Rajya Sabha Fellowships on Parliamentary Studies

Scheme for Instituting Chair in the Name of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and Rajya Sabha Fellowships on Parliamentary Studies

 

Preamble

1. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has decided to institute a Chair named after Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the first Vice-President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, with the objective of promoting an indepth inquiry and research on different aspects of parliamentary democracy, in general, and Indian Parliament and Rajya Sabha, in particular. Two Fellowships to be named 'Rajya Sabha Fellowships for Parliamentary Studies' will also be instituted. This, it is felt, would promote better understanding of the functioning of our Parliament; help document the changing nature and role of our parliamentary institutions and enable appreciation of the challenges faced by these institutions in the era of globalisation. This initiative on the part of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat is, thus, intended to create a critical mass of academic research with a body of knowledge on the functioning of our parliamentary democracy.

 

Part A: Search and Advisory Committee

(i) Composition of Search and Advisory Committee

2. A Search and Advisory Committee shall assist the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, in the selection of the Chair and the Fellows as well as their management.

3. The Search and Advisory Committee shall consist of five members, namely two members of Rajya Sabha – one each nominated by the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha; two prominent academics to be nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha; and Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha.

4. Secretary-General will function as the Convener of the Search Committee.

(ii) Functions of Search and Advisory Committee

5. The Search and Advisory Committee shall assist the Chairman in the selection of the Chair and the Fellows. As per the directions of the Chairman, it may be required to draw up a panel of names for the purpose.

6. In addition, the Search and Advisory Committee may be required to perform the following functions:

· Identification of areas of research and study;

· Monitoring and appraisal of the performance of the Chair and the Fellows; and

· Any other matter that may be referred to the Committee by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha from time to time.

(iii) Tenure of Search and Advisory Committee and its Members

7. The tenure of the Search and Advisory Committee shall be two years. Chairman, Rajya Sabha may extend its tenure at his discretion.

8. An existing member of the Search and Advisory Committee, upon its reconstitution, may be re-nominated on the Search and Advisory Committee.

(iv) Admissibility of TA/DA to the Members of the Committee

9. Members of the Committee shall be paid TA/ DA for national and local travel, as per the rules applicable to Members of Parliament or the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha, as the case may be, as and when they may be required to travel in connection with the work of the Committee. Members, except Members of Parliament during Session days and the Secretary-General, shall also be paid Rs. 1000/- as a token honorarium for each meeting of the Committee.

 

Part B: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Chair on Parliamentary Studies

(i) Eligibility

10. The Chair is open to eminent scholars, who have a proven record of scholarship and publications in the study of the Indian political system and parliamentary institutions/systems and their functioning.

(ii) Duration

11. The tenure of the Chair will be for two years.

(iii) Responsibilities

12. The Chair shall be required to provide research output in the form of a book/report in the course of its tenure, in terms of the directions of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. The Chair shall be required to submit progress report of the research project regularly for the consideration of the Search and Advisory Committee.

13. The Chair would give three/four lectures on the subjects related to the research project during its tenure, which would be organised under the auspices of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

(iv) Location of Chair

14. The Chair will be located at the institution of choice of the individual holding the Chair.

(v) Mode of Selection

15. The advertisement inviting applications for the Chair shall be published in reputed academic journals and national newspapers. The advertisement will also be placed on the website of Rajya Sabha.

16. The applicant will be required to send in his/her particulars in the prescribed format (Annexure-I) duly filled in, along with the synopsis of his/her proposal.

17. All major Universities and reputed educational research institutions, such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), Indian Council of Historical Research, Indian Institute of Public Administration, as well as reputed think tanks from the relevant areas, are requested to forward names of suitable candidates to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for consideration by the Search and Advisory Committee.

18. The proposals received shall be placed before the Search and Advisory Committee. The Committee shall consider and recommend a panel of the names to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, for grant of Chair.

19. The applicant shall be required to produce a 'No Objection Certificate' from his/her institution for taking up the assignment. After selection of the Chair, a letter of acceptance/MOU from the institution, where the scholar wants to be located, would also be required to be produced.

(vi) Research Grant

20. The research grant for the Chair shall be Rs. 7 lakhs for the entire period. The schedule of release of the grant will be as follows:-

(a) 20% of the amount payable at the time of the initial appointment;

(b) 30% of the amount after the submission of the first draft of the book/project report;

(c) 30% of the amount after the submission of the final draft of the book/project report. The final draft shall be submitted not later than three months before the end of the tenure of the Chair; and

(d) the remaining amount shall be paid after approval of book/project report by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.

21. The entire cost of the research project shall have to be met by the Chair out of Research Grant mentioned above.

 

Part C: Rajya Sabha Fellowships on Parliamentary Studies

22. There would be two Fellowships on Parliamentary Studies. The Fellows selected would work out their research project in consultation with the Search and Advisory Committee, and subject to the approval of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.

(i) Eligibility

23. The Fellowship is open to academics/experts, who have relevant experience in and aptitude for undertaking research in Indian democratic system and parliamentary institutions and their functioning, particularly of the Rajya Sabha. Due consideration would be given to individual's qualifications, his/her past experience, standard research publications to his/her credit, in making the selection.

(ii) Duration

24. Fellowship shall be for a duration of one year.

(iii) Responsibilities

25. The Fellow will be required to provide research output in the form of a publishable article/project report in the course of his/her tenure, in terms of the direction of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. He/She shall also submit a progress report on the work done, after six months, for consideration of the Search and Advisory Committee.

(iv) Location of Fellowship

26. The Fellowships on Parliamentary Studies will be located at the institutions of choice of the individuals selected for the fellowships.

(v) Mode of Selection

27. The Fellows would be selected by the Search and Advisory Committee in consultation with the Chair. The process of selection will be the same as mentioned in the case of the Chair in Part B (v).

(vi) Fellowship Grant

28. The total amount of each Fellowship Grant will be Rs. 3 lakhs for a period of one year. The schedule of the release of the funds will be as follows:-

(a) 20% of the amount payable at the time of the selection;

(b) 30% of the amount after the submission of the first draft of the article/project report;

(c) 30% of the amount after the submission of the final draft of the article/project report. The final draft shall be submitted not later than two months before the end of the tenure; and

(d) the remaining amount shall be paid after approval of article/project report by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.

29. The entire cost of the research project shall have to be met by the Fellows out of the Fellowship Grant mentioned above.

 

Part D: General Conditions for Chair/Fellowships

(1) Guidelines for submission of proposals of research from Chair/Fellow

30. While submitting the proposal, the format may broadly conform to the following order of points and guidelines:

(i) Title of the Project

(ii) Statement of the Problem: In the opening paragraphs of the research proposal, the problem to be investigated should be stated clearly and briefly. The significance of the problem in the theoretical context of the concerned discipline should be specified.

(iii) Overview of Literature: Summarizing the current status of research in the area including major findings, the project proposal should clearly demonstrate the relevance or otherwise of the findings or approaches for the investigation of the problem at hand.

(iv) Conceptual Framework: Given the problem and the theoretical perspective for investigation of the problem, the proposal should clearly indicate the concepts to be used and demonstrate their relevance for the study. It should further specify the empirical dimension, if any, that needs to be explored for investigating the problem.

(v) Research Questions or Hypotheses: Given the conceptual framework and dimensions of the problem, specific questions to be answered and hypotheses to be tested through the proposed study should be explicitly formulated, compatible with the research design.

(vi) Coverage : In the light of the questions raised or the hypotheses proposed to be tested, if the sampling becomes necessary, full information on the following points should be given:

(a) Universe of the Study,

(b) Sampling Frame, and

(c) Units of Observation and Sampling size.

If the Study requires any control groups, they should be specifically mentioned. An explanation of the determination of size and type of the sample shall also be necessary. Proposals not requiring a sample selection should specify their strategy appropriately and describe the rationale.

(vii) Methodology: A suitable description of the methods of research for the study may be given.

(viii) Data Collection : The different types of data that are proposed to be gathered should be specifically mentioned. The sources for each type and the tools and techniques that will be used for collecting different types of data should be specified.

