Research To Strengthen 'Culture of Knowledge' - Second Edition

Project Description

This capacity-building project seeks to provide an opportunity for ten young researchers to undertake full-time research in the field of cultural study. It seeks to enhance the researchers’ skills, giving them the guidance and providing the means to complete a research project (often their first outwith their academic studies), under the direct supervision of veteran researchers specialised in cultural studies, who will form the Scientific Committee of the project.

The project’s annual course lasts for 6 months and consists of three key phases:

1) Selection of young researchers & preparation of the training curriculum

2) Training and skill enhancement

3) Completion of research with the guidance of supervisors

The project focuses on topics of cultural research which are closely aligned to the situation currently prevailing in Syria, to the apparent change in cultural activists’ and Syrian artists’ perspectives of society, and the transformations Syrian society is witnessing. This can eventually be expected to result in a change in the role of culture and arts in the forthcoming period in Syria.

At the end of the project, an arbitration committee of experts and researchers will be formed to evaluate the research, writing a precise report that will provide guidance and advice to the authors of the projects about their work. In accordance with their assessment, Ettijahat- Independent Culture will first publish a selection of the research electronically, followed by the publishing of a book in affiliation with a Syrian or Lebanese publishing house. This activity will be completely dependent on the scientific committees' assessment of the level of the completed research.

Requirements for participation in the project

Participants must adhere to the specified timeframe for receiving applications, starting on 1^st October 2014 and ending on the evening of 14^th November 2014. Any applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
Participants must attend the training sessions (which will be held between one and two months after the date of acceptance) as a condition of obtaining a full-time research grant.
The jury is entitled to provide exemption from the training sessions to 20% of the Syrian researchers currently residing outside Syria, only in the case of proven advanced academic experience and strong professional experience in the field of cultural research. If such an exception is made, it will be replaced with direct training under the supervision of a member of the Scientific Committee to work through the stages of implementing the research.
We will not consider applications which are incomplete, or which lack any of the required documentation (the electronic application form, the CV of the applicant, their motivation letter, and a photocopy of the identity card).
We will not consider applications that do not meet the administrative and/or content-based evaluation criteria.
Participants should not submit studies that have been completed or published prior to the beginning of this programme, as these will not be considered.
Participants retain full rights to their research during the project, as long as Ettijahat- Independent Culture is explicitly mentioned by name in any future use or publication.
Ettijahat- Independent Culture reserves the right to use and publish the research during and after the course of the project.
Gender balance will be taken into consideration during the selection process
Notification will be admitted only to the selected participants, and the results of the project will be published on our website: www.ettijahat.org
To apply: fill in the application form and consult the evaluation criteria.
A committee of researchers (the Scientific Committee) will study the submitted applications. The members of this committee will only be announced after the selection process is completed.
For any additional information or inquiries you can email us at: info@ettijahat.org

The Project Stage

First – Open Call for Proposals (6 weeks): from October 3^rd to November 14^th 2014, announcement inviting young researchers – graduates of higher education institutes & universities from different cultural, artistic, social, and human sciences spheres – to apply for the project. Selection of 10 young researchers to participate in the project. The selection will be made by the Scientific Committee, consisting of researchers and supervisors.

Participants must submit their requests through a form that focuses on three basic areas, and through which detailed selection standards are formed:

1- Résumé of the applicant:

- Educational attainment

- Previous professional experiences

- Age

2- Research project proposal:

- Academic level of research proposal

- The extent to which their proposal is connected with the needs of cultural sector in Syria

- Availability of preliminary sources and necessary references to carry out the research at the expected level

3- Motives behind participation:

The selection committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to express the personal importance of their participation in the project, linking it to their career and professional objectives, as well as their ability to associate the proposed research project with the needs of the independent sector.

Second – Training Phase (1 month), divided into two parts:

- General training on techniques and tools of scientific research

- Specialised training on areas of cultural research and studies, its particular characteristics and differences from research carried out in other fields.

Third – Provision of Grants and Completion of Research (3 months): instructors and specialised supervisors will assist the young researchers whilst they carry out their research projects. Only 10 researchers chosen to take part in the Training Phase will be selected to participate in this phase.

Background of Applicants

· Applicants must be young researchers (22-35 years old) and university graduates in cultural, artistic, creative and social fields.

To read the second edition's booklet in Arabic kindly click on the file below.

Booklet 2nd Edition Ar