May this email reach you while you are in the best of health and Iman by the grace of Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala.

 

Dear Dato’/Prof./Assoc. Prof./Dr.,

 

The Nagao Natural Environment Foundation (NEF) is currently opening their Research Grant Programme that financially supports academic and scientific research that will deepen knowledge of nature conservation in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. With the aim of strengthening the research capacity of young researchers in that region, grants are available only for individual researchers, but not for groups/organisations, to enhance their skills, knowledge, and experience through their own research work.

 

It was founded in 1989, the Nagao Natural Environment Foundation (NEF) is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting nature conservation in developing countries. Since its establishment, the Research Grant Scheme has supported researchers from research institutions mainly in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

1. GRANT SIZE AND DURATION
The maximum grant size in this programme is 500,000 Japanese yen per project for a maximum duration of two years.

 

2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible to receive a grant, applicants and their proposed research project must meet ALL the requirements listed below.

2.1 Eligible applicants
An applicant must:
 be a national of developing country in the Asia-Pacific region
 work full-time or be enrolled in a doctoral course, conducting research at a research institution or relevant organisation in one of the countries listed below:

The target countries in the Asia-Pacific region include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
 be a young researcher/scientist, whose age is under 40;
 have sufficient experience and skills in conducting and managing the proposed research;
 be able to communicate in English;
 not have another application to the NEF;
 not have another on-going NEF-funded project at the time of application submission; AND
 not have another NEF-funded project for the past two years.

2.2 Eligible research projects
A proposed research project must:
 be scientific research contributing to the NATURE CONSERVATION of the country where the applicant currently works or studies;
 put its main focus on LIVING ORGANISMS;
 be carried out in the country where the applicant currently works or studies;
 involve fieldwork for collecting data;
 be the applicant’s own research work (team project is ineligible.);
 achieve its objective(s) and submit interim and/or final reports within a scheduled project period of not less than one (1) year and not more than two (2) years; AND
 be exclusively funded by the NEF Research Grant Programme, or co-funded with the applicant’s institution.

Examples of the research fields SUPPORTED in the past:
 ecology, taxonomy, distribution, and current status of wildlife;
 biodiversity (e.g., species diversity, genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity);
 wild flora and fauna;
 gathering information on threatened species and for recovery of ecosystem;
 relationships between nature and humans (e.g., mutual interference, sustainable use of natural
resources);
 economic valuation of natural environment; etc.

Examples of the projects DECLINED in the past:
 project lacking the viewpoint of nature conservation;
 project aiming to develop agricultural, forestry, and/or fisheries industries;
 project focusing on pollution problems;
 project focusing on conducting public awareness activities;
 project to be discussed and concluded only from interview results and/or reference;
 project unable to be handled by a researcher but by a large group of researchers; etc.

Please read this guideline “Guideline for NEF Research Grant Programme” to understand the programme. When filling out an application form, please follow the instructions inside the form. Both
guideline and application form are available at the website (https://www.nagaofoundation.or.jp/e/research/research.html).

 

Applicants are required to submit the four (4) items below, attached in the email:
 one (1) completed Application form BOTH in MS WORD (for our screening purpose (SCREENING FOR PLAGIARISM)* and PDF (for confirming signatures);
 a filled Budget and timetable in Excel;
 a filled Applicant’s background; and
 one (1) Recommendation letter. (