AFRAN Indian Ocean call for Initiatives 2023/2024 open now!
AFRAN seeks to support the development of research and innovation collaborations between France and Australia through a set of activities that raise awareness on areas of mutual interest in France and Australia, as well as untapped opportunities at regional, state, local and institutional levels. The Association plays an active role in running events and communication initiatives to support a growing community of members, as well as facilitating bi-national dialogue on research and innovation issues. Many of these initiatives are member-initiated and supported by AFRAN and additional financial resources.
As part of the AFRAN Forum 2023 on strengthening research collaboration in the Indian Ocean, the Australian-French Association for Research and Innovation launched an Indian Ocean Hub. This call is aimed at providing the first round of support to research and innovation community structuring for the Indian Ocean Region. The Call is supported by the AFRAN Forum 2023’s partner organisations – the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Embassy of France in Australia, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).
Call details
This AFRAN Indian Ocean call seeks initiatives focussed on Indian Ocean inter-cultural cooperation and engagement, biodiversity, climate, marine science and earth observation, energy transition, combatting IUU fishing and health. Projects with a particular emphasis or potential relationship to IUU fishing and related areas, will be prioritised.
The call seeks to develop the new AFRAN Indian Ocean Hub by funding initiatives, research projects and series of smaller, integrated initiatives (e.g. series of network building activities, one-off or series of collaborative research exhibitions or productions, symposia/workshops focussed on community development) designed to federate, build and scale up thematic communities around particular research and innovation areas. Initiatives will complement other mechanisms provided by the Embassy of France in Australia (e.g. mobility, internships, or workshops) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
This call will support collaborative projects gathering French and Australian stakeholders with particular interest in the Indian Ocean region. Propositions offering the means for other researchers in Countries in the Indian Ocean to participate (e.g. India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Madagascar, Indonesia) will be considered favourably, particularly for the IUU Fishing theme
A total pool of AUD35,000 is available. We envisage that groups can apply for AUD5,000 towards logistics and/or travel costs for selected initiatives and up to AUD15,000 for larger research or innovation initiatives. AFRAN will support in-person, online and web-based versions of all feasible activities (including webinars, online workshops, Q&As with community outreach, online hackathon-innovation thinktanks etc). This program only funds projects initiated by members of AFRAN [membership is free, join us!]. This program does not consider applications for participation in external conferences and seminars, nor applications for individual travel to a partner’s laboratory, unless it is indispensable for the development of such aforementioned initiatives or hub-structuring activities.
Objectives and aims
To create and/or scale up a collaborative research and innovation community for the AFRAN Indian Ocean Hub;
To foster structured collaborations within the French, Australian and partner Indian Ocean research and innovation communities.
To involve a broad range of partners and individuals.
To support the Indian Ocean hubs to develop some initial activities in 2024.
To structure and provide responses to major societal issues facing Australia and France.
Objectives and aims
To create and/or scale up a collaborative research and innovation community for the AFRAN Indian Ocean Hub;
To foster structured collaborations within the French, Australian and partner Indian Ocean research and innovation communities.
To involve a broad range of partners and individuals.
To support the Indian Ocean hubs to develop some initial activities in 2024.
To structure and provide responses to major societal issues facing Australia and France.
The identified areas for funding under these categories should relate to the Indian Ocean and include:
IUU fishing – France and Australia have numerous of historical partnership in the management of IUU fishing in the Indian, the Pacific and the Southern Oceans. With this call, we seek to create and/or consolidate scientific cooperation in IUU fishing and related fields. Approximately AUD20,000 will be dedicated to proposals linked to this theme.
AFRAN Indian Ocean hub and thematic community programmes – the new hub leaders can work with members of the hub to develop one or a series of initiatives in 2024 to develop the new Hub, these may cover any of the areas noted above, such as inter-cultural cooperation and engagement, biodiversity, climate, marine science and earth observation, energy transition, combatting IUU fishing and health. Approximately AUD15,000 is available under this category.
Eligibility
Applications are open to researchers and other professionals of any nationality and seniority level who are members of AFRAN. To be eligible, an initiative must:
Be open (within reason and depending on the purpose) to all interested members of the Indian Ocean Hub and interested AFRAN members more broadly to participate;
Be focused on one of the two identified areas; and
Aim at creating and/or scaling up a collaborative research and innovation community within AFRAN Indian Ocean perimeters: between France, Australia and beyond.
All research fields, including Humanities and Social Sciences, are open and coordinators of eligible projects involving French overseas territories are encouraged to apply. Proposals supporting inter-Ocean collaboration (e.g. Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean) will also be considered.
Should future editions of this program run, they may target alternative research and innovation fields based on the strategic priorities of the French and Australian governments.
Terms of funding
A total of AUD35,000 (thirty thousand Australian dollars) is made available for this call. Funding for submitted initiatives must be spent before 1st June 2024.
Funding of up to AUD5,000 (five thousand Australian dollars) can be requested per small initiatives and up to AUD15,000 per larger-scale initiatives. It is the responsibility of the initiative coordinator to secure any additional funding that may be required to complete the event(s) and/or manage follow-on community activities.
A selection committee appointed by AFRAN, DFAT and the Embassy of France will review the applications and select successful applications as per the criteria above.
AFRAN will notify each initiative coordinator of the outcome of their applications and the amount allocated to successful initiatives.
Upon acceptance of the funding (if selected), the project coordinator agrees to:
Include a mention of the support provided by “the AFRAN Indian Ocean Call for Initiatives” on all communication materials used to promote the event/initiative
Provide AFRAN with said communication materials one month before the selected activity date. These materials will be disseminated through AFRAN communication channels with mentions of the procedures required to participate in the planned activities.
Provide AFRAN with a short one-page report (press-release style) on the outcome of the initiative and at least one photo, by no later than 1 month after completion of the main event and/or by 31 May 2024 for ongoing community-building initiatives. These reports will be distributed to funders of this call and may be made public and advertised through the AFRAN communication channels.
Application process
Applications must be submitted by using the application form.
The application form and all supporting documents (preferably in PDF format) must be submitted before the application deadline by email to: afran.org@gmail.com
Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Call for projects opens: 18 December 2023
Deadline for applications extended: 18 February 2024
Results announced: 26 February 2024
Earliest date for project start: 27 February 2024
Latest date for project completion: 31 May 2024
For further information, please contact:
AFRAN
Prof Katherine Daniell
President, AFRAN Inc.
0419848256 (only before 22 Dec and after 26 January)
Embassy of France
Ms. Nathalie Simenel-Amar
Service Science and Technology
02 6216 0139
Download the application form:
