, Rwandan and Swedish universities are available here:

UMSS, Bolivia

UMSA, Bolivia

NUR, Rwanda 

Click here to see a list of Swedish universities and their contact details

Summary: SLU - the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Summary: KI - Karolinska Institutet

Joint Letter of Intent

Once contacts have been made between universities, partnerships develop joint programme level letters of intent. The target university submits an overall application based on several programme level letters of intent.

Submission of Letters of Intent

The electronic application system will only be available for submission of the Full Proposals.

Submission of Letters of Intent will be made, no later than May 31st 2012, through e-mail to the following address:
registrator@programkontoret.se

The legal representative for the target country university must provide Sida with a signed list of ALL endorsed Letters of Intent that are submitted.

Complete individual LoI must be submitted by the applicants

The conditions and format for the Letter of Intent are outlined in the Guidelines at
4. Instructions for letter of intent (LOI).

Submission of Letter of intent by email: no later than May 31^st 2012.

Letters of intent will be reviewed by the "Sida Research Training and Capacity Development Evaluation Committee" and those partnerships determined to be of highest quality will be invited to submit full proposals.

Further information

Full details and instructions for application are available in these Guidelines.

Click here to see an outline of the application process.

If you have questions, please contact:  researchpartnership@sida.se