2022 UK Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEP SSA) for Universities in sub-Saharan Africa

Here is an opportunity for universities to benefit from the HEP SSA Grants. Application is hereby open for the 2022 UK Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEP SSA) for Universities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa receive grants for projects lasting six months to two years. The funding is intended to strengthen ties between academia and industry. Universities are funded to conduct bilateral secondments with local industry partners and then share their experiences with a larger number of spoke universities through a series of knowledge-sharing workshops, secondments, reports, and other collaborative activities.

HEP SSA aims to ensure that Sub-Saharan Africa’s higher education system produces engineers with the skills and knowledge needed to meet industry needs, address local challenges, and address the engineering skills shortage in Sub-Saharan Africa.

About Royal Academy of Engineering

Engineering is important. It underpins people’s daily lives, drives economic growth, is critical in addressing major societal challenges, and contributes to future-readiness, from ensuring a sustainable supply of food, water, and clean energy to advancing healthcare and keeping us safe and secure.

The Royal Academy of Engineering, the United Kingdom’s national engineering and technology academy, brings together the most talented and successful engineers – their Fellows – to advance and promote engineering excellence for the benefit of society.

They use their experience and expertise to provide independent advice to the government, to deliver programs that help exceptional engineering researchers and innovators realize their potential, engage the public with engineering, and lead the profession.

Brief Program Details

Sponsor(s): Royal Academy of Engineering

Academic Level: Postgraduate

Type: Grant

Application Deadline: 6 September 2022

Full Benefits of UK Higher Education Grants

As part of the 22/24 Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa call, grants of £100k will be awarded to universities in sub-Saharan Africa for two-year projects. The focus of these projects will be on building partnerships with industry in order to enhance engineering curricula and strengthen institutional research and innovation capacity.

The projects will be implemented through a ‘hub and spoke model. In this model, the hub universities will lead the project, facilitating bilateral secondments with local industry partners, and coordinating knowledge-sharing workshops, reports, curriculum review,s and research projects with a large number of spoke universities, as well as with industry and UK partners.

Requirements for UK Higher Education Grants

What are eligible costs?

• The funding should be used to fund knowledge-sharing workshops; bilateral secondments between local industry and academia; training fees; travel and accommodation; resources and materials; and host institution expenses such as temporary replacement of staff or resources. This list is not exhaustive – please get in touch if you have queries on eligible costs.
• No more than £10,000 of the total project may be utilized on consumables and equipment costs. Consumables include equipment, computer software licenses, or publication costs.
• This program also offers support for travel, subsistence, and salary support costs related to conducting visits and exchanges in support of collaborative activities among industry and academic partners.
• Costs for travel and subsistence will be reviewed at the application stage and throughout the project and looked at alongside previous projects from the same country for comparison. Please note, that the
• Academy will query costs if deemed unreasonable.
• Up to a maximum of 20% of the award (£20,000) can be used on project-specific staff salaries. You must demonstrate how you will fund these costs beyond the grant duration or show that they are only temporary roles needed to carry out short-term specific grant activities.

What are ineligible costs?

• Activities that have already been funded by a previous Academy grant.
• Activities that are not Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligible and do not meet the grant objectives.
• Per diem expenditure.

Also Apply: 2023 Brown University Information Futures Lab Fellowship Program

Eligibility criteria

• The proposed project should clearly align with the overall aims and objectives of the scheme. However, original ideas and local solutions are actively encouraged.
• The lead applicant will be employed by a university in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Applications must include a detailed budget delivered over a maximum of two years.
• Project activities must run between October 2022 and August 2024.
• The application must propose a means of collaboration with at least one industry partner, one UK institution and at least three spoke universities nationally or regionally.
• The application must be designed to meet the ODA objectives: promote the welfare and economic development of a country or countries on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of ODA recipients; address a development need; and focus on a specific challenge affecting a lower income country. For further guidance on ODA compliance, please follow this link.

How to Apply

1. Register and create a profile via the grant system
2. Read the Applicant Guidance notes – these will help you complete your online application

If you would like support in being connected with a UK university partner or an African university partner, or if you have any other questions, please contact the team: [email protected]