Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Amy Mahan Research Fellowship Program to Assess the Impact of Public Access to ICTs

Instructions for Completing the Application Form

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Form Structure and Size Limitations

PART I: Basic Information

1.1 The Study

1.2 Principal Investigator

1.3 Participating Institutions

1.3.1 Support Institution

1.3.2 Other Participating Institutions (if any)

1.4 Background

1.5 Research Questions and Justification

PART II: The Study Proposal

PART III: Summary Budget, Implementation Plan and Research Capacity Impact

3.1 Summary Budget

3.2 Implementation Plan

3.2.1 Second Research Report: Description and Delivery Date

3.2.2 Institutional responsibilities

3.2.3 Expertise and responsibilities of participating researchers

3.2.4 Technical Support Needs

3.3 Research Capacity Impact

3.3.1 Impact on participating researchers

3.3.2 Impact on Support Institution

PART IV: Signature of Principal Investigator on behalf of Research Team

PART V: Annexes

Annex 1. Bibliography

Annex 2. Evidentiary Documentation

Annex 3. Personal History Forms of Participating Researchers

Annex 4. Detailed Budget

Other Annexes (as needed)


The Form should be completed thoroughly but concisely. The length of a section may be adjusted to suit their applicants' requirements, subject to the following limitations:

 

Max. No. of A4 size pages

PART I.  Section 1.4 Essential Background

1

PART I.  Section 1.5 Priority Research Questions and Justification

1

PART II. The Study Proposal

5

PART III Summary Budget, Implementation Plan and Research Capacity Impact

3

Annex 1. Bibliography

2

Annex 3. Personal History Forms of Participating Researchers

*

*2 pages for the Principal Investigator; 1 for each other team member

Applicants may add annexes to give additional information as required, but please be concise throughout. 

Include only literature citations in the body of the application - e.g. Heeks (2009), and give full references to each work cited, including URL if available, in Annex 1.

Submission Instructions

Please use a Word Processor (Verdana font 10 pt) to complete the application. Do not attach any pictures or diagrams unless this is absolutely necessary. Present all dates using the form: day/month/year = dd/mm/yyyy.

The application form should be completed and signed by the Principal Investigator. Once She or He have completed the application, submit it as follows:

  1. Print the form and sign it, scan the signed form and submit it as a single pdf file via email addressed to: amymahanfellowship@upf.edu.
  2. In the Subject of your email write:
    Amy Mahan, COUNTRY, TITLE OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL
    COUNTRY stands for the country of residence of the Principal Investigator and of the Support Institution.
    For TITLE OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL please use the same title that you use in the Application Form in PART I, Section 1.1 The Study.
  3. Copy (using "cc") your email submission with the signed form to all team members and to the authorized representative of the Support Institution that is familiar with and endorses your application.
  4. It is recommended that the Principal Investigator use as email address one that readily identifies the sender. For example, a Principal Investigator named Mary Anybody using Mary.Anybody@bellsouth.net, or MAnybody@bellsouth.net or MAnybody3@bellsouth.net, will be more readily identified than if she were to use ma@bellsouth.net
  5. Annexes should be attached to the complete Application Form to form a single pdf file. The exception is the Detailed Budget (Annex 4), which should be sent in the same email but as a separate spreadsheet file.

  No submission exceeding 10 Mb will be accepted.

  No submission reaching Universitat Pompeu Fabra after midnight Eastern Standard Time 31 December 2009 will be accepted.

Annotated Copy of the Application Form

PART I: Basic Information

1.1   The Study

The Study is the term used to identify the research investigation or research study that applicants propose to carry out using Amy Mahan Fellowship Research Grant Funds.

Title of Research Proposal:      

Principal research country:      

Specify other research countries studied (if any):      

Number of Researchers in the Research Team (including Principal investigator):      

1.2 Principal Investigator (PI)

The Principal Investigator is the leader of a research team applying for a Program Fellowship. She or he must be trusted by other team members (Associate researchers) as a responsible leader capable and accountable for directing the study proposed, and of managing Research Grant funds as is necessary to realize the study successfully. The Principal Investigator must also have the full backing of the Support Institution endorsing the application

Please give summary information for the Principal Investigator here, and complete details in his Personal History Form in Annex 3

Name:      

Surname:      

Nationality:      

Present position (at work or place of study):      

e-Mail:      

Alternate email:     

Home Telephone Number:      

Mobile Phone Number:      

Work/Study Telephone Number:      

Fax Number:      

Explain why you qualify as an emerging researcher.