(ix) Time Budgeting : The project should be broken up in suitable stages and the time required for the completion of each stage of work should be specified.

(x) Bibliography

(2) Undertaking for Chair/Fellowships

31. An applicant selected for the Chair/Fellowship will have to sign an Undertaking and Conditions attached thereto separately (Annexure-IIA / Annexure-IIB). He/she will also have to handover all the data/material collected On the topic of the Chair/Fellowship to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat upon completion of the project/report.

(3) Library Facility

32. The Chair/Fellow may be provided the facility to have access to Parliament Library for consultation.

(4) Publication Assistance

33. If the final output of the Chair/Fellowship is recommended by the Search and Advisory Committee for publication and subsequently approved by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, the applicant shall be required to enter into an agreement with a reputed publisher for the publication of the book and a copy of the agreement may be provided to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

34. In case publication assistance is granted by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Chair/Fellow shall supply twenty-five copies of the publication on complimentary basis to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. In case publication assistance is not granted by Rajya Sabha Secretariat or the Chair/Fellow does not seek any assistance and intends to publish it on his own, the Secretariat may invoke the 'Disclaimer Clause' and grant permission for the same. In that case he will supply five copies of the publication to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on complimentary basis. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat will retain the copyright on the publications.

35. The following text shall be prominently printed on the back of the inner title page of the book for which publication grant has been provided by the Secretariat:

"The publication of the book has been financially supported by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. The responsibility for the facts stated or opinions expressed is entirely of the author and not of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat".

 (5) Decision of the Chairman

36. The decision of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha will be final in all matters concerning the Chair/Fellowships.

Further Details: http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/fellowship/fellowship_scheme.htm

Download Application Form: http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/fellowship/application.pdf

Lok Sabha Research Fellowship Scheme 2013

Lok Sabha Research Fellowship Scheme

 

Hon'ble Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Meira Kumar has constituted the Fellowship Committee of the Lok Sabha to consider proposals for grant of Research Fellowships to interested scholars with a view to better understanding the functioning of the Parliament, to identify the changing nature of roie of Parliamentary institutions and to suggest alternatives in the light of the experience of the other democratic countries,

Download: Rules Relating to Award of Lok Sabha Fellowship

 

List of themes/topics of research

Role of Parliament

(i) In facilitating economic stability, especially in the context of economic liberalization and globalization.

(ii) In mitigating conflict-situations and facilitating national integration.

(iii) In ensuring environmental protection.

(iv) As agents of social change, equity and inclusive growth.

(v) In taking initiatives to address the scourge of terrorism.

(vi) In the protection and rehabilitation of vulnerable groups.

(vii) Contemporary challenges to parliament and its functioning, including frequent disruptions and adjournments.

(viii) Relationship between parliament and other organs of the state, including judiciary.

Parliament and People

(i) Parliament and the people: reinforcing democracy through accountability.

(ii) Parliament and women's empowerment.

(iii) Parliament and human rights.

(iv) Parliament and sustainable development.

(v) Parliament and the media: facilitating greater partnership towards strengthening democracy.

(vi) Parliament and millennium development goals.

Parliamentary Committees

Role of parliamentary committees in strengthening accountability mechanisms.

Parliamentary Forum  

Functioning of parliamentary forums in policy making and knowledge sharing.

Parliamentary and International Affairs

Parliamentary diplomacy and global peace including comparative studies of parliament of india with other foreign parliaments.

Parliament and its Heritage

(i) History of parliament of India.

(ii) Different aspects of heritage nature of parliament.

(iii) Comparative studies of parliament of India with other foreign parliaments with regard to its heritage nature.

 

More about LS Research Fellowship

Since 1996, two annual Research Fellowships, one each in Hindi and English and Fellowships for writing Monographs are being awarded by the Lok Sabha Secretariat with a view to promoting original studies on matters of parliamentary interest in one of the following fields, viz. (i) Parliamentary Institutions/ Systems (including State Legislatures) - Evolution and Development; (ii) Parliamentary Rules, Practices and Procedures; (iii) Committee System; (iv) Communication between Parliament and People; and (v) Modern Techniques of Service and Support Systems of Parliament.

A Fellowship Committee appointed by the Speaker invites applications, scrutinizes them and makes recommendations for the award of Fellowship. The Committee is assisted in all its work by the Press and Public Relations Wing. Since 1996, Seven Fellowships for writing books have been awarded in English and Hindi, to the scholars/media persons as detailed under : (i) Communication between Parliament and the People (in Hindi); (ii) Coalition Politics and its Impact on Parliamentary Institutions (in English); (iii) Role of Committee System of Indian Parliament in Development (in English); (iv) Impact of Live Telecast of Parliamentary Proceedings (in Hindi); (v) Intra - Governmental Relations in India (in English); (vi) Dynamics of Federalism in India (in English); (vii) Consensus or Confrontation - The Role of Parliament's Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) (in English).

Since 2001 three Fellowships for writing Monographs, in English and Hindi, on the following subjects, viz. (i) Lessons from the Stormy Debates in Indian Parliament (in English); (ii) The Role and Responsibility of Parliament in Nation Building (in English); and (iii) A Study of the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) in Himachal Pradesh (in English).

Download: Rules Relating to Award of Lok Sabha Fellowship

A web-based course “Science, Technology & Society” developed by IIT Guwahati/ NPTEL is now freely available

A web-based course "Science, Technology & Society" (http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/109103024/), developed by IIT Guwahati under the Indian National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), is now freely available to lifelong learners.

This course contains eight modules, namely:  

• Science as Culture Social Context of the Production of Scientific Knowledge
• Organisation of Production of Scientific Knowledge and Professionalisation of Science
• Society and Culture: Resources and Legitimation of Knowledge
• Perspectives on Science-Technology Relationship
• Science in Colonial and Post-colonial India
• Emerging Technologies
• New Ethical Codes for New Technologies: Responses of the Civil Society Discussion and Forum
• Science: From Public Resource to Intellectual Property

Further Details: "Science, Technology & Society" (http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/109103024/)

CfAs: Tejeshwar Singh Memorial Fellowships for 2013

The Tejeshwar Singh Memorial Fellowships for 2013

Theme for this year: POVERTY

Last date for receiving applications is 31st March 2013

 

 SAGE India (www.sagepub.in) invites applications for the award of The Tejeshwar Singh Memorial Fellowships for 2013 in the following categories:

• Social Sciences
• Business & Management
• Media & Communication Studies

 

Starting this year the fellowships will have a central theme.

This year's theme is POVERTY.

SAGE instituted The Tejeshwar Singh Memorial Fellowships in 2009 to honour Tejeshwar Singh, Managing Director of SAGE India for 25 years and doyen of the publishing industry in South Asia.

Fellowships for 2010 in the respective categories have been awarded to the following:

• Social Sciences: Ms Mehreen Zahra-Malik, Assistant Editor, The News International, Pakistan
• Media & Communication: Dr Santanu Chakrabarti, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA
• Business & Management: Dr Ajai S Gaur, Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick, USA

PRESIDING PANEL: T N Madan, Surendra Munshi, and Romila Thapar

DURATION: One year

A stipend of Rs. 50,000 a month (50,000 X 12) with an additional amount of Rs. 50,000 can be claimed for travel during the tenure of the fellowship. Total value of the Fellowship is Rs. 6,50,000.

 

ELIGIBILITY: Open to nationals of South Asian (SAARC) countries, including those currently resident overseas. Candidates must be below 40 years of age as on 1 April 2013.

 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Applicants are invited to submit their curriculum vitae, a research proposal and a 5000 word sample of their writing. The last date for receipt of applications is 31st March 2013.

AWARD OF FELLOWSHIP: The applications for each fellowship will be vetted by a jury of four experts including one representative of SAGE.  The award of the fellowships will be announced on or before 30th June 2013.

 

SCOPE OF THE FELLOWSHIPS

Proposal Presentation:

The proposal must be understandable with clear aims and scope.The proposed methodology must be sound.

Substantive Merit:

There must be conceptual and theoretical clarity. Relevance to South Asia. It must make a potential contribution to the concerned subject area.

