The Department for International Development (DFID) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have announced a dedicated programme of research to investigate in comparative perspective the economic development impact of China’s engagement in sub-Saharan Africa. The programme aims to critically evaluate what lessons China’s own economic development transformation can offer other developing countries – in particular in low-income Africa.

Research projects under this call are expected either to take a developmental challenge facing Africa and examine possible solutions linked to recent experience from China’s own economic development, or to build understanding of an aspect of China’s engagement with Africa relevant to the continent’s economic development.

The programme encourages academics from developing and developed countries to work together in any configuration of their choice and principal investigators can be from anywhere in the world.

Grants will be for a maximum of four years and with a full Economic Cost (fEC) value of between £200,000 and £2 million. It is expected that a mixed portfolio of small (in the region of £200,000 to £500,000) and larger (£500,000 and above) research projects will be funded under this call. UK-based researchers will be funded at 80 per cent fEC, whilst non-UK researchers will receive 100 per cent of the direct costs of the research, plus a variable overhead. The total budget for this call will be £4.5 million.

Deadline for applications: 16.00 UK time, 13 March 2014.

Call specification (PDF, 217Kb)

There will be a webinar on 11 December at 9.00 (UK time), to allow anyone interested in the call for proposals to ask specific questions about the application process. If you would like to take part in the webinar, please contact decarp@esrc.ac.uk at least 24 hours before the start. (If you are unable to join the meeting using your web browser, you will be able to join over the phone instead).

For further information go to: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/29138/dfid-esrc-china-and-africa-research-programme.aspx