Our Mission

  • To provide dedicated funding for projects that address pressing developmental needs
  • To encourage projects to ‘plan for impact’ and ‘mobilize knowledge for development’
  • To support a more targeted, impact oriented, multidisciplinary research agenda
  • To foster a greater appreciation in our stakeholders of the value and impact of research, innovation and knowledge transfer
  • To facilitate research which impacts on policy, practice, new products, services, ways of thinking, attitudes and behavior, which ultimately contribute to the improved well-being of society.

Our Vision

A research enterprise which facilitates research that can serve as an impetus for transformational change and development.

 

What are the priority thematic/research areas?  

  • Climate Change and Environmental Issues
  • Technology and Society: Enhancing Efficiency, Competitiveness and Social well-being
  • Public Health
  • Finance and Entrepreneurship
  • Economic Diversification and Sector Competitiveness
  • Crime, Violence and Citizen Security

 

Who is eligible?

Full-time academic staff at UWI St. Augustine shall serve as Lead Researchers/Project Team Leaders for proposals submitted to the RDI Fund.  Part-time Lecturers, Assistant Lecturers, Instructors, Demonstrators, Research Assistants, post-doctoral researchers, and PhD students may serve as team members.

 

Project Financing

The maximum amount that can be requested is TT$ 2 million.

 

Project Duration

Project execution should not exceed 3 years (36 consecutive months).

 

What activities and items are eligible for financing?

Eligible Expenditure Items  *
  • Short-term contracts/consultancies
  • Inputs/ingredients, chemicals and other materials related to the conducting of experiments and/or sample testing  
  • Organization of technical meetings, workshops, focus groups, stakeholder consultations, etc.
  • Educational and promotional material in print and electronic format
  • Project-related equipment (not exceeding 40% of the total project budget)
  • Expenses related to travel and/or the organization of meetings during the execution of project activities (not exceeding 10% of the total project budget)
  • Expenses related to print, electronic or radio advertisement and/or other media promotion (not exceeding TT$100,000)

 

Ineligible Expenditure Items *
  • Acquisition or upgrade of land, property, vehicle or physical assets
  • Short-term contracts/consultancies for persons who are already full-time employees of the UWI
  • Consultancies or short-term contracts for persons who are full-time employees of other institutions shall be consistent with the policies in force at those institutions or shall otherwise be deemed ineligible 
  • Refreshments for meetings and conferences
  • Honoraria and/or appearance fees for guest speakers at any project-related events
  • Reimbursements for personal funds spent on project-related items or activities.  [However, Faculty or Departmental advances, not exceeding TT$10,000, which are related to approved project activities, shall be eligible for reimbursement]
  • Personal ICT tools and/or products such as cell phones, laptop computers, etc.
  • Contingencies
  • Departmental or Faculty charges

Application and Evaluation Process

Project Team Leaders shall firstly submit a Concept Note outlining the proposed project for evaluation by the Fund’s Technical Evaluation Committee.  The template for the Concept Note is available in the Downloads section of this website.

Additional details on the application process and criteria for evaluation are provided in theRDI Fund’s Operational Guidelines. An electronic copy is available in the documents section of this website.

 

 

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