Publication Potential:

The proposal must be such that the required research can be completed in a year. It should have the potential to be published as a book. The final book manuscript can be completed in 12 months subsequent to the end of the Fellowship. The book may be published by the scholar's choice of publisher with due acknowledgement to the Tejeshwar Singh Memorial Fellowships for supporting the research.The fellowships for 2011 and 2012 were not announced due to unavoidable reasons.

All applications should be addressed to:

Ms Smrithi Sudhakaran

SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd,

B1/I1 Mohan Cooperative Industrial Area

Mathura Road, New Delhi 110 044. Tel: 4053 9222, Extn: 256; email: pr@sagepub.in

Source: http://www.sagepub.in/2K13/TSMF-PDF.pdf

Call for Applications: "Social Innovation in a Digital Context" a Swedish Academic Scholarship Program

Call for Applications: "Social Innovation in a Digital Context"

Academic Scholarship Program for Social and Digital Innovators from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia

(September 2013 – September 2014)

Social Innovation in a Digital Context (SIDC) is a one year academic scholarship program with practical and theoretical components focused on the relationship between digital technology and socio-political change, and how change makers can harness this relationship to build better societies.

The programme is carried out in cooperation with Lund University.

SIDC focuses on the relationship between digital technology and socio-political change, and how change makers can harness this relationship to build better societies. It contains both practical and theoretical components and is designed to support social and digital innovators to pursue work in the fields of digital technology, new media, and social and political change.
The aim of the programme is for participants to develop creative and viable individual projects that help strengthen human rights and democracy building in their home countries, as well as boosting understanding of the use of digital tools for sociopolitical change.

Who can apply?
Innovators from the Middle East, North Africa or South Asia that want to engage in innovative project work can apply to SIDC. You should have an existing outreach platform in your home country and want to bring a project proposal from idea to reality or want to further develop an existing project. The project should be directly connected to your home context and be based on the work and movements that you're engaged in, as well as your personal skills. It is important that the project is tied to digitalization/digital technology to some extent.
For this year's programme we are particularly looking for applicants with knowledge of and skills in computer technology and Internet security. You might for example have a background in law, IT, entrepreneurship, sociology or political science. The aim is to recruit individuals from a broad range of disciplines, professions, and backgrounds and it is important that you both have academic competence as well as practical skills.
SIDC suits innovators who intend to return home upon completion of the programme and launch the projects they have developed in Sweden in their home environments.

Deadline for applications: March 20th, 2013

Further Details: www.si.se/sidc

LSE India Observatory / Asia Research Centre invites applications for Fellowships

London School of Economics and Political Science

The LSE India Observatory was set up in partnership with the Reserve Bank of India and State Bank of India. The Centre is multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary. It works in partnership with Departments and Centres across the LSE, and the research reflects the School's social science orientation. Its role is to support, facilitate and promote vibrant intellectual engagement between the UK and India, and to participate in wider international inter-disciplinary research and programmes with partners in Asia and beyond.

The LSE India Observatory / Asia Research Centre invites applications for the following Fellowships:

Sir Ratan Tata Fellowship 2013-14

The Fellowship will be for a period of up to eight months in the academic year 2013-14.  Applicants should have experience of social science research on South Asia. The Fellow will be expected to engage in social science research on a topic under the following themes: Growth and Inclusion; Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability; Social and Human Security; Population and Development; Governance and Democracy. Preference will be given to topics that focus on contemporary social, political and economic concerns of South Asia. This Fellowship is open to candidates from South Asia, that is, the SAARC region which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Fellowship is supported by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.

Subir Chowdhury Fellowship 2013-14

The Fellowship will be for a period of three months in the 2013-14 academic year. Applicants should have experience of social science research on Bangladesh and/or India. The Fellow will be expected to engage in research examining the impact of people quality and behaviour on the economies of Asian nations prioritising, but not restricted to, India and Bangladesh. This Fellowship allows for any scholar to participate in the programme regardless of ethnicity or national origin. The Fellowship is supported by the Subir and Malini Chowdhury Foundation.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND APPLICATION PROCESS

All Fellowships are based at the Asia Research Centre, LSE. Fellows receive a monthly subsistence allowance, the exact amount depending on qualifications. Shared work space is provided together with access to research facilities at the School.  Applicants for the Fellowships should have completed a PhD - the Fellowships are not intended for students registered for a degree or diploma, nor are they intended for senior academics. All Fellows will be expected to finish a piece of research of publishable quality during their stay and make a presentation at a seminar or lecture arranged by the Asia Research Centre. Further information can be found at: www.lse.ac.uk/AsiaResearchCentre.

Applications should be addressed to The Fellowships Selection Committee, Asia Research Centre, London School of Economics & Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, UK, and may be submitted through the post or emailed to arc@lse.ac.uk. Applications will not be accepted via fax under any circumstances. Applications should include a covering letter of no more than one page, a curriculum vitae of no more than three pages and an outline of proposed research of no more than three pages. Please use A4-sized plain paper only. Applicants should also give the names and addresses of two referees, familiar with their work, to be contacted by the Committee.

The final date for receipt of applications is Monday, 13^th May 2013. Late applications will not be accepted. The successful candidate will be informed of the decision by the end of July 2013.

New India Foundation: Applications Invited for Fellowships

The New India Foundation: Applications Invited for Fellowships

In the six-and-a-half decades since In­de­pend­ence, there has been a large body of work produced by In­dian his­to­ri­ans and social sci­en­tists. Tak­en sin­gly, many of these studies are very im­pres­sive; viewed cu­mu­la­tive­ly, they add up to much less than what one might expect. The chief reason for this is the de­ter­mining influence on scholarly practice of that single date: 15th August, 1947. Historians rarely look beyond the attainment of Independence, where­as other so­cial scientists don't look back at all. We have solid stud­ies of the Con­gress under Brit­ish rule, with books writ­ten about its op­er­a­tions in different parts of In­dia, yet there are no sys­tem­atic stud­ies of this most in­fluen­tial of po­lit­i­cal par­ties in the post-independence pe­ri­od. Again, there are numerous eth­nographic ac­counts of the caste system.Yet, we have no analytical over­view of caste since Independence.

We have had po­lit­i­cal scientists con­duct­ing field studies of every sin­gle elec­tion since 1952. But we have no com­pre­hen­sive anal­yses of changes over time in voter behaviour, elec­tion prop­a­gan­da, or elec­tion finance.

These examples could be mul­ti­plied manifold. The Republic of India is a Union of twenty-eight states, some larger than France and Germany. Yet not even the biggest or most important of these states have had their histories written. Again, there are no serious bi­og­ra­phies of some of the key figures in our modern history: such as Sheikh Abdullah or Master Tara Singh or A. Z. Phizo or (to take figures from very different fields) Pandit Ravi Shankar or Dhirubhai Ambani.

It is this lack that the New India Foun­dation seeks to address, by spon­soring work of quality on mod­ern India.

The New India Foundation invites applications for the seventh round of the New India Fellowships. Open only to Indian nationals, these Fel­low­ships will be awarded for a pe­ri­od of one year, and will carry a stipend of Rs 90,000 a month. Fel­low­ship holders shall be expected to write original books. Proposals should be oriented to­wards final pub­lication, and out­line a road map towards that des­ti­na­tion. The Foun­dation is ec­u­menical as regards gen­re, theme, and ideology: the only requirement is that the pro­posed work contribute to the fuller un­der­standing of in­de­pend­ent In­dia. Thus Fellowship holders may choose to write a mem­oir, or a work of re­port­age, or a thickly foot­noted ac­a­demic study. Their books could be oriented to­wards eco­nom­ics, or pol­itics, or cul­ture. They could be high­ly specific–an ac­count of a sin­gle dec­ade or a sin­gle region–or wide-ranging, such as a coun­try­wide over­view.

Since 2004, a total of twenty-eight New India Foundation Fellowships have been awarded, for books to be writ­ten on such topics as the social history of Telugu films, the re­form of personal laws, refugee pol­i­tics in north-eastern India, the history of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, debates on the death pen­alty in India, and the science and politics of biodiversity conservation.