 

 

 

References: Name and contact information of three referees (other than the Representative of the Support Institution included in the next section) who are familiar with and can confirm the Principal investigator's academic credentials and personal integrity.

 

Name of Referee No. 1:      

Title and Place of Work:      

Relationship to PI: 

(Ph.D. Thesis Supervisor, former employer, colleague, friend, etc.)

Email:      

Phone number:      

Name of Referee No. 2:      

Title and Place of Work:      

Relationship to PI:

(Ph.D. Thesis Supervisor, former employer, colleague, friend, etc.)

Email:      

Phone number:      

Name of Referee No. 3:      

Title and Place of Work:      

Relationship to PI:

(Ph.D. Thesis Supervisor, former employer, colleague, friend, etc.)

Email:      

Phone number:     

 

1.3 Participating Institutions

1.3.1 Support Institution

The Support Institution is a legally established developing-country organization headquartered in an eligible country in Africa and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific or Latin America and the Caribbean that endorses the application, the Principal Investigator and the Research Team, and the proposed research study. If the Research Team is awarded a Fellowship, the Support Institution will sign a contract with UPF to administer Grant Funds and assume responsibility for supervising its satisfactory fulfilment.

This Form requests that a representative of the Support Institution be identified and that contact details be provided for this person. 

Ideally this would be the same person who would later on sign the contract with UPF on behalf of the Support Institution. This may not always be feasible at the time of presenting the Application. Nevertheless, the person named here should hold a position of authority within the Support Institution, be able to endorse the Research Team in the Institution's behalf, and be able to determine how the Support Institution can and cannot contribute and how it can benefit from the proposed study. This person should be fully informed of the contents of this application.

In the process of reviewing the application, this person may be contacted by the Program Manager for details about the Institution and the proposal.

 

Name of Support Institution:     

Type of Institution:

(University, private research center, gov. agency, etc.)

Address of Support Institution:      

     

URL of Website of Support Institution:     

Name of Support Institution Representative:      

Title of Representative of Support Institution:      

Tel. Number:      

Fax Number:     

email:     

Relationship between Principal

Investigator and Support Institution

(If employee, specify type and length of contract, if student, specify degree and extent to which degree requirements have been met)

 

1.3.2 Other Participating Institutions (if any)

Please add information for any other institutions involved in the proposed study in any capacity, for example, as contributing donor, as institution to which some team members are affiliated (beside the Principal Investigator which, necessarily, should be affiliated to the Support Institution).   Do not include information for more than 3"other" institutionIn many cases there will no other institutions participating, besides the Support Institution. If this applies to your case, please leave this section blank.

Name of Institution A:      

Name of affiliated researcher:      

Type of Institution:      

Address of Institution:           

          

URL of Website of Participating Institution A:      

Role of institution A as partner in

     

 the proposed study

  

Name of Institution B:      

Name of affiliated researcher:      

Type of Institution:      

Address of Institution:      

     

URL of Website of Participating Institution B:      

Role of institution B as partner in

     

the proposed study

  

Name of Institution C:      

Name of affiliated researcher:     

Type of Institution:      

Address of Institution:      

     

URL of Website of Participating Institution C:      

Role of institution C as partner in

     

 the proposed study

1.4 Background

(1 page maximum)

Instructions:

Give the background that puts the research question or questions and the study proposal in context.

  1. Specify, as pertinent, the kinds and critical features of public access venues that the study will focus on, for example:
    Venue type: library, school, cybercafé, postal office, supermarket; community center; etc.

    Owner of facility: private, university, public agency, municipality, religious center, NGO, other;

    Business model: For-profit, not-for-profit, small entrepreneur, corporate franchise, on consignment by owner of venue;

    Characteristics of the users targeted and of frequent users of the
    venues to be studied.
    User charges: Free, paid, hybrid;

    Kinds of support that the venues under study receive, from public, private or mixed sources, and the ways that these support are made available.
  2. Describe and quantify, to the extent possible, the total number of venues or users or kinds of intervention that will be studied or that will be affected by the findings of your study. Give this information for the study country (or countries) and, where possible, also give a rough estimate of the numerical significance of your study subjects elsewhere (i.e. in the region or in the world).
  3. Describe critical factors or features (e.g. rural-urban location, degree of competition, costs of connectivity, digital literacy of users, proximity of maintenance and service suppliers, proximity to educational institutions, etc.) that condition or affect the service or the sustainability and impacts of public access venues or of public access interventions (public or private) that will be the subject of study.
  4. Specify the literature that motivates this study and the chosen research questions and explain how the proposed investigation will use or build upon this literature.

