UNDP/World Bank/WHO: Research Training Grants 2001

for TDR's priority research areas.

The training may take place in the home country, in another developing country, or in developed countries. TDR reserves the right to select the academic institution, research programme or TDR-funded Research & Development (R&D) project where it is felt the most suitable training can be obtained.

Other specific calls for research training applications will be announced during the coming year in the context of new integrated initiatives. TDR will develop multi-disciplinary, multi-partner integrated research initiatives within TDR scientific priority areas optimising and focusing the capacity building investment and the participation of DECs. The initiatives will be guided by TDR/WHO's comparative advantage in specific areas, giving priorities to projects with greatest potential impact on disease control and capacity building outcomes, including training. See the TDR web site at: http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/workplans/rcsworkplan.htm for the work plan of the Research Capability Strengthening (RCS).

Capacity building in TDR

Research capability strengthening is a cross-cutting programmatic area of TDR established to promote and fund research training and institution development to increase the participation of developing countries in the development and use of new tools for the prevention and control of communicable diseases. The long-term mission is to increase research self-reliance in endemic countries for identifying needs and developing solutions to public health problems caused by neglected infectious diseases.

TDR contributes to the attainment of these goals by strengthening research institutions, generating new scientific knowledge in biomedical and social sciences and building a critical mass of human resources to respond to research and public health needs.

Eligibility

Applications for training should be proposed as an integral part of an institution development programme rather than an individual request. The successful applicants are expected to promote the development of infrastructure and research environment, provide future training opportunities, exhibit scientific expertise in their chosen field, be conversant with information and communication systems, and to develop opportunities for collaboration with scientists and institutions in other countries where possible. Applications will be reviewed on the basis of (a) research experience of applicant, (b) previous education sufficient to justify requested graduate training, (c) quality and clarity of written application, (d) recommendation letters, (e) relevance of training to home institute, (f) relevance of training to home country/region, (g) research project presented (for PhD), (h) research environment in the home institution, (i) previous TDR funding, and (j) national commitment to research.

Training priorities

TDR's first priority are applicants from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) and countries with lesser developed research capacities (LDRC). A target of 40 percent has been set for the selection of candidates from these countries. To achieve gender balance, applications are especially encouraged from women. Currently, over 35% of successful applications are from women, and TDR would like to increase this percentage. In general, applications from researchers requesting support for training in their own country or region are given priority; over the past decade, the percentage of applicants funded for local or regional training has increased from 25% to 65%. Applicants requesting local/regional PhD training may also include a short attachment abroad (+/- 6 months) to acquire skills related to their thesis research not available within their own country. Applications are welcomed from individuals working and involved in Ministries of Health with responsibility for planning, executing and/or evaluating disease control programmes related to TDR target diseases. Finally, preference is given to applicants under the age of 35 years as our experience has shown that younger scientists follow a more productive research career path after their training.

How to apply

RTG instructions are available from TDR <mailto:tdr@who.int>, from WHO Regional Offices and from TDR web site: http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/forms.htm

Please read and carefully follow the instructions for completing the application, and do not exceed the page limits. The document "General Information and Financial Provisions for the Award of Research Training Grants" describes the possible support that may be available to successful applicants, and is available from the TDR web site: http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/grants/rtg.htm

Applications will be reviewed by the Research Strengthening Group (RSG) in February 2001, and the results mailed in April 2001.

What an application should include

Researchers who wish to apply for an RTG should send the following information, to the address given below (no application forms are required).

1. Full name in capital letters with the family name underlined.

2. Date of birth and nationality (please include photocopy of information page of passport).

3. One recent passport sized photograph.

4. Name, phone number, fax number and e-mail address of institution where the applicant is employed.

5. Educational qualifications, including place and date of study, and - if possible - grade obtained (transcripts and/or photocopies of qualifications are not required but may be requested at a later date).

6. A description (in not more than 12 lines) of the applicant's current post and of the post held immediately preceding the current post.

7. A description (not exceeding 10 lines) of the applicant's current research interests.

8. A list of the applicant's publications (with references), and other abstracts or presentations.

9. A letter of recommendation from two senior scientists/professors that includes their institutional affiliation, address, telephone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses. (Please include these with the application).

10. If the applicant is or has recently been involved with a TDRfunded project, provide the title of the project and the name of the principal investigator.

11. Type of training requested e.g., for studies leading to PhD or MSc within the country or abroad, or for short-term specialized training; and discipline and disease of study e.g., malaria epidemiology, socio-economic research on leishmaniasis, etc.

12. For applications leading to a PhD, an outline (3-4 pages) of the proposed research to be carried out during the training, including rationale, objectives and methodology, citing a minimum of 5 recent references.

13. The name(s) and address(es) of institution(s), in order of preference, where the applicant would like to study, with copies of correspondence enclosed if contact has already been made with these institutions.

14. Applicants already registered for a doctoral degree in their own countries and who would like to seek support for their thesis research should provide evidence of registration, submit a full project proposal (with ethical clearance if necessary), and an itemized budget not exceeding US$10,000 total, endorsed by their supervisor. The project proposal will be reviewed on scientific merit and relevance by the Research Strengthening Group.

15. An endorsement from the Director of the applicant's home institution testifying to the ability of the applicant to undertake successfully the proposed studies and certifying that the applicant, if awarded TDR support for research training away from the home institute, will be granted a leave of absence and, on completing the training, will be assured of a post for at least three years. The Director should also indicate how the proposed training will strengthen the research capabilities of the institution and/or how it will assist in the planning and evaluation of a particular disease control programme.

Applicants from countries requiring national endorsement should submit their applications through proper government channels. A copy of all applications should be sent to the WHO Representative's Office in their home country for information purposes.

All applications must be received by 1 November 2000 at the following address:

Mr Steven Wayling

Manager, Research Training Grants (RTG)

UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and

Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR)

1211 Geneva 27 - Switzerland

Tel: +41-22-791-3909

Fax: +41-22-791-4854

mailto:waylings@who.int

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