Funding Opportunities

The fundraising office strive to collaborate and respond where possible to funding opportunities that promote student and staff mobility and collaboration in order to expand funding networks. The office will constantly update on funding opportunities depending availability.

RISE Showcase and Awards

RISE (Real Impact on Society and Environment) is U21’s international showcase of student achievement in sustainability and social innovation designed to accelerate the scale and impact of student-led projects by connecting them with a network of experts in academia and industry.

FOR: Current students, undergraduate and postgraduate

PROJECTS REQUIREMENTS

If you have a voluntary, social enterprise or environmental project that you would like to scale up, develop, and build, then RISE is for you.

If you are a current student or recent graduate (2 years or less)* who started your project whilst at university, then you can participate. You must have started to implement your project in some way (it cannot be just an idea), but it can still be at very early stages of development. If you have an idea that is not yet started, you may want to use the resources on the U21 Aspire Hub to help you progress.

The project must directly address at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These aren’t just about environmental action, they cover almost every aspect of environmental and societal development. In practice most non-profit and social innovation projects will already be addressing at least one goal, even if you didn’t realise it! To see examples of the types of projects eligible for RISE, visit the RISE website.

Projects may be individual or group led. Where there is a large student group (e.g. a student society), a leadership group of up to 7 students should be identified as the main entrants.

HOW TO APPLY:

Send your video to Ms Ntombise Mangqase nmangqase@uj.ac.za and follow these guidelines;

• Your video must be no longer than 5 minutes long. We recommend 3-5 minutes: enough time to clearly pitch your work, whilst remaining concise and engaging.
• Whilst you may incorporate existing content, your 3-5 minute video must be an original piece of work that is not available publicly anywhere else.
• Your video should demonstrate:
  • What your project is and why it is important
  • Which of the Sustainable Development Goals you are addressing
  • What you have achieved so far
  • What your future plans are and how you aim to achieve them
• You can explain this information in a number of ways, for example:
  • Present directly to camera
  • Interview people involved with the project
  • Film one of your events or activities
  • Create an animation or infographic explaining your work

Submission deadline: 25 April 2025

Africa Sustainability Infrastructure Mobility (ASIM)

Africa Sustainability Infrastructure Mobility (ASIM) is the consortium of four (4) Universities (Ardhi University, Covenant University, University of Johannesburg, University of Malawi – The Polytechnic) and an EU Technical partner (Leeds Beckett University), under the European Union Commission Grant on Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme. The ASIM Project Supervisory Board (PSB) now invites applications from eligible academics for the Africa Sustainable Infrastructure Mobility (ASIM) staff mobility. The ASIM staff mobility programme focuses on capacity development and short-term mobility flows of 1 month. The project has two staff mobility pathways:

• Research leave programme: this will enable staff to visit another institution to develop specific research skills. All applicants will be required to provide a proposal that defines the research activities, its fit with the thematic areas of ASIM, benefits to the recipient and the sending institution, and a long-term plan.
• Academic programme management programme: staff mobility flows under this pathway will be ring-fenced to academic staff involved in managing postgraduate provisions designed to share best practices and enhance the postgraduate provision in their institution. Staff will be required to submit a proposal that demonstrates the value of their mobility to the recipient and the sending institution.

We are now accepting applications under the ASIM Research Leave Pathway, and the deadline for submitting applications is 23:59 Hrs (CAT) on 31st July 2024.

Asim-Call-for-Staff-mobility

https://form.jotform.com/carinbe/asim-staff-mobility-research-leave 

DAAD Research Grant Open Calls

• DAAD Short-Term Grants: for a research stay of 1-6 months in Germany. Open to MA, PhD and PostDoc candidates in any field of study. Deadline 15 March 2024! The programme provides funding for a research project or course of continuing scientific education at a state or state-recognised institution of higher education or a non-university research institute in Germany, which is being carried out in coordination with an academic adviser in Germany.

• DAAD Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists: for a research stay of 1-3 months in Germany in any field of study. Deadline 15 March 2024! The programme provides funding for research stays at state or state-recognised institutions of higher education or non-university research institutes in Germany. A research stay can also take place at several host institutions. Funding may only be claimed once within three years. Lecture tours or visits to congresses are not funded.

• DAAD Re-invitation Programme for Former Scholarship Holders: for research stays of 1-3 months in Germany in any field of study. Deadline 15 March 2024! The programme provides funding for:EITHER research and working projects at state or state-recognised institutions of higher education or non-university research institutes in Germany.OR Working stays at an institution in business, administration, culture or media for former scholarship holders who work outside the science sector.A research or working visit can also take place at several host institutions. Funding may only be claimed once within three years.

• DAAD Bilateral Exchange of Academics: for a research stay of 14 days to max 3 months in Germany in any field of study. Applications can be made at any time but at least 3 months prior to the planned research stay. Research stays at state or state-recognised universities or non-university research institutes in Germany are funded. This programme funds exchanges between scientists and researchers from Germany and partner countries. In the implementation of the bilateral programme, care is taken to ensure equal exchanges in both directions. Lecture tours or visits to congresses are not funded.Any queries can be directed to the DAAD Information Centre Johannesburg daad@wits.ac.za.

Mobility Programme for Early Career Researchers in Africa to visit University of Helsinki

The University of Helsinki opens a call intended for early career researchers working in a higher education institution in Africa for a stay at the University of Helsinki. The programme supports the best and brightest minds in their postdoctoral research stage, connecting them with world-class academics and leading researchers at the University of Helsinki.

Applications must be written jointly by the early career researcher (hereafter: visitor applicant) and a staff member working at the University of Helsinki with a Principal Investigator status (hereafter: PI applicant). The PI applicant submits the application. Applications from all disciplines are welcome but the project proposed in the application must relate to one or several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The PI applicant acts as a host for the visitor applicant with whom future collaboration is being planned (as demonstrated by a joint work plan for collaboration and Letter of Intent by the applicant). The visitor applicant is the receiver of the grant.

We offer:

• A monthly grant of 3400 € to the visitor applicant during a stay of 4-8 consecutive months, starting no earlier than September 1, 2024 and ending no later than April 30, 2025
• A travel grant to cover one-time travel costs to and from Helsinki
• Visitor applicants who are guardians of underage children and accompanied by them during the visit may receive additional financial support (up to 500 € per month).

Eligibility criteria:

1. The visitor applicant should be affiliated with a higher education institution in Africa and demonstrate proven expertise in an area of research from the thematic spectrum of the SDGs. Visitor applicants who received a grant in 2022 or 2023 from this programme are not eligible to apply in this round. (Please note that visitor applicants with a double affiliation with a higher education institution in the Russian Federation or Belarus are not eligible.)
2. Visitor applicants who have received their PhD diploma no earlier than August 31, 2017 and at the latest on January 31, 2024 are eligible. Allowances are made for parental or medical leave.
3. The PI applicant must demonstrate on-going or planned collaboration with the visitor applicant, related to the UN sustainable development goals. The application must include a work plan for collaboration and a Letter of Intent.

How to apply?

The online application form will open at the start of the application period and close on Wednesday 15 March 2024 at 16:00 (EET). Applications submitted after the end of the application period will not be considered.

Applications are submitted using an online form:

https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/127369/lomake.html

Please contact the International Office, Ms Ntombi Mangqase nmangqase@uj.ac.za  if you need further information.