The books emanating from the New India Fellowships have been published by prestigious presses such as Penguin, Permanent Black, Palgrave Macmillan, Oxford University Press, Random House and Harper Collins. Nine books have appeared so far; these have been widely acclaimed and received several awards.

Applicants for the New India Fellowships for 2013-2014 are invited to sub­mit their c.v., book proposal, and a writing sample of at least 5000 words (published or unpublished) to the Managing Trustee, The New India Foundation, 22 A, Brunton Road, Bangalore 560025, before 30 June 2013. These may be sent by post or courier. Email applications will not be entertained. However, specific queries may be addressed to newindiafoundation@gmail.com

The fellowships will be decided by a jury whose members are André Béteille, Ramachandra Guha, Niraja Gopal Jayal, Nandan Nilekani, N. Ravi, and Srinath Raghavan.

Further details about the Foun­da­tion may be found at www.newindiafoundation.org

CfPs: Framing 'Asian Studies': Geopolitics, Institutions and Networks; 18-19 November; IIAS, Leiden, Netherlands

Call for papers: Framing 'Asian Studies': Geopolitics, Institutions and Networks
18-19 November 2013
Venue: IIAS, Leiden, Netherlands

IIAS in partnership with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS, Singapore) organises a conference, which aims to examine and critical reflect on the "social framing" of Asian studies.

Call for Papers - Deadline: 30 April, 2013
"Asian studies", whether broadly defined as the production and dissemination of scholarly knowledge about Asia, or narrowly limited to the institutionalized field of study labeled as such, has constantly been framed by changing geopolitical context. The colonial root of Oriental or Asiatic scholarship, the war-driven migration of Asian scholars and the dispersion of their expertise, and the Cold War American investment in both social sciences in East Asia and in "Asia studies" at home, were just a few examples. In recent decades, we further witnessed the rising scholarly interest on Japan, China and India following their growing political-economic significance, as well as the emergence of various "alternative discourses" and "inter-Asia dialogue" as attempts of intellectual decolonization.
This framing effect is at least partially mediated by the various institutions involved in the social process of knowledge production - foundations, professional associations, publishers, journals, research institutes, governments to multinational entities. These institutions operate in ways that reflect their role, agenda and power relations within the geopolitical context, and left their imprints, through funding and agenda-setting, on the intellectual landscape of Asian knowledge.
Those institutions constitute various inter-institutional networks through forms of collaboration, and each has its own network of associated people - for instance, grant recipients, members, authors, subscribers, staffs and alumni. Scholars at individual level also form network of interpersonal ties (educational genealogy, friendship, citation). These networks not only help distribute financial, political, intellectual and social resources for the generation of knowledge about Asia, but also mediate how such knowledge is disseminated, preserved and accessed.
Investigating the above-mentioned themes further invites critical examination on the power structure underlying the knowledge scape: Who had written about Asia— for what and for whom? Where has the Asian knowledge been disseminated and consumed? What (institutional, societal-structural, national) interest and bias were brought into the knowledge production? What topics were emphasized or excluded? Even the term "Asia" as an epistemological unit could be questioned for its historical root associated with a European perspective of gazing.  
This conference aims for examination and critical reflection on the "social framing" of Asian studies by focusing on the four themes discussed above. We invite paper proposals that discuss:
The influence of geopolitical factors on how knowledge about Asia is produced and disseminated: colonialism and its legacy, wars and regional conflicts, the Cold War structure, and the 'knowledge economy' competition in the new era of globalization.
The role of various institutions in promoting and directing the Asia studies:  foundations, professional associations, publishers, journals, research institutes, governments to multinational entities. We particularly welcome papers that relate the role of particular institution(s) to broader geopolitical context.
The outlook of various knowledge networks. We welcome both (a) macroscopic investigations on the patterns and developmental trajectory of knowledge networks measured in terms of flows of scholars/ students, capital, and knowledge, and (b) case studies of a particular networks of institutions or people on (a particular branch of) Asian studies.
Critiques on the power structure underlying the observed patterns of knowledge production and dissemination of Asian studies. We encourage reflections that revisit fundamental questions like: Knowledge for what? Knowledge for whom? Whose were represented or excluded? How relevant and biased to use 'Asia' as an epistemological unit?

Applications & timeline
Expressions of interest are invited to send an abstract of 300-400 words together with a short biographical note before 30 April 2013. Young scholars are also encouraged to apply. You are kindly requested to use the web form http://www.iias.nl/event/framing-asian-studies-geopolitics-institutions-and-networks for registration.
The successful applicants will be informed by 20 May 2013.
We require submission of a full paper draft of 6000-8000 words by 1 October 2013 to allow the circulation among participants prior to the event.
We aim at providing accommodation for all selected speakers of the conference. Participants are expected to provide their own travel funding. In exceptional cases only, a request for travel expenses support may be taken into consideration. Selected papers from the conference will be published in a joint IIAS-ISEAS volume. For further inquiries, please contact Dr. Albert Tzeng at a.tzeng.iias@gmail.com.

Further Details: http://www.iias.nl/event/framing-asian-studies-geopolitics-institutions-and-networks

CfPs: IFIP WG 8.6 Doctoral Consortium: Grand Successes and Failures in IT; 24-26 June; Mysore

IFIP WG 8.6 Doctoral Consortium: Grand Successes and Failures in IT
24-26 June 2013
Mysore, India

The Doctoral Consortium is a workshop for Ph.D. students interested in and doing research on transfer, diffusion, adoption and implementation issues in relation to IT who are in the early phases of their dissertation work (i.e., the consortium is not intended for those who are finished or nearly finished with their dissertation).
The goal of the Doctoral Consortium is to help students with their theses and research plans by providing feedback and advice on using the research environment in a constructive and international atmosphere. Students will present and discuss ideas in their theses in the context of an international conference outside of their home university. The workshop will take place in Mysore on 24-26 June prior to the IFIP working group 8.6 conference in Bangalore 27-29 June 2013. Transport will be arranged from Bangalore on arrival 24 June.
A Panel of prominent researchers in the field of Transfer and Diffusion of IT will provide feedback to the students. The format will include presentation from students (focusing on the main theme of their theses, what they have achieved so far and how they plan to continue their work) immediately followed by extensive discussion and feedback from the Panel. The students will also get advice on more general questions, such as differences in different flavors of Information Systems Research, funding and publication strategies, and thesis organization.
The consortium will also feature a Panel Discussion to address issues related to conducting doctoral work within the scope of IFIP working group 8.6 on transfer and adoption of IT.

Call for Submissions
Students interested in participating in the Doctoral Consortium should submit an extended abstract describing their research. The topics of interest correspond to those specified in the aims and scope of the IFIP working group 8.6 that can be found at: http://ifipwg86.wikidot.com/about-us .
The extended abstract should be restricted to 3000 words (up to 6 pages), and should:

• clearly articulate research question(s),
• position the question(s) in relation to significant problems in the field,
• summarize current knowledge of the problem, and state of the art for solutions,
• outline research plans and ideas, and results achieved so far,
• describe how the research is innovative, novel or extends existing approaches, and
• outline expected contributions to the research area

To apply for participation at the Doctoral Consortium, please submit an extended abstract to the Doctorol Consortium Chair Jan Pries-Heje (janph@ruc.dk) clearly indicating it as a submission to the Doctoral Consortium.
Submissions will be judged on originality, significance, correctness, and clarity. Consortium participation is limited to 15 Ph.D. students.
Doctoral candidates from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, such as women and minorities, are especially encouraged to apply.

Important Dates

• Deadline for submission of abstracts to janph@ruc.dk     28 February, 2013 (Revised!)
• Acceptance notification: 10 March 2013
• Required Conference registration: 20 March 2013
• Doctoral Consortium, Mysore: 24-26 June 2013
• IFIP 8.6 Conference, Bangalore: 27-29 June 2013

Proceedings
Accepted abstracts will be distributed to participants as part of the IFIP WG 8.6 Conference package and made available to participants at the conference.

