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The AcRF Tier 3 programme-level funding scheme will enable high-impact, multidisciplinary research performed at the universities to be carried out in a comprehensive and organized manner. It will allow the emergence of game-changing science by bringing together collaborative teams of experts to develop integrated solutions to scientific issues.
AcRF Tier 3 funding serves the following objectives:
a) Support for the best ideas
AcRF Tier 3 funding will fund new, high impact R&D areas, to allow the best scientific ideas to flourish.
b) Synergy
AcRF Tier 3 funding will build upon intra-university and inter-university synergies to consolidate research expertise in research programmes to enhance the concentration of complementary research expertise and avoid fragmentation of intellectual and financial critical mass
c) Talent
AcRF Tier 3 will attract, support and retain world-class investigators to conduct high quality and high impact research in Singapore.
d) Sustainability of research
AcRF Tier 3 will ensure funding sustainability for longer term investigator-led research and allow universities to built up substantial expertise in key thematic areas.
e) Capacity Building
AcRF Tier 3 will augment research capacities of Singapore's institutions of higher learning. Successful proposals will be committed to build capacity by grooming and retaining research talents, and by uplifting standards of overall research.
An AcRF Tier 3 programme will be defined by international standards of excellence. The research agenda of an AcRF Tier 3 programme should demonstrate the potential of being able to position Singapore at the forefront and leading edge of the specified research field globally. It will consist of one or several research groups of a high international standard with clear common goals. It can also include individual top researchers who do not belong to any group. Several research groups could approach the same subject or problems from different viewpoints, as long as the objectives are shared and the there is sufficient cohesion and communication.
Each AcRF Tier 3 programme cluster is expected to be embedded within existing university departments, research centres or Research Centres of Excellence (RCE), hereafter referred to as the "host department".
An AcRF Tier 3 programme will be headed by a lead PI who should be a researcher of the highest quality, with outstanding scientific and leadership credentials. He will be actively involved in the overall management of the programme and accountable for the programme and its deliverables.
Senior PIs will be designated as group leaders to coordinate research projects within the programme cluster. PIs will lead research groups to undertake these research projects. A research group may consist of post-doctoral researchers, postgraduate research students and technical support staff.
NEW 24 Feb 12: MOE has provided a revised AcRF Tier 3 RFP document. Please refer to this link.
NEW 09 Feb 12: MOE has provided some amendments and an FAQ for this grant. Do refer to this link for elaboration.
Funding Information
2 types of grant are available under AcRF Tier 3:
1) Type-A: funding quantum of $5-10M per programme
2) Type-B: funding quantum of $10-25M per programme.
Programmes are funded for a period of 5 years but subjected to satisfactory progress during mid-term reviews. The funding quantum is inclusive of IRC (max 20% of the total qualifying direct costs).
Eligibility
• NEW PIs must be full-time faculty based locally in NUS (including the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School), NTU, SMU and SUTD. Researchers at A*STAR research institute, hospitals and CREATE must hold joint appointment in the locals universities and spend a substantial amount of time (>75%) in the local universities to qualify as PIs.
• NEW Collaborators may be based overseas. Research funded under AcRF Tier 3 must be conducted in Singapore universities.
• In the event where two or more PIs from different AUs share a common research area of interest and would like to submit an AcRF Tier 3 proposal in that research area, the PIs are encouraged to jointly submit a collaborative AcRF Tier 3 proposal.
Schedule of Annual Call
There is 1 call a year.
Application Procedure
1st Stage: Whitepaper
1) Submission of Whitepaper
The lead PI will submit a whitepaper stating the vision of the proposed research programme and an indication of the resources and budget required to the ARC. The ARC will recommend to MOE whitepapers that merit an invitation to be developed into full proposals.
• White Paper of up to six pages (single-spaced in 12-point font), including figures, tables and charts.
• CVs (2 page per PI, Co-PI or collaborator) and references (up to 2 pages per White Paper) may be attached as annexes (not be subject to the 6 page limit).
• If a whitepaper exceeds the page limit, it may be returned without review.
• The cover letter for each Whitepaper should indicate if the proposed lead PI and Prinicipal Investigators (PIs) have agreed to disclose their identities to the Academic Research Council (ARC) members for review.
• Do refer to the MOE submission guidelines (revised as of 14 Feb 12) for more details.
(Note: There are some amendments to the guidelines, as highlighted in this link.)
2) SoM Internal evaluation process
• YLLSOM is allowed to only submit a maximum of 3 proposals (can be a combination of Type-A & Type-B).
• Multi-Faculty cross-disciplinary proposals are strongly encouraged so long as they are well-coordinated and there is a clear leader and will not count towards the quota above.
3) Timeline
| Dates |
Description |
Documents Required |
|
12 Mar 12 (Mon), 12noon
|
Submission by PIs to NUHS Research Office (Grant_RO@nuhs.edu.sg ) for internal review to shortlist the proposals
Due to the tight timeline, we will not be able to provide any extension.
|
1 soft copy of the following:
i. Whitepaper with Cover Letter and Annex (CV & References)
|
| 16 Mar 12 (Fri) |
NUHS Research Office will inform the applicants if they are shortlisted. |
|
|
26 Mar 12 (Mon), 12noon
|
Shortlisted applicants to improve their proposals and resubmit to NUHS Research Office (Grant_RO@nuhs.edu.sg )
|
1 hardcopy and 1 soft copy of the following:
i. Whitepaper with Cover Letter and Annex (CV & References)
ii. NUS Grant Endorsement Form
|
| 29 Mar 12 (Thu) |
RO to submit endorsed applications to DRA |
|
4) NUS Internal evaluation process
• The NUS Evaluation Panel will review the shortlisted whitepapers and select up to 3 whitepapers for Type-B and 5 whitepapers for Type-A to submit under NUS to MOE.
2nd Stage: Full Proposal (by invitation only)
Full proposals will be evaluated by the Academic Research Council (ARC) with input from external reviewers. Type-A and Type-B proposals will be ranked separately. The ARC will recommend supported Type-A and Type-B proposals to MOE's Academic Research Board for funding approval.
Contact Us
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any enquires.
For any urgent grant matters, you may also contact Ruth at 6772-3709, or ruth_gao@nus.edu.sg.
