Kuwait Program now accepting grant proposals for research

The Kennedy School of Government (KSG) has announced the ninth funding cycle for the Kuwait Program Research Fund. With the support of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, a KSG faculty committee will consider applications for one-year grants (up to $30,000) and larger grants for more extensive proposals to support advanced research by Harvard University faculty members on issues of critical importance to Kuwait and the Persian Gulf. Grants can be applied toward research assistance, travel, summer salary, and course buyout.

Priority will be given to the following subjects, although applications will be considered in other areas as well: technology transfer; water resources and management; oil and petrochemicals; educational reform; small country security; governance and transparency issues; government subsidies policy; human resources development; applied research, education, and training related to the environment and pollution; and public health policy, including disease treatment (especially diabetes) and prevention.

In addition, the committee is seeking more extensive and ambitious proposals on the following topics: education reform; small country security; and governance, transparency and corruption issues. KSG is prepared to provide greater funding over a longer period of time for research in these three areas.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the direct involvement of Harvard faculty, the relevance and transferability of the research to Kuwait and the region, and the quality of the work plan, which should include an outreach component. Collaborative research with Kuwaiti academics and educational institutions is strongly encouraged.

There are no formal application forms. Please submit inquiries and research proposals (not exceeding five pages), including a budget, other sources of funding, and the curriculum vitae for senior researchers to Director, Middle East Initiative, KSG, 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA, 02138.

The deadline for the receipt of grant applications is Nov. 15 and decisions will be announced by Dec. 15. Call (617) 495-5963 for more information.