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Eligibility
The aim of the ALBORADA Research Fund between Cambridge and Africa is to promote research, training, and engagement initiatives between the two universities. Together with applicants from African institutions and institutes, Cambridge applicants submit combined applications to co-create the projects. It’s critical that the funds be put to use for more than just offering services.
that will be completed at one institution on behalf of the other, and the application shows that genuine cooperation has taken place.
The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund plays a key role in fostering the growth of new research initiatives and subsequent collaborative funding applications by serving as a seed fund or catalyst. Applications that establish new collaborations or deepen current ones and have the potential to be long-term collaborators will be given preference. Initiatives ought to
additionally, ideally, improve the African researcher’s and/or the African research institution’s/university’s research capacity.
Both applicants must be at post-doctoral level or above, and by completing an application, it is understood that they are both doing so with support from their Head of Department or equivalent. Both applicants should have a formal link to a research group/department/faculty in their home institution. It is also expected that both applicants remain employed beyond the end date of their ALBORADA awards. The awards are not intended to support post- graduate students, however, limited support for students (e.g. as part of a research project or training visit) will be considered when there is a clear demonstration that this will enhance the relationship between the Cambridge and African Principal Investigators (PIs).
The candidate from Cambridge must be employed by the University of Cambridge or one of its linked research institutes. The British Antarctic Survey, National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), and Wellcome-Trust Sanger Institute have all had previous successful applications to Cambridge. The candidates from Cambridge will
serve as the principal applicants for administrative reasons, since their Cambridge Departments, Faculty, and Institutes must receive the grants.
The African applicant needs to be employed by an African university or research institution.
Awards available
Generally, applications should fit within the specified standard funding boundaries and into one of these four research-related categories. Only requests that are exceptionally justified and exceed the regular limits will be granted. Before submitting, you might want to get in touch with alboradafund@cambridgeafrica.cam.ac.uk to address any unique demands. Applications for the same project, such as a research project, cannot be submitted under more than one category.
The project should budget up to £20,000 for the equipment and travel that are required.
Application
On the CambridgeAfrica website, there is a saveable online application form that both applicants must register and fill out. The following documents should be included in final submissions:
• A lay explanation and a case for support;
• An itemized budget (with a template)
• A letter of recommendation from the CambridgePI’s faculty or department. (The Head of Division must provide a letter of support to the Department of Engineering). It’s acceptable to send an email from an official institution email account.
• A letter of support from the AfricanPI department or organization
• Resumes (no more than two pages) for the Africa PI and Cambridge
The details of two suggested referees are also required; these should be individuals who have no conflicts of interest
with the project or investigators (e.g. they should not be from the same Department).
The deadline for submission is 12th September 2024 and applications can be submitted at any time before this. Any
queries should be sent to alboradafund@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk