Eligibility / Project Participants and Subject Areas:
Faculty, Scientists and Academicians belonging to Universities, Deemed Universities and Research Institutes having permanent positions can apply as Principal Investigator (PI) and can include up to additional two junior researchers / scientists who are associated with the University/ Institute in one or the other capacity. In order to qualify for such funding, investigators are required to have a concrete and sound research proposal on one of the following areas:
· Biotechnology including Bio-informatics
· Material Science.
· Information Technology including High Performance Computation
· Science and Technology Management.
· Ocean Development and Oceanographic Research.
· Meteorology including Climate Research
· Pharmaceuticals & Medical Research
· Non-conventional Energy.
The following types of proposals shall not be considered:
· Already existing collaborative projects where travel and living expenses are financed by some other source;
· Purely individual visits / training programme;
· Organisation of Seminars / Workshops or participation in a Conference / Congress.
Funding:
Grants will be offered only towards travel and living costs, (normally up to 4 visits from each side spread over project duration of 2 years) within the framework of well-defined and approved research projects. The sending side will bear the travel cost (including overseas medical insurance; visa fees etc) between the place of work of the scientists/
students in their own country and the place of work in the host country. The host side will provide the living expenses (per-diem). It is expected that primary financing for the collaborative research project, including personnel costs, is already available/ will be available to both the sides from other sources. Hence, project-related incidental costs
(for example, bench fees, staff or running costs, costs for computer time, materials purchases, documentation, photocopying, printing, internal travel) shall not be covered under this programme, as is the case for costs related to purchase of equipment, infrastructure, workspaces and office machine etc.
The local hospitality terms for visiting scientists in each others’ host countries are as follows:
For Indian scientists visiting Vietnam to be paid by MOST, Vietnam: an allowance up to US $ 8 per person/perday for out of pocket expenses plus free boarding and lodging in a guest house or a hotel with reasonable amenities.
For Vietnamese scientists visiting India to be paid by DST (India) through project Investigator: an allowance of Rs.1000/per person/ per day for out of pocket expenses plus well furnished accommodation. The mutual visits of the scientists must be balanced in number & duration (normally up to 4 visits from each side spread over
entire duration of the 2 year project).
The sending side would provide return international airfare up to the city of arrival in the host country. The receiving side will arrange in country travel of the visiting scientists from city of arrival to the place of the visiting institute by appropriate means. The sending side also provide for medical insurance for the visiting scientists.
For senior scientists, the maximum period of each visit shall be 30 days per year of the project and for young scientists each visit will be for a maximum period of 60 days per year of the project. A participant from either side would be allowed to avail only one visit per year of the project.
Project Duration:
Support to the project will be granted for duration of 2 years only. The sanctioned visits (ie max 4 from each side) will have to be completed within the duration of the 2 years. Request for extension of the project shall NOT be considered.
Application Procedure:
Proposals in the prescribed format, duly forwarded by the Head of the Institutions are to be submitted simultaneously by the Indian Project Leader to the Department of Science & Technology DST, New Delhi and by the Vietnamese Project Leader to International Cooperation Department, MOST, Hanoi, Vietnam. Applications received by both the agencies with all necessary documents shall only be considered. Applications will be evaluated independently on both sides by an external peer-review system on the basis of scientific merit, need for co-operation and the composition of
project teams. Final decision will be made jointly by DST and MOST.
The Vietnamese project leaders are required to submit the identical project document to: Mr.Pham Hoang Ha, senior officer, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST), 39 Tran Hung Dao Str, Hanoi ,Vietnam.,Email: phha@most.gov.vn or hoanghamost@yahoo.com ; Fax:0084-4-39439987.
The Indian project leaders are required to send one original copy of the complete application to: Shri R K Sharma, Scientist-C, International Division (Room No 4 B,Adm. Block) Department of Science and Technology, Technology Bhavan, NewMehrauli Road, New Delhi-110 016.
The last date for submission of applications is 30th September 2010. Applications received after last date will not be entertained.