Funding
For the 15 students accepted to the Doctoral Consortium we have funding for transport from Bangalore to Mysore and back. We have funding for accommodation in Mysore, and we expect that accepted participants will receive a waiver in the conference fee for the main conference in Bangalore.

Location
The Doctoral Consortium will be held at the Global Education Centre facility of Infosys in Mysore. This is a state-of-the-art facility, one of the largest corporate education centres in the world, spread on 300+ acres and consisting of 147 class rooms that can train 14000 participants at a time. The facility is located in Mysore; the second-largest city in the state of Karnataka, India. Located at the base of the Chamundi Hills about 146 km (91 mi) southwest of the state capital Bangalore. Further details of the location will be made available to the participants.

Contact Address
Professor Jan Pries-Heje, Ph.D.
Head of User Driven IT Innovation Research Group
Dept. of Communication, Business & IT
Roskilde University, Building 43.2,
Universitetsvej 1, 4000 Roskilde, DENMARK
E-Mail : janph@ruc.dk
http://ifip86.iimb.ernet.in/?page_id=126

Astronomical Heritage: An Indo-French Seminar. 13-14 February. New Delhi

Astronomical Heritage: An Indo-French Seminar

13-14 February 2013

Venue: Nehru Planetarium & Jantar Mantar Observatory, New Delhi

 

« Where there is an observatory and a telescope, we expect that any eyes will see new worlds at once.»

 

With Prof. Denis Savoie and Jean-Marc Bonnet-Bidaud

a collaboration with the Nehru Planetarium, Delhi

 

Way back between 1761 and 1769, French astronomer Le Gentil, came to India to observe the transits of Venus. His work in Pondicherry and his interaction with Indian astronomers gives us valuable information about history of astronomy in India. India played an important role with respect to astronomical knowledge from the 6th century until today as testified by historical sites, manuscripts, scientific objects and miniatures. Important astronomical observatories were constructed in the 18th century by Jai Singh in Delhi, Mathura, Ujjain and Jaipur.

In September 2011, the World Heritage Department of the French Ministry of External Affairs and the French National Commission attached to UNESCO, organized a seminar, "Protecting and Developing Astronomical Heritage", in collaboration with the Astrophysics Institute of Paris (IAP) and under the aegis of UNESCO. Dr. Rathnashree Nandivada of the Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi represented India on the Jantar Mantar observatories. Towards a need to promote astronomical education and exchange between India and France, a scientific seminar on astronomy will be organized featuring Prof Denis Savoie and Mr Jean-Marc Bonnet-Bidaud along with Indian specialists.

Jean-Marc Bonnet-Bidaud is an astrophysicist at the Astrophysical Department of the French Atomic Energy Commission (C.E.A.), a specialist in high energy astrophysics and in the study of highly condensed stars in the Galaxy (white dwarfs, neutrons stars and black holes).

Jean-Marc Bonnet-Bidaud has also a deep interest in the history and popularization of astronomy. He is at present the scientific adviser of the French astronomy magazine "Ciel et Espace".

He is currently carrying out research on the roots of astronomy in Africa and China.

Prof. Denis Savoie is a French astronomer who specialises in the history of science (astronomical tables). He is the Director and Head of Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Palais de Découverte in Paris. Denis Savoie has authored the popular astronomy book, "Sundials: Design, Construction & Use" by Springer Praxis Books. Denis Savoie earlier presided over the Commission for Sundials of the Astronomical Society of France for 20 years. He is also a researcher associated with SYRTE (Department for Time Space Reference System of the Paris Observatory). His expertise in gnomonics or the art of constructing sundials has led him to make several contributions to the history of astronomy. Denis Savoie collaborated with Robert Queudot of La Nef solaire, one of the biggest sundials in the world

 

CALENDAR

Program in Delhi:

 

13th February 2013 – At the Nehru Planetarium

---------------------------------------------

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM - Public Lecture in the sky theatre, on "Cosmic Illusions" - by Prof. Jayant Narlikar

10:30 AM -11:30 AM - Public lecture on "Journey to the center of the Galaxy" by Prof. J. M. Bonnet-Bidaud (from the Astrophysical Department, French Atomic Energy Commission).

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM - Viewing the planetarium program on the Jantar Mantar observatories

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM - Public Lecture on sundials by Prof. Savoie, Director, Palais de la Découverte Planetarium, Paris, and President of the French sundial commission.

The public lectures will be with full dome visuals in the planetarium sky theater.

Panel Discussion : 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

"Astronomical Heritage : Identification, Conservation and Public Awareness - Some Indo-French Collaborative possibilities"

Panelists : 1.) Prof. Jayant Narlikar, 2.) Prof. Bonnet Bidaud, 3.) Prof. Dennis Savoie, 4.) ASI representative, 5.) Prof. Panchapakesan, Delhi University 6.) Prof. Tushar Prabhu, Indian Institute of Astrophyscs, Bangalore 7.) Prof. Patrick Das Gupta, University of Delhi, 8.) Smita Vats, ITIHAAS, 9.) Anisha Shekhar Mukherjee, Archeologist, 10.) Representative from the National Highways Authority of India, 11.) Representatives from the Amateur Astronomy community, 12.) Dr. Rathnasree

 

14th February 2013 – At the Jantar Mantar Observatory

-----------------------------------------------------

10:30 AM to 1:00 PM - A festival of astronomical measurements with the Jantar Mantar Observatory instruments will be organized for public visitors and invited groups of school/college participants. (Open to all the visitors at the observatory - Visitors will get to appreciate through hands on measurements, the usage and possible accuracies of the instruments of the observatory. Visitors' observations will be compiled and included in the report on the observatory instruments being prepared to be submitted to the Archeological Survey of India)

 

All are welcome.

RSVP at the Planetarium (nehruplanetarium@gmail.com / 2301 4504)

Further Details: http://bonjour-india.in/node/169

Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Competition 2013, essays related to medicine and culture

Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Competition

Hektoen International invites you to submit an essay of 1,000 to 2,500 words on a subject related to medicine and culture by March 1, 2013. Suggested topics include medicine and art or literature, history of medicine, ethics, music, philosophy, anthropology, linguistics, etc. Clinical studies or case reports are not eligible.

We are offering two prizes:

• The Hektoen Grand Prix, for the winner – $1,000
• The Hektoen Silver Prize, for the runner-up – $800

The winners will be announced by email on May 1, 2013. All essays will be considered for publication; the Grand Prix and Silver Prize will be showcased in the Summer 2013 issue, and others will be featured throughout the year. For more details, please consult our guidelines.

General guidelines

• The contest is open to participants 18 years or older.
• Please send articles to contest@hektoeninternational.org and write "Essay Contest" and the title of your submission in the subject line of your email.
• Submissions will be read by the editors of Hektoen International and peer-reviewed. Entries that do not receive prizes may still be published in the journal.
• All entries must be received by March 1, 2013. Winners will be announced by email on May 1, 2013.
• If you have questions, please contact contest@hektoeninternational.org.

Articles

Articles must be unpublished, original work that relates medicine to the humanities and 1,000-2,500 words in length.

Further Details

INDIAFRICA Business Venture Contest 2012-13

INDIAFRICA Business Venture Contest 2012-13

Theme: Entrepreneurial Solutions to Address Developmental Challenges

Are you under 35 years of age and have a business or social venture idea that can create value and provide an impetus to the industrial or social sector in India and Africa? Participate in this contest to win attractive cash prizes and a chance get recognized at an international platform. Participating teams may have up to four members.
The INDIAFRICA Business Plan Contest is open to students from any discipline in Africa and India between the age of 18-35 years (as on Dec 31, 2013) who are enrolled in colleges and academic institutions.

Prizes

• Eighteen prizes of INR 50,000 each
• Trip to Davos in January 2014 during the World Economic Forum for the team leaders of the top ranking Indian and African teams
• Certificates for all winners
• INDIAFRICA merchandise for all winners

Deadline: Contest open till 14 March 2013

Register to get contest guidelines http://www.indiafrica.in/RegisterBusiness.php

INDIAFRICA Essay Writing Contest 2013

INDIAFRICA Essay Writing Contest

Theme: How can India and Africa collaborate to co-create a brighter future?