 

1.5 Research Questions and Justification

(1 page maximum)

Instructions: List up to 3 priority research questions that the study will address.  List the most important ones in simple language and using a single sentence for each.

The following website has some useful tips on developing good research questions:  http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/0/f87fd7182f0ff21c852569c2005a47b7

Specify the reasons behind the choice of research questions, including: importance of research topic in addressing social and economic development priorities of the location/region where the research will be carried out, availability of data, expertise of applicants, research design considerations, opportunities for learning, target audience of the research, etc.

Identify research gaps in the literature on the impact of public access to ICTs that this study will help fill. Explain how the research questions addressed, the theoretical framework adopted, or the methodology and data to be used in this investigation compares with previous studies.

PART II: The Study Proposal

(5 pages maximum)

Instructions:

Describe key features of the study proposal. Applicants may organize this part of the application to suit own needs and presentation style.

It is important, however, that applicants read the section entitled "The Study Proposal: Suggestions for Completing PART II", in the Submission Guidelines before completing this section of the Application.

 

PART III: Summary Budget, Implementation Plan and Research Capacity Impact

(3 pages maximum)

3.1 Summary Budget

Instructions: Only a summary budget should be given here; details should appear in Annex 4. No financial contribution is required of the Support Institution or of any other institutional participant; but if cash contributions are foreseen from sources other than the Research Grant, please specify them separately, as follows:

(Please present all figures in Euros)

Research Grant funding requested:

 

_______________

Cash amounts contributed by Support Institution (if any):

 

_______________

Other cash contributions (If any):

 

_______________

Total research expenses:

 

____________

Budgets should only consider direct cash expenses associated with carrying out the study. In-kind contributions may be described, in PART III. Section 3.2.2 of the Appiication Form. Please refer to the detailed "Grant Budget Guidelines" in the Submission Guidelines.

3.2 Implementation Plan

3.2.1 Second Research Report: Description and Delivery Date

Instructions: Grant proceeds will be disbursed in four installments, as follows.

20% within 10 working days of signing the formal agreement between the UPF and the respective sponsoring institution;

20% within 10 working days of satisfactory delivery of First Research Report;

40% within 10 working days of satisfactory simultaneous delivery of two documents: the Second Research Report and the Mid-Term Financial Report;

20 percent within 10 working days of satisfactory simultaneous delivery of three documents: the Research Findings Report, the Final Financial Report and the Ethical Standards Compliance Report.

The First Research Report is standard for all studies. It consists of a comprehensive literature review and detailed definitive research design used. Research Report 1 will be discussed during the Program's Training and Research Planning Workshop and is due before the first day of the Workshop.

The Second Research Report is a status report that will vary from one study to another. It should present palpable evidence of progress in the investigations. To illustrate, three prototype examples of Second Research Report follow:

Example 1: Report with basic statistics drawn from the survey carried out, and documenting the database formed integrating the survey data collected, and that is now ready for subsequent processing and analysis. Includes an attachment with the database in digital format.

Example 2: Report summarizing principal preliminary findings of Ethnographic interview reports Includes as an attachment the complete collection of interview reports. 

Example 3: Report summarizing principal preliminary findings of database with analyses of the content of Oxytocin in the blood of the sample of library users who were or were not using the Internet at the time their blood sample was taken. Annex with database in digital form is attached.

The final Research Findings Report is a polished document ready for publication.

For all Research Teams, the deadline for the delivery of the last three documents, the Research Findings Report, the Final Financial Report and the Ethical Standards Compliance Report, is the same: 14 February 2011.

The only information needed in this section is the following:

a. Description of Second Research Report

(This is likely to require fewer than 100 words)     

b. Target (approximate) date of delivery of the Second Research Report

 

3.2.2 Institutional responsibilities

Instructions: Typically, a team of researchers will carry out the project. Some, perhaps most team members, will be affiliated with the Support Institution, but others may have formal ties with other institutions (e.g. researchers from different developing country universities working as a Team on one study).

Please describe for each institutional stakeholder the kind of support to the study that has been planned and is expected.

