International Foundation for Science Building Scientific Capacity in Developing Countries Over 30 years’ experience Kassa Amare Mekelle University November 2012

 The IFS Supports developing country scientists research relevant to the renewable utilization of the biological resource base.  IFS support is primarily financial and in the form of research grants

International Foundation for Science IFS exists to support young researchers in developing countries

 Back ground  An IFS grant is neither a travel grant nor a study fellow ship, but rather it is intended for the purchase of basic tools for research equipment, expendable supplies, literature and field activities.  IFS also supports to grantees in order that young researchers may develop new skills.  This kind of support includes providing professional contacts for the grantee; offering research support in the form of literature search and access to data base and organizing workshops and regional meeting.  Supplementary travel grants can also be awarded. An important service provided by IFS is the purchase and delivery of equipment and supplies to guarantee.

International Foundation for Science  Founded 1972  International Research Council  Non-Governmental Organisation  International Board of Trustees  Secretariat in Stockholm  1,000 Scientific Advisers

IFS Research Areas Crop Science Aquatic Resources Animal Production Food science Forestry, Biodiversity and Conservation Natural Products Water Resources Social Sciences

Strategy  Identify, through competitive grants and careful screening, young promising scientists;  Support them in their early careers to enable them to get established and recognised as scientists;  Not just a research grant: support is given throughout the granting period.

IFS Supports Research  Proposed project: o Research or Development/Extension? o IFS supports only research  Focus is mainly on the individual (though some teams are also supported)

IFS Supports Research  Basic or Applied Research?

Research Grant  Maximum amount USD 12,000  Research project 1-3 years  Two renewals  Equipment, supplies, literature, local travel, extra manpower

Granting Process  Simple  Rapid  Two granting sessions per annum  1500 applications  Each application is evaluated on a competitive basis

Criteria for Eligibility  Citizen of a developing country  Younger than 40  Beginning of research career  Usually MSc or equivalent degree  Working at a university or research institution in a developing country  Carrying out research project in a developing country

Granting Process.... Next stage of evaluation process  Pre-screening  Eligibility criteria  ”light” scientific screening  Expert Advisors – in depth evaluation of proposal

Granting Process  Application are submitted directly to the IFS secretariat and are welcome on a year-bases basis. Applicants are pre-screen at the secretariat by the scientific staff.  Those that meet the criteria for eligibility are then reviewed by an independent international panel of scientific advisors. If a proposal is recommended, it will be prioritized according to the availability of funds.  Only application forms that are properly filled in according to the guidelines, the projects that are well justified and argued, and that are well presented with sufficient details on all items will be processed.

Granting Process.... Advisors  Expert Advisors (>1,000) provide in- depth evaluation of proposal  Provide comments which are sent to all applicants

Granting Process  Pre-screening  Expert Advisors  Scientific Advisory Committee  Recommendation of grants (280 in 2007)

Evaluation Criteria  Applicant's training and experience  Available and requested resources  Realistic goals and time plan Applicant and feasibility of project Scientific quality  Well-formulated hypothesis/up-to-date knowledge  Sound experimental design  Relevant methods  Developmental applicability  Generation of Scientific knowledge  National priorities

1,656 [30%] 331Argentina 269Mexico 256Brazil 176Chile 141Uruguay Asia & the Pacific Sub-Saharan Africa 268Nigeria 161Kenya 157Cameroon 94Tanzania 90Burkina Faso 78Uganda 395China 225Philippines 185India 166Thailand 156Indonesia 144Sri Lanka Middle East & North Africa 403 [7%] 251Morocco 77Tunisia 41Egypt 14Iran 10Algeria 1,734 [31%] Latin America & Caribbean 1,801 [32%] Correct to May 2005 IFS Grants awarded [top recipient countries]

Number of IFS Grants given by Country in Africa

Grantees / Research Area

Grants to Women

Results of IFS Support IFS grantees remain active researchers in their own country IFS grantees publish more frequently in mainstream journals Internationalisation of many grantees’ careers Increased collaboration with other scientists More success accessing further funding

How to make the best possible use of the research grant: Supporting package accelerates and helps guarantee permanency of capacity building Supporting package accelerates and helps guarantee permanency of capacity building

Pre-grants Possible to obtain a small (pre-) grant to identify research questions. E.g. Survey work Possible to obtain a small (pre-) grant to identify research questions. E.g. Survey work

What do Scientists in eligible Countries want from IFS? The Capacity-Enhancing Package: *Research grants *Research grants *Mentorship *Mentorship *[Project proposal writing courses] *[Project proposal writing courses] *Travel for capacity activities *Travel for capacity activities *Scientific paper writing courses *Scientific paper writing courses *Thematic workshops *Thematic workshops

Thank you.