October 2005 Competition Round

The Pan Asia ICT R&D Grants Programme is pleased to announce the October 2005 Competition round for ICT R&D grant applicants from the Asia Pacific region.

This open theme competition welcomes proposals in the following areas:

• Research and development into innovative ICT applications, with a clear focus on practical and replicable approaches and techniques.
• Research on Internet infrastructure design, performance, management policy, and related topics.
• Development of practical solutions based on the application of proven and readily available Internet technologies with minimum basic research.
• Research with clear learning outcomes and social impacts of specific ICT policies and interventions and application of Internet technologies.
• Research on policy matters affecting Internet networking in the Asia Pacific region, especially where linked to areas such as health, environment, culture, policy impacts, gender equity, social equity, sustainable communities, and technology diffusion/transfer, and benefits to rural areas.
• Technology related issues such as broadband connectivity, last mile innovation, mobile and wireless technologies for the developing world and increasing the capacity or efficiency of existing network infrastructures.

We will not entertain proposals which fall outside the scope of the grants programme.

Interested organizations or institutions from the Asia Pacific region may apply for either of the following types of grants:

• Grants up to a maximum budget of US$9,000 over a term not exceeding 12 months.
• Grants up to a maximum budget of US$30,000 over a term not exceeding 24 months.

Please read the programme guide to learn more about the scope, criteria, and grants awarded before completing an application form with the full details of your proposal. Please note that proposals must satisfy all of the programme requirements in order to be considered for funding.

The programme guide and application forms are available at:

http://web.idrc.ca/en/ev-9609-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

Kindly note that the deadline for application for this round is 15 October 2005. We regret to inform that late applications will not be considered for this round, but may be considered in futute rounds.

The grants committee will screen all proposals, and the results will be made known by mid December 2005.

The Pan ICT R&D Grants Programme has the objective of building institutional research capacity in the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region, in the area of Internet networking. It is directed at encouraging original and innovative networking solutions to specific development problems. The funds for the ICT R&D Grants are provided by the Pan Asia Networking Program of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Internet Society (ISOC), the Asia Pacific Development Information Programme (APNIC) and Microsoft. The Programme is administered by Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC). The programme is overseen by a Committee established by Pan Asia Networking, APDIP, APNIC, ISOC, Microsoft and AMIC.

Grants for suitable research and development projects are available to Asia-based organizations on a competitive basis. Preference is given to projects that focus on practical solutions to real problems in Internet policies and technology applications.

This web site sets out the application procedures, conditions for project funding, and criteria for the assessment of applications under the ICT R&D Grants Programme.