No financial contribution is required of the Support Institution or of any other institutional participant. Nevertheless, if a cash contribution from sources other than the Research Grant are foreseen, please use this section to present the name of the institution providing complementary funding, the purpose of the funding and the activities to be financed; and include the corresponding amounts in section 3.1 Summary Budget.

3.2.3 Expertise and responsibilities of participating researchers

Instructions: Use the following table format to list all Research Team members, their fields of expertise and their respective area of specialization, whether he or she qualifies as an emerging researcher, and the roles each will play in the conduct of the study. Please identify the Principal Investigator. You may use as many lines as you need to explain the role of any researcher.

If any one researcher, other than the Principal Investigator, has responsibility for supervising the work of other researchers (or of other resources even if not listed as part of the Research Team), please specify.

Indicate in approximate percentage terms how much of the Research Grant budget will be allocated to the task designated to each member of the Research Team.

 

Name of Researcher

Specialization/

expertise

If not an Emerging or Associate Researcher please write:EXCEPTION

 

Responsibilities in the proposed study

Amount Required to Fund this Researcher's participation

In Euro

as % of Research Grant Fund Request

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

3.2.4 Technical Support Needs

Instructions: Applicants should identify topics or fields of expertise (e.g. selecting methods of analysis, development of data collection instruments, experimental design, advantages and disadvantages of technological options, statistical analysis of survey data, telecommunications regulation, etc.) they would like help with, and explain how this assistance would help them carry out the study.

Applicants' responses will not adversely affect their prospects of being selected for a Fellowship. Every researcher can benefit and learn from interacting with other professionals, especially from those specialized in fields that complement his or her own expertise. To be able to self-identify areas where support is needed is a sign of applicants' strength and self-confidence, not of weakness. Once the Fellowships have been awarded, this information will be used to tailor Program sponsored research advisory inputs to try to meet the needs of each study and Research Team. (Completing this section is likely to require fewer than 100 words)

3.3 Research Capacity Impact

3.3.1 Impact on participating researchers

Instructions: For the Principal investigator, and for each of the other researchers that are members of the team, describe in concrete terms how the Fellowship is expected to improve their skills and achieve their professional objectives (e.g. obtain a degree, get a promotion, learn skills required for present job, learn skills for future consultancies with Government or donors, connect with other researchers working in same field, etc.)

3.3.2 Impact on Participating Institutions

Instructions: Describe how the Fellowship is expected to help build up research capacity or produce other benefits to the Support Institution and at any other participating institutions. This may include, for example,

strengthening of ICT research networks within the institution and with researchers abroad, 

improving skills of research staff,

leveraging funding from public agencies. 

extending research services to support neighboring communities,

strengthening ICT related events and conferences. 

improving curricula on ICTs, program impact analysis, etc.

PART IV: Signature of Principal Investigator on behalf of Research Team

Please refer to the Draft Ethical Standards that will Guide the Conduct of the Research. If particular features of the study being proposed make it necessary to introduce changes in these draft standards, please include an additional annex in PART V indicating the changes (additional clauses or amendments to the text) required.

 

By signing this form, the applicant certifies that:

She or he has been designated by all members of the Research Team to act on their behalf to present this application and to lead the conduct of the study should the Team be selected for a Fellowship award.

All Team members are fully apprised of the contents of this application, that all Team members have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions of the Amy Mahan Research Fellowship Program to Assess the Impact of Public Access to ICTs, and that all Team members understand that the decisions of the Program's Selection Panel are final and are not subject to appeal.

A duly authorized representative of the Support Institution:

 - has read and is familiar with the contents of this application. 

- fully endorses the Principal investigator, the Research Team and the proposed study;

- is aware that the products of the study funded wholly or in part by this Fellowship will be open access and that its findings and publications will be made freely available to the research community. 

- agrees that if the Team is awarded a Fellowship, the Institution will support the realization of the study as indicated on PART III of this application.

The applicant confirms that if the Team is awarded a Fellowship she or he is willing and able to assume the responsibilities of Principal Investigator for the entire duration of the study and to: 

Travel abroad to participate in a Training and Research Planning Workshop shortly after the start of the Program.

Provide leadership in addressing and communicating all research guidance received during the course of the Program to the rest of the research team. 

Manage Research Grant funds as described in this application, either directly administering these funds or, if necessary, with the support of a representative of the Support Institution with delegated authority to sign and administer funds.

Oversee the realization of project activities and the completion of project outputs according to the Implementation Plan presented herewith. 