Are you under 35 years of age and have opinions and perspectives on India and Africa that you are willing to share with the world? Participate in this contest to win attractive cash prizes and get your work showcased to a global audience.
The INDIAFRICA Essay Contest is open to students from any discipline in Africa and India between the age of 18-35 years (as on Dec 31, 2013) who are enrolled in colleges and academic institutions.

Prizes

• Twenty prizes of INR 25000* each
• Certificates for all winners
• INDIAFRICA merchandise for all winners
• * Subject to Govt of India Tax Rules which currently stipulate a Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) @ 30.9% of prize money. Disbursal of prize money may take up to 12 weeks after announcement.

Deadline: 7 April 2013

Online Registration http://www.indiafrica.in/RegisterEssay.php

CfPs: 10th Asialics Conference 2013 "Roles of Public Research Institutes and Universities in Asia’s Innovation Systems"; 20-21 Sept; Tokyo, Japan

10th Asialics Conference 2013 "Roles of Public Research Institutes and Universities in Asia's Innovation Systems"

20-21 September 2013

National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan

About ASIALICS (Asian Network for Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems)
ASIALICS is a network among scholars, practitioners and policymakers who are interested in a learning, innovation and competence building system in Asia. It has a cooperative relationship with the Global Network for the Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems (GLOBELICS). ASIALICS aims to explore and develop the concept of learning, innovation and competence building as an analytical framework. The objective of ASIALICS is to stimulate the establishment of knowledge based strategies for economic development in Asia. The idea is to bring together interesting issues about what is going on in Asian countries and companies and to share experiences regarding methodology, analytical results and policies. To achieve this idea, a group of Asian scholars with strong support from GLOBELICS held the first international conference on Asian innovation systems in Bangkok, Thailand in April 2004. Following the first conference, ASIALICS organized annual conferences in Jeju Island (Korea), Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Bangalore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Hanoi, and Manila.

Call For Papers

Conference Objectives
Universities and public research institutes have been expected to play more important roles in the era of 'learning economy'. In Asia, several countries initiated policies to enhance the roles of universities and public research institutes in innovation systems, especially their interaction and contribution to industry and society. These policy initiatives include introduction of appropriate institutions, namely laws, regulations and norms that facilitate universities and public research institutes to easily and effectively engage with industry. Governments also provide incentives in terms of grants and public equity participation to encourage such collaborations. New organizations such as technology licensing offices (TLOs) and patent administration offices have been set up in many universities and public research institutes across Asia. Infrastructures such as science parks and incubators have flourished. Nonetheless, there are several issues regarding the roles of universities and public research institutes that need to be extensively examined by both academics and policy makers.

• Did the introduction of new 'institutions' (like Asian versions of Bayh-Dole Act) effectively facilitate more and closer collaboration between university and industry.
• Did intellectual property rights regime matter? How?
• Did type of universities (e.g. comprehensive, S&T specialized, local), and size and capabilities of firms matter? Which modes of collaborations were suitable?
• Which modes of collaboration (e.g. formal vs. informal) were more effective? Why?
• Did government incentives really work? Why? Why not?
• Why did some TLOs, science parks and incubators perform better than others?
• What should be the effective roles of local and regional governments?
• Were intermediary organizations needed? What should they do?
• Were there significant differences between university-industry interactions and university-community interactions in terms of effective modes, incentives and institutions?

Sub-themes

• Global challenges and possibility of emergence of 'Asian Innovation System'
• National, regional, local, technological and sectoral innovation systems
• Mobility of scientists and engineers, innovators and entrepreneurs in Asia
• Technological learning, R&D and innovations of firms in Asia
• Asian production/innovation networks
• Innovation strategies of transnational corporations from Asia
• Roles of intellectual property right in innovation in Asia
• Comparative studies of science, technology and innovation policies in Asia
• Science, technology and innovation indicators in Asian context
• Innovation financing in Asia
• Innovation in services and creative industries in Asia
• Social innovations in Asia
• Grass-root innovations and innovations for/by the poor in Asia 
  

Who Should Attend

• innovation policy and management scholars
• Master and doctoral students in this area
• science, technology and innovation policymakers
• Innovators and business practitioners

Important Dates

• Abstract Submission: May 31
• Notification of Acceptance: June 30
• Registration and Full Paper Submission: August 15
• Kindly submit abstracts (not more than 500 words) and direct all inquiries to asialics2013@grips.ac.jp

Contact Person
Patarapong Intarakumnerd, Ph.D.
Professor
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8677 JAPAN
Tel. (81)-3-6439-6122
email: prpu6@hotmail.com, asialics2013@grips.ac.jp
http://www.grips.ac.jp/list/en/facultyinfo/intarakumnerd_patarapong/

CfPs: 11th GLOBELICS International Conference "Entrepreneurship, innovation policy and development...", 11-13 September; Ankara, Turkey

The 11th GLOBELICS International Conference

Entrepreneurship, innovation policy and development in an era of increased globalisation

11-13 September 2013

 Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Global Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems (GLOBELICS) is an international network of scholars who apply the concept of "learning, innovation, and competence building system" (LICS) as their framework and are dedicated to the strengthening of LICS in developing countries, emerging economies and societies in transition. The research aims at locating unique systemic features as well as generic good practices to enlighten policy making relating to innovation, competence building, international competitiveness, regional development, labour market and human capital development. In an increasingly global and knowledge‐based competition, both management strategies and policy need to be based upon an understanding of how globalization changes these framework conditions.

GLOBELICS has regional chapters in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Apart from providing training for PhD scholars through the Academy at Lisbon and Tampere GLOBELICS organizes annual conferences. Until now ten GLOBELICS conferences have been organized. The first conference was held in 2003, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it was followed by the second conference at Beijing, China (2004), the third conference at Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa (2005), the fourth in Trivandrum, India (2006), the fifth in Saratov, Russia (2007), the sixth in Mexico City, Mexico (2008), the seventh in Dakar, Senegal (2009), the eighth in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2010), the ninth in Buenos Aires, Argentina (2011) and the tenth in China (2012). Leading scholars from both developed and developing countries in the field of innovation, technological change and development have attended these meetings. We welcome our distinguished guests to Middle East Technical University, Ankara in 2013.

The 11th GLOBELICS Conference will be organized in a collaboration between Science and Technology Policy Research Center (METU-TEKPOL), Center for Competition Research (REKMER), Yıldırım Beyazıt University and Ankara development Agency and held at Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. As the previous ones, this organization intends to bring scholars from different disciplines together to enhance the quality of innovation studies in relation to development and growth in the context of globalization and accelerating pace of change. The conference will combine presentation of research papers in parallel tracks with panel discussions and plenary lectures. This year's Freeman Lecture will be given by the world leading scholar on innovation, Richard R. Nelson, Columbia University

Organised by

• Global Network for the Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems (Globelics)
• Science and Technology Policies Research Center (METU-TEKPOL), Middle East Technical University, Ankara
• REKMER, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, ANKARA

Important dates

• Paper submission for PhD paper competition 1 April 2013
• Paper submission deadline 6 May 2013
• Acceptance notification 1 July 2013
• Registration deadline 19 August 2013
• GLOBELICS Conference 11-13 September 2013

Paper submissions
We invite original unpublished submission of full papers related with the themes of the conference. We especially encourage the participation of young researchers. All submissions should be made via the online submission form available at the conference website www.globelics2013.com. The selection of the papers will be based on a peer review process by the conference scientific committee.

Contact details
TEKPOL
Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi
Mühendislik Merkez Binası, Kat: 3, No: 320
06800 Çankaya, Ankara
TURKEY
e-mail: globelics2013@metu.edu.tr

Further Details: http://globelics2013.org

Applications Invited for JNU-DST Training Programme on Capacity Building in Himalayan Glaciology - Level I & II; April 1-27

Department of Science & Technology sponsored training programme on

Capacity Building in Himalayan Glaciology - Level I & II

Formulated and supported by DST and SDC
Organized by School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Under the auspices of Climate Change Programme, NMSHE mission, DST and SDC-DST scientific cooperation on Glaciology and related areas April 1 to April 27, 2013

Application deadline: March 10, 2013

Objective: The Climate Change program (CCP) division of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) coordinated national mission for sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE), has one of their main activity towards developing the human, institutional and knowledge capacities in the Indian Himalayan Region. DST has initiated a scientific cooperation programme with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in the field of glaciology and related areas. The Capacity Building Programme on Himalayan Glaciology aims at enhancing the human and institutional capacities of Indian students and researchers.

