Dear colleagues

The purpose of this announcement is to keep members of the UCT research community informed about news and funding opportunities in the research space. All new funding opportunities can also be found on the current funding opportunities page of the Research Support Hub.

In this newsletter:

Noticeboard

• Join the Worldwide Universities Network Hub
• UCT laboratory notebooks available
• UCT Research & Innovation Highlights publication and eResearch report
• Reminder: NRF evaluation and rating 2022
• Policy update: Ethics clearance and permission to engage UCT staff and students or their data in research
• Planning your deadlines around the holiday season

Funding opportunities and funder announcements

• Call for applications: NRF-SAASTA Inclusive Community-Based Research Science Shop Development Grant 2021
• Call for applications: Future Professors Programme | Fellowship in Academic Excellence and Leadership
• Call for applications: Wellcome Early-Career Awards (February 2022)
• Call for applications: Wellcome Career Development Awards (March 2022)
• Call for applications: Wellcome Discovery Awards (March 2022)
• Call for applications: ASCB International Training Scholarship Program

Noticeboard

On the Research Announcement noticeboard, we share news and items of interest from the UCT Research Office.

UCT is a member of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) comprising 22 universities across the globe. The network has recently established the WUN Hub which is a database that enables WUN researchers to find and connect with WUN colleagues and WUN-supported research projects.

WUN researchers can join by creating a profile with their affiliation, research interests and participation in WUN research projects as principal investigator or co-investigator.

You can access instructions on how to create your profile here.

Registered users can search the hub to find information on members with particular research interests and active WUN research projects. It is also possible to post and view calls for collaborators to join a potential research project, and view calls for funding opportunities.

UCT laboratory notebooks are available at a greatly subsidised price of R30 per copy due to sponsorship by advertisers. Research Contracts & Innovation (RC&I) makes these books, which comply with Good Lab Practice standards, as well as intellectual property / court records by including the relevant sign-off blocks, and more.

You can access more information and purchasing details here.

UCT has launched the latest editions of its annual Research & Innovation Highlights and eResearch report. They illustrate the way UCT’s research community has risen to the challenge of another demanding year: producing research that excites, inspires and makes a difference.

The digital Research & Innovation Highlights 2020-21 casts a spotlight on some of the university’s most noteworthy research achievements, showcases the most exciting projects and offers an overview of the success of UCT research and innovation in numbers.

The seventh edition of the annual eResearch report explores what it means to be a research-intensive university in the African context and how eResearch can facilitate the acceleration of local scholarship to contribute to global knowledge.

Applications are invited for the next cycle of NRF evaluation and rating. This call applies to both researchers who are applying for re-evaluation and first-time applicants. The NRF does not accept applications submitted directly by applicants; therefore, UCT can only endorse applications which are submitted via the internal review process.

Advantages of being rated 

• The rating is used as a national indicator of excellence. 
• It is a measurement of the researcher's academic profile and may be considered when applying for promotion or career advancement opportunities in academia.  
• A successful rating allows the researcher to apply for NRF incentive funding.
• Successful ratings effective from 1 January 2023 will qualify for UCT seed funding. All rating outcomes prior to 1 January 2023 are not eligible to apply. 

For any queries, please contact Roshan Sonday or Jacky Sylvester.

UCT has an updated policy and procedures document that outlines how staff and students (or their data) are accessed for research purposes. The new document consist of a policy which defines a clear set of guiding principles and responsibilities that govern access to UCT personnel for research purposes and standard operating procedures that outlines the process for gaining access.

The revisions to the policy are intended to provide clear guidelines for all researchers (internal and external) wishing to use UCT personnel as research participants; a better understanding of roles, responsibilities and timelines; and greater protections for UCT staff and students.

Please visit this webpage dedicated to the topic.

During this time of year, researchers are dealing with multiple competing priorities in an effort to wrap-up student and project activities before going on leave. While we understand this, the eRA internal approvals process involves various UCT staff across faculties and departments; during December and January, many of these staff members will be on leave and faculties will be operating with limited capacity.

Further, Council has approved a university-wide closure from 28 to 31 December 2021 so that academic and PASS staff can have a wellness break. We are thus requesting that researchers intending to apply for calls during this period get a head-start and begin application processes as soon as they can.  
 
Applications due in December 2021 and January 2022 
For international funding applications due between mid-December and mid-January, researchers will need to plan their budget reviews and internal approvals in advance. 
 
If the funder deadline is between 15 December 2021 and 7 January 2022, we have been advised of the following internal deadlines:

• For law and health sciences faculties: eRA internal approval forms must reach your faculty finance approver by 15 December 2021 
• All other faculties: eRA internal approval forms must reach your faculty finance approver by 10 December 2021 
• Contracts and eRA internal approval forms needing institutional approval must reach UCT Research Contracts & Innovations (RC&I) by 15 December 2021 
• Letters of support requiring sign off from the VC, DVC or Research Office Executive Director must be requested from the International Grants Hub by 7 December 2021 
• Proposal development support must be requested from the International Grants Hub by 30 November 2021 

Funding applications due in February and March 2022 
Multiple funding applications will be due from three major funders in February and March. 
 
