NRF Thuthuka Grant Application Writing

Facilitator: Prof Syden Mishi holds a doctorate in Economics and is currently an Associate Professor and Head of Economics at Nelson Mandela University. He chairs the Business and Economic Sciences Faculty's Post Graduate Studies Committee, contributes to the Sustainability and Institutional Viability Task Team, and is part of the Research Data Management Task Team. With over 10 years of teaching experience, he has taught various subjects like Research Methodology, Survey Techniques, Microeconomics, and more. Prof Mishi supervises students at all levels at various institutions - both nationally and internationally. As a National Research Foundation C-rated researcher and previous Thuthuka grantholder, he has published extensively and presented at numerous national and international conferences. Previously, he worked as a Senior Researcher/Statistician at the University of Fort Hare for over four years, focusing on training postgraduate students and staff in research methods and data analytics. 

 

Background: This practical three-day workshop will provide valuable insights into the process of submitting a grant application for a research project, with a specific focus on the National Research Foundation’s Thuthuka programme. The facilitator will guide participants through the application process in detail. The workshop will be presented in a hybrid format, offering the flexibility for attendees to participate either in-person or online.

 

Key focus areas include the following:

• A quick recap of the research proposal and fundamentals of research design and methodology, as this provides the scientific/ academic content of the funding application.
• Eligibility criteria and call requirements.
• The review process at the funder.
• The structure of the Thuthuka application form.
• Developing a detailed and credible budget, with each line item justified.
• Specific areas that reviewers are going to be scoring.
• Developing a sound project management plan to guide the successful execution of the research project.

Requirements: It is preferable for all participants to bring along their draft funding application (and budget) or at least have a concept note. Participants are encouraged to read through the call framework document and application guide (advertised on MEMO) prior to attending the workshop.

 

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