Course Structure : Capacity Building Programme on Himalayan Glaciology will comprise of two levels. Level I will be a basic course with approximately 25-30 students and will be of four weeks duration. About 10-15 participants will be selected for Level II from the basic course, an advanced course of approximate three months duration including glacier field work preferably from August /September. Finally about 5 participants may be selected based on the performance evaluation in Level II by expert committee for a proposed research programme under DST Climate change programme on specialized topics to be jointly supervised by Indian and Swiss faculty.

Venue, travel and accommodation : The course will be held from April 1 to April 27, 2013 at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Students will be provided boarding and lodging for the course duration. Course participants will be reimbursed for to and fro journey (upto 3AC trainfare) to New Delhi on production of valid tickets.

Eligibility and Application Procedure : Candidates should possess Masters in Earth Sciences / Remote Sensing / Physics / Environmental Sciences / Civil Engineering / Geography. Ph.D. students or fresh Post Docs with exposure/experience in glacier research will be given preference. Physical fitness for high altitude is an additional requirement. The application should include:

1. A cover letter with a statement of motivation (1 page) explaining why you want to take the course and how you would benefit from the programme
2. A short CV that includes a list of relevant experiences, relevant university coursework, university degrees, publications and glacier field experience (2 pages).
3. A short description of your research project (1/2 page) including the name of your research supervisor
4. Declaration regarding medical fitness for high altitude and guaranteeing that the candidate will continue in the field of glaciology and that the training will be useful for his/her research activity in glaciology and will participate in all three phases if selected, forwarded by guide and HoD/employer.

Applications in hard copy should reach the following address latest by March 10, 2013; 5:00 p.m. Advance copies may be sent by email.

Prof. AL. Ramanathan (alrjnu@gmail.com)
Organizing Secretary and course co-coordinator
Indo-Swiss Capacity Building in Himalayan Glaciology School of Environmental Sciences Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi – 110067

Course Co-ordinators
Dr. Anil Kulkarni, Distinguished Scientist, DCCC, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Dr. Markus Stoffel, University of Geneva, Switzerland Qualified applicants will be selected by an expert committee on the basis of their qualifications, experience and commitment in the field of glaciology.

Selected participants will be notified around 16th March 2013 by email.

CfPs: Innovate India 2013 Conference on Innovation for Equitable Growth; 21-22 February; at NIPER, Mohali

Innovate India 2013 Conference on Innovation for Equitable Growth
21-22 February 2013
Venue: Convention Centre, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab

The Innovate India 2013 is NRDC's annual event which comprises of a Conference and a Prize Award ceremony. The conference aims to provide a platform to entrepreneurs, corporates, academicians, researchers and students for an exchange of ideas on latest technological innovations and developments addressing the multidimensional challenges and interrelated characteristics of science and innovation for sustainable development.

Fostering innovation is an important nation building exercise. Innovative steps taken towards skill development and technical training leads to development of new processes and products that further leads to strengthening of services and manufacturing sectors.

 

Objective of the Conference

This two-day summit will deliberate on areas of innovation that drive equitable growth. The Conference will cover a range of issues pertaining to innovation, providing concrete examples of technology transfer relating to green technologies, food, healthcare and education and will also address questions relating to the culture of innovation for MSMEs, strategic product design and skill development for technology diffusion.

The Conference will address on issues that stimulate innovation which can be integrated into coherent strategies spanning across R&D, production capabilities, access to markets and effective regulations. The conference will also discuss the role of intellectual property, which is one of the principal tools for providing incentives for innovation, for investment in R&D and for structuring collaborations and licenses aimed at transfer of technologies.

The pan India success of Innovate India Conferences organized by NRDC over the years has been very well received and appreciated by the scientific communities and industrial bodies. This year the Innovate India Conference has the following eight interactive sessions designed for deliberations on the various aspects of innovation for equitable growth:

• Product Design and Technological Innovation
• Innovation in Knowledge Delivery System
• Culture of Innovation for MSMEs
• Skill Development
• Innovations in Food Sector
• Green Technologies
• Affordable Healthcare
• Intellectual Property Rights Vs Open Source

 

Delegates Profile

The two-day conference is targeted at Entrepreneurs, Corporates, Academicians, Researchers, Professionals and Students.
Conference Venue

The Conference will open on February 21, 2013 at Convention Centre, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali 160 062, Punjab.

Registration

There is no Delegate/Registration Fee. However, the Registration/Participation is subject to confirmation by NRDC.

For participation, delegates may register online on our website, or may kindly contact:

Mr. Govind Sharma, Senior Manager, NRDC, New Delhi:

Tel: +91-11-29240401-08 (Ext 104), Direct: +91-11-41634562

Fax: +91-11- 29240409-10

E-mail: gsharma@nrdc.in

Mobile: +91-9910496549

Dr Naresh Kumar, Professor, NIPER, Mohali, Punjab:

Tel: +91-172-2214683-87 Extn.2241

Fax: +91-172-2214692

E-mail: naresh@niper.ac.in

Mobile: +91-9779616899

 

Procedure for Submission of Abstract/Papers for Souvenir

Participants/Authors are invited to send their abstract/papers based on the theme of the conference. Authors may kindly follow the guideline given below while submission of papers/ abstracts:

I. The abstracts/papers should be in English

II. Use Times New Roman Font with 12 Pitch size

III. Abstracts may be restricted to 250 words and papers may not exceed 1000 words

IV.  Submit in editable format, preferably in MS Word document to LNARAYAN@NRDC.IN

V. Give title, name of authors with affiliation, organization, full address, email and contact phone and mobile numbers

VI. Please submit on or before February 13, 2013 in electronic form only.

The information about the acceptance of abstract / paper for publication in souvenir will be mailed to the presenting author by February 14, 2013.

Further Information: http://www.innovate-india.in/

Global Development Awards and Medals Competition (AMC) 2012

Global Development Awards and Medals Competition (AMC) 2012

 

Theme: Inequality, Social Protection and Inclusive Growth

 

Category 2: Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development (ORD)

ORD is awarded to an organization/researcher(s) whose proposal to conduct research on any one of the three research themes (listed below) holds the greatest promise for improving our understanding of the relevant development issues and puts forth clear, articulate and well researched policy implications to address these development problems.

First Prize: US$ 30,000; Second Prize: US$ 10,000; Third Prize: US$ 5,000

Research proposals for this Award will be considered under the following three research themes only:

(1) Inequality

(2) Social Protection and Social Policies

(3) Inclusive Growth

Eligibility Criteria:

• Citizens and permanent residents of developing and transition countries
• Citizens of developing and transition countries who are temporarily based in a developed country but not for more than five years
• Applicant must be less than 45 years old as on 11 March, 2013
• Winners from previous years are not eligible to apply with the same or similar research proposal
• Winners from previous years cannot submit an application for the subsequent three years

Application Deadline: 11 March 2013

 

Category 3: Medals for Research on Development (Medals)

Medals are given to researchers for their completed research work that demonstrates academic excellence on the three research themes listed below.

First Prize: US$ 10,000; Second Prize: US$ 5,000

Completed research papers for the Medals will be considered under the following three research themes only:

(1) Inequality

(2) Social Protection and Social Policies

(3) Inclusive Growth

Eligibility Criteria:

• Citizens and permanent residents of developing and transition countries
• Citizens of developing and transition countries who are temporarily based in a developed country but not for more than five years
• Applicant must be less than 45 years old as on 11 March, 2013
• Finalists and winners from previous years are not eligible to apply with the same or similar research papers

Application Deadline: 11 March 2013

 

To apply visit: http://www.gdn.int/amc

Eisaku Sato International Essay Contest 2013 [Deadline 31 March 2013]

Eisaku Sato International Essay Contest 2013

Submission Deadline for Eisaku Sato Essay Contest is 31 March 2013.

