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The MOE Academic Research Fund (AcRF) is a new framework introduced by MOE, and evolves from and replaces the previous Academic Research Fund (ARF). The AcRF supports research in NUS that has academic significance and a good potential for creating new knowledge that will benefit the larger academic community. The research outcomes should also drive future research, potentially leading to innovations and discoveries. Research funded under AcRF Tier 1 has to be conducted in Singapore.
With the new framework, the research proposals submitted to the respective funding levels are now categorized and reviewed by 4 Expert Panels, namely:
- Accountancy, Business, Humanities & Social Sciences (ABHSS)
- Biomedical Engineering & Life Sciences
- Engineering, Physical & Chemical Sciences
- Informatics & Mathematics
Please click here to download the Administrative Guidelines.
Important: Please note that there are some changes to the Eligibility Criteria.
Funding Information
AcRF Tier 1 funds research projects on a competitive basis across Faculties/Schools in NUS and comprises 2 levels of funding:
|
Level |
Requested Total Project Value Range |
Applicable Discipline Clusters |
|
FRC |
Total Project Value < $180,000 |
For Sciences and Engineering Clusters |
|
Total Project Value < $150,000 |
For Humanities Clusters |
Grants will normally be awarded for a funding period of 3 years, contingent upon satisfactory progress as assessed during annual reviews.
A. New Application for Tier 1 FRC
Eligibility
-
Co-Investigators (Co-PIs) must be full-time academic staff (faculty members on tenure/tenure-track, or research track on Faculty EOM budget (such as Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor and Research Professor) or Emeritus faculty members of NUS.
-
Staff from the Research Institutes/Centres who do not hold any joint academic appointment with the Department; and research staff (e.g. research fellow, post-doctoral research fellow, visiting staff etc) are not eligible to apply.
-
For staff on teaching or practice tracks, since their primary role is teaching, they should not receive Tier 1 funding unless the importance and quality of the proposed research are strongly endorsed by the HOD and Dean.
Criteria for Funding
a. The excellence of the proposed project
b. The innovation of the research
c. The track record and/or promise of the Principal Investigator
d. Priority to areas of excellence that lack appropriate external funding agencies.
e. Lower priority to established staff (with the exception of Emeritus Professors) working in areas where external funding is readily available. They are expected to seek research funding from external grantors (which includes MOE Tier 2 funding).
-
Established staff who submit meritorious research applications in areas outside the themes of external granting agents may be considered at the Tier 1 FRC level on a case-by-case basis.
-
NEW: Applications for Associate Professors will compete separately from the Assistant Professors and Emeritus Professors for funding.
B. Budget Revision
Previously awarded FRC may apply for augmentation of funds for the same project. However total budget (for both applications) must be capped at less than $180K.
Schedule of Annual Call
There are two calls a year, usually in Feb and Sep.
Application Procedure
Please submit the following documents (1 original hardcopy) to NUHS Research Office, and email 1 softcopy to Grant_RO@nuhs.edu.sg by 5 pm, 2 Mar 2012, Friday.
| SoM PI |
| Details |
A. New Application |
B. Budget Revision |
| Application Form |
|
Budget Revision Form |
| Latest Submitted Progress Report |
NA |
Applicable |
| NUS Grant Endorsement Form |
|
NA |
| Guidelines and Supplementary Information |
-
AcRF-Tier 1 Supplementary Guide (This document provide information on the preparation of the grant proposal as well as the list of Fundable and Non-Fundable items)
|
NA |
Contact us
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any enquries.
For any urgent grant matters, you may also contact Ruth at 67723709, or ruth_gao@nus.edu.sg .