If you intend to apply for any of the below opportunities, please complete this intention-to-submit form by 24 December 2021 or contact the International Grants Hub for guidance: 

• The European Commission, Horizon Europe calls 
• The Wellcome Trust Early Career, Career Development or Discovery Award 
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): new R01 applications are due by 5 February 2022 and new R21 applications are due by 16 March 2022. For other awards, including renewals, refer to the NIH’s standard due dates. 

Funding opportunities

Visit the current funding opportunities page on the Research Support Hub to view all open funding opportunities.

Call for applications: NRF-SAASTA Inclusive Community-Based Research Science Shop Development Grant 2021
UCT internal review and selection deadline: 6 December 2021

The Science Shops grant funding provides support to public universities for the purposes of facilitating inclusive community-based research under a Science Shop model in line with the DSI’s Science Engagement Strategy.

Through the model, research that addresses societal challenges is conducted in a collaborative and participatory way and requires that researchers, the community and other stakeholders equally participate in most or all stages of the research process.

Only one proposal can be submitted by UCT to the funder. Proposals must be submitted for UCT’s internal review and selection to [email protected].

Please download the call document here and address any queries to Mbasa Mguye.

Call for applications: Future Professors Programme | Fellowship in Academic Excellence and Leadership
Application deadline: 11 February 2022

The Future Professors Programme (FPP) is a national collaborative programme aimed at developing qualities of academic excellence and leadership among a select pool of academic staff, with an emphasis on black and woman scholars.

This call, the third and final for phase 1 of this programme, seeks to identify a group of the country’s most talented young academics to benefit from a structured and intense programme aimed at accelerating their readiness for the professoriate.

Academics preferably – but not exclusively – in the lecturer and senior lecturer categories in South African public universities may be nominated by their universities. Applicants should hold a doctorate and have already presented clear indications in their scholarly work of advancement towards the senior ranks of the academy. An NRF rating or similar external markers of scholarly standing are a strong recommendation.

The programme is not a developmental but a preparatory programme. Each university may nominate a maximum of five candidates. From these nominations, a cohort will be selected for the programme, which will commence in January 2023. 

For details on the application process, contact Mrs Fazeela Felton.

The Wellcome Early-Career Awards scheme is soliciting applications from early-career researchers who are ready to develop their research identity. By the end of the award, successful candidates will be equipped to lead their own independent research programme.

Research proposals may be in any discipline as long as it has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing, and aligns with the Wellcome Trust’s funding remit.

Grants are available for up to five years. Applicants may request salary and up to GBP400 000 for research expenses.

Access more detailed information about the call, application requirements and process.
Access the intention-to-submit form.

The Faculty of Health Sciences Research Office will be hosting an interactive information session for prospective UCT applicants to this call.
Date: Monday, 22 November 2021
Time: 10:00 – 11:30
Click here to join the event.

Please email your questions to [email protected] by Friday, 19 November.

For queries, Faculty of Health Sciences staff are to contact [email protected], while those from other faculties can contact [email protected].

The Wellcome Career Development Awards scheme is soliciting applications from mid-career researchers who have the potential to be international research leaders. Research proposals may be in any discipline as long as it has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing, and aligns with the Wellcome Trust’s funding remit.

Funding is available for up to eight years, and the award can provide a salary for the grant-holder (if required) and research expenses.

Access more detailed information about the call, application requirements and process.
Access the intention-to-submit form.

For queries, Faculty of Health Sciences staff are to contact [email protected], while those from other faculties can contact [email protected].

The Wellcome Discovery Awards scheme is soliciting applications from established researchers and teams who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. Research proposals may be in any discipline as long as it has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing, and aligns with the Wellcome Trust’s funding remit.

An award can be held by an established researcher or a team of researchers led by an established researcher. Funding is available for research expenses for up to eight years and a salary may only be claimed under certain conditions.

Access more detailed information about the call, application requirements and process.
Access the intention-to-submit form.

For queries, Faculty of Health Sciences staff are to contact [email protected], while those from other faculties can contact [email protected].

The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) International Training Scholarship Program provides training opportunities for African, Central American and South American early-career researchers in the life sciences who are ASCB members (or who become ASCB members upon acceptance).

ASCB will award scholarships of up to USD50 000 to pay for courses or independent projects.

Access more detailed information about the call, application requirements and process.
Access the intention-to-submit form.

For queries, Faculty of Health Sciences staff are to contact [email protected], while those from other faculties can contact [email protected].

The Research Announcement is produced by the Research Office, University of Cape Town.