Preamble

Researchers often face challenges in securing funding, managing grants, and navigating complex administrative processes. To address these issues and provide comprehensive support to researchers, we propose the establishment of a Research Support and Grants Management Center.

Goal

The goal of the Centre is to establish a centralized and robust support system that enhances research capabilities, facilitates successful grant acquisition and management, and promotes a culture of research excellence within the College 

Objectives

The primary objectives of the Research Support and Grants Management Center are as follows:

1.    Facilitate Funding Opportunities: The center will actively identify and disseminate information about various funding opportunities available from governmental, non-governmental, and private sources, ensuring researchers have access to a diverse range of funding options.

2.    Grant Application Support: It will provide comprehensive assistance to researchers in preparing grant applications, including proposal writing, budget planning, and ensuring compliance with funding agency guidelines. This support will significantly increase researchers' chances of securing funding.

3.    Grants Management: The center will assist researchers in managing awarded grants efficiently. This includes financial management, progress tracking, reporting, and compliance with regulatory requirements, enabling researchers to focus more on their core research activities.

4.    Training and Workshops: It will organize workshops and training sessions on research funding opportunities, grant proposal writing, budget management, intellectual property rights, and other relevant topics. These capacity-building initiatives will enhance researchers' skills and knowledge in securing and managing research grants.

Key Functions

The Research Support and Grants Management Center will offer the following services and activities:

1.    Funding Opportunity Database: Maintain a comprehensive database of funding opportunities, regularly updated with the latest information on grants, fellowships, and research programs across various disciplines.

2.    Proposal Development Assistance: Experienced professionals will provide personalized support to researchers in developing competitive grant proposals. This includes guidance on project design, research methodology, literature review, and impact assessment.

3.    Budget Planning and Financial Guidance: The center will assist researchers in developing realistic project budgets, ensuring all expenses are appropriately allocated and compliant with funding agency guidelines. Additionally, financial management support will be provided throughout the project's lifecycle.

4.    Grants Administration: We will streamline administrative processes related to grants, including contract negotiation, ethics and compliance approvals, and progress reporting. This will help researchers navigate bureaucratic hurdles efficiently.

5.    Capacity-Building Workshops: Regular workshops and training sessions will be organized to enhance researchers' knowledge and skills in research grant management, intellectual property protection, project evaluation, and other relevant areas.

6.    Research Support Services: The Centre will offer a range of research support services, including assistance with research proposal development, literature reviews, research methodology, data analysis, and scholarly writing. These services will be provided by a team of experienced research support to enhance the quality and impact of their research outputs.

Organizational Structure