Keep vigilance over compliance with high ethical standards in the conduct of the research, and, should the study encounter any difficulties in complying with these standards, to immediately submit a report to the Program Manager proposing suitable corrective action or remedies.

Submit Research and Financial and Ethics Compliance reports as required by the Fellowship contract.

Name of applicant

Signature

Date of signature

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

(dd/mm/yy)

 

                 

PART V: Annexes

Once completed, Annexes 1 through 3 (plus any others needed) should be attached in order to the main body of the Application Form (i.e. to Parts I through IV) to form a single pdf file. The Detailed Budget in Annex 4 should be sent in the same email but as a separate spreadsheet file.

Annex 1. Bibliography

(2 pages maximum)

Instructions: Give the full citation of any document mentioned elsewhere in the application, including URL if available.

Limit your bibliography to a maximum of 2 pages. Do not present an exhaustive list of documents. List only the most important references on which your study proposal is founded

Annex 2. Evidentiary Documentation

Instructions:

This annex should contain two evidentiary documents:

 

  1. A copy of the certificate or articles of incorporation of the Support Institution.
  2. Documentation showing that the Principal investigator is committed to remain in the same institution for the duration of funding period. In practice this may take the form of evidence that the researcher is presently holding a tenured position, or a Long Term Contract with the Support institution, or a Letter from a Professor-Advisor, etc.

 

 

 

Annex 3. Personal History Forms of Researcher Team Members

Instructions:

This Annex should present completed Personal History forms for all Research Team members, using the blank form provided overleaf.

These completed forms should confirm that participating researchers are qualified to carry out the tasks that they have assumed as part of the Research Team. They should also confirm that the Principal Investigator is an emerging scholar and that Associate Researchers meet eligibility requirements.

For purposes of this Fellowship Program, an emerging scholar is a person who is either presently pursuing a research postgraduate degree or is working as a researcher in a professional capacity that received his or her research post-graduate degree at most 7 years prior to the date of application.

A doctorate is often considered the standard "research postgraduate degree", but this is not always the case and emerging researchers that depart from the norm but are able to document a career commitment to scholarly research will also be considered to be "emerging scholars".

Please do not attach any pictures.

All information provided in the Personal History forms will remain confidential and will not be used for purposes other than assessing the qualification and eligibility of the proposing research team members.

PERSONAL HISTORY FORM

(2 pages or less for Principal Investigator and no more than 1 for other Team Members)

First Name:      

Surname:      

Gender:     

Date of Birth:       (dd/mm/yy)

Place of Birth:      

 

Nationality:      

Present position (at work or at place of study):      

e-Mail:      

Alternate email:     

Current Address:

Permanent Home address (if different):

     

     

     

     

Home Telephone Number:      

Mobile Phone Number:     

Work/Study Telephone Number:      

Fax Number:      

Address at place of work or study:      

     

Last degree (Ph.D., Masters, B.A. etc) obtained:      

Date last degree was obtained:      (dd/mm/yy)

Name of Institution awarding last degree:     

Website of Institution awarding last degree:      

Educational or work related honors, awards or distinctions:

(Name and date - dd/mm/yy of each honor, award or distinction listed;)

Languages and proficiency:

(Proficiency: speak only, read only, read and write poorly, mid-level or fluently)

Name of Institution with which Team member is presently affiliated:

For all Team members, this institution should be listed below (either under educational history or work experience) and the present relationship between this institution and the researcher should be clearly specified.

  

Educational History

Name of University or College

Location

(City, Country)

Dates attended

(mm/yy)

Degree or Diploma obtained or current status as a student

From

To

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Work Experience

Name of Employer

Location

(City, Country)

Dates employed

(mm/yy)

Position and achievements

From

To

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Important Published or Unpublished Research Work

(Use a common bibliographic format)

  

  

  


Annex 4. Detailed Budget

Detailed instructions for preparing and presenting the Research Grant Budget may be found in the "Grant Budget Guidelines" included in the Submission Guidelines

Please use the Sample Budget Template to present the financial requirements of the study that would be financed with Research Grant funding. You may use any commonly used spreadsheet application format (e.g. OpenOffice.org Calc, Exel).

No financial contribution is required of the Support Institution or of any other institutional participant; but if cash contributions are foreseen from sources other than the Research Grant please specify these in summary form in Part III of the Application Form.

If extensive explanations are required, please include them in a text document in a separate extra Annex.

Other Annexes (as needed)

Instructions: Applicants may add other annexes as needed to complete their application.

Last updated 01-03-2011
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