Submissions are now being accepted for the 29th Eisaku Sato Essay Contest. This international contest is open to anyone who has an interest in both the United Nations University and the designated contest topic. There are no restrictions as to age, nationality or profession.

• The topic of the 2013 contest is:

  Many people expect the United Nations to play a major role in world peace and in protecting the safety and welfare of people worldwide. Express your views on whether the United Nations is sufficiently responding to these expectations. If 'no', discuss the causes and constraints for this failure; if 'yes', discuss some recent success cases.

  Your essay may be in either English (3,000–6,000 words) or Japanese (8,000–16,000 characters). All essays should be typed on A4-size paper. English essays should include an abstract of up to 450 words. Japanese essays should include an abstract of up to 1,200 characters.

  Your essay must be original and unpublished, and must include reference notes and a bibliography if other authors' works are cited.

  Please submit four copies of your entry with a cover sheet listing your name, affiliation, age, gender, nationality, mailing address, and (if available) telephone/fax number and e-mail address. The submission deadline is 31 March 2013.

  Submitted essays will not be returned. Any essay that does not follow the criteria specified above will be disqualified.

  A grand prize (¥500,000), a second prize (¥200,000) and several honorable mentions (¥50,000 each) will be awarded. The winners will be notified by June 2013; those who are able to attend will receive their prizes at a ceremony to be held at the United Nations University in Tokyo.

  The Eisaku Sato Essay Contest was inaugurated in 1980, and has been held annually since 1990. It is supported by the Eisaku Sato Memorial Foundation for Cooperation with the United Nations University, which was established by the late Eisaku Sato, former Prime Minister of Japan, with the monetary award that he received with his 1974 Nobel Peace Prize.

  Please submit your entry by post to:

  The Eisaku Sato Memorial Foundation for Cooperation with the United Nations University
  c/o United Nations University Library
  5-53-70 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
  Tokyo 150-8925, Japan

  For further information, please contact the Foundation at sato.eisaku.mf@unu.edu.

JSPS-UNU Fellowship Programme [Deadline 28 February 2013]

JSPS-UNU Fellowship Programme 2013

1. Introduction
The JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme was launched in 2002 and is jointly organised by UNU and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
It is designed to provide promising, highly qualified, young researchers the opportunity to conduct advanced research relevant to the main thematic focus of UNU-IAS (Institute of Advanced Studies), located in Yokohama, or UNU-ISP (Institute for Sustainability and Peace), located in Tokyo, and in co-operation with their host researchers at Japanese universities and research institutions. UNU acts as the nominating authority for the JSPS-UNU Programme, and UNU-IAS administers the programme on behalf of UNU in the nominating process.
This fellowship is aimed at candidates who have completed their PhD in the past six years and also have professional and/or research experience.
UNU will assist in securing acceptance from the host researchers for short-listed candidates. After the host researcher is secured for each short-listed candidate, UNU will make formal nominations to JSPS, which funds this programme. The final award decision will be made by JSPS and Awards Letters will be issued by JSPS to the fellowship awardees. An advisor for each fellowship awardee will be selected for the period of research in Japan from among the UNU (UNU-IAS or UNU-ISP) faculty members.

2. Fields of Research
UNU conducts research on all fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Yet, research proposals for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowships should relate clearly to one of the current research areas of UNU-IAS and UNU-ISP as well as aim to be policy-relevant.
The following Research Programmes and Projects at UNU-IAS in Yokohama are accepting applications for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellows:

•  Science and Technology for Sustainable Societies
•  Sustainable Urban Futures
•  Biodiplomacy Initiative
•  Sustainable Development Governance
•  Traditional Knowledge Initiative

The following Research Programmes at UNU-ISP in Tokyo are accepting applications for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellows:

•  International Cooperation and Development
•  Global Change and Sustainability
•  Peace and Security

3. Eligibility
Citizens of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. Japanese nationals are not eligible.
Holders of a doctoral degree when the Fellowship goes into effect, which must have been received on or after 2 April 2007, or those scheduled to receive a doctorate degree before the Fellowship goes into effect.
Applicants with at least 10 months research and/or professional experience are especially encouraged to apply.
Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the "JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers" (excluding Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Short-term) for North American and European Researchers and Summer Program) are not eligible.

4. Duration of the Fellowship
Fellowships are awarded for a period of 24 months.

5. Terms of Award
A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations). A monthly maintenance allowance of JPY362,000. A settling-in allowance of JPY200,000, Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage, etc.
Note: The terms of the Awards indicated above are subject to change by JSPS. If the Fellow resides in Japan on the date his/her award letter is issued, the above-mentioned air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance will not be provided. A research grant, "Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research", of up to JPY1,500,000 per year (total of JPY3,000,000 for two years. The amount varies depending on the areas/disciplines of research.) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application for these grants is made by the host researcher through his/her institution.
This award is provided by JSPS, and the JSPS program guidelines will be available on JSPS' website in January 2013 .

6. Nomination of Candidates
UNU will act as a nominating authority of the Programme, and application should be submitted to UNU-IAS. UNU-IAS nominates candidates to the JSPS based on the following criteria:
 (i) the research objectives of the applicant and the quality of the research proposal,
 (ii) the relevance of the research proposal to the ongoing or planned research activities of the applicant's indicated Research Programme at UNU-IAS or UNU-ISP, and
 (iii) the applicant's academic merit and the potential for successful research while in Japan.
UNU will try to inform the successful candidates of the results of the nomination in May 2013. JSPS takes up to 3 months after receiving the nominations to process its award decision.

7. Starting Date and Deadline for Applications
The JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme begins on 1 September and the selected Fellows are required to be in Japan by this date. The deadline for applications for the 2013 Fellowships is 28 February 2013.
 
8. To Apply
Interested and eligible candidates are invited to complete the online-application form. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact us (see the contacts below). The online form and the required documents indicated in the form must be in English. If the supporting document is in another language, please also attach an English translation.
Short-listed candidates will be contacted for a telephone interview.
Contacts :
JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
6F, International Organizations Center
Pacifico-Yokohama, 1-1-1 Minato Mirai
Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-8502, Japan
Email: fellowships@ias.unu.edu
Fax: +81-45-221-2302

Further Details

Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship 2013-2014: Call for Applications

Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship 2013-2014

Last date for applications is March 3, 2013.

The Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship is a unique platform for bright young Indians to have a high-impact engagement with the policy-making process at the national level. The LAMP Fellowship places one legislative assistant to work with one MP for a period of 11 months. The Fellowship exposes LAMP Fellows to the working of Parliament and the legislative process. The Fellowship encourages the best and the brightest young individuals to get involved in public service.
The  LAMP Fellowship 2012-13 comprises 41 young people from across 15 states in India. They come from diverse academic backgrounds including liberal arts, law, commerce, engineering and the sciences. LAMP Fellows will support their MPs through the Monsoon, Winter and Budget sessions of Parliament.
The primary role of a LAMP Fellow is to provide customised research support to the assigned MP they work with for the entire duration of the Fellowship. This would entail providing research inputs to help them fulfill their parliamentary duties such as asking questions, raising matters of public importance, participating in debates, writing speeches, drafting private member Bills, among others.

Eligibility
PRS seeks to engage with highly-motivated, bright young people for the LAMP Fellowship.

• Candidate must be 25 years or under (born on January1, 1988 or later).
• Candidate must have at least a Bachelor's degree in any academic discipline.
• Only Indian citizens are eligible for the LAMP Fellowship.

Selection Process
The LAMP Fellowship involves a highly competitive selection process to enable brilliant, motivated young individuals across the country to be part of the Fellowship. Applications are invited through an online application portal only. The online form requires details of the candidate's academic background, relevant work experience and references. In addition, candidates are required to submit their CV, a statement of intent and short essays on their understanding of the LAMP Fellowship. Based on the application, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview.

Application Form for LAMP Fellowship 2013-2014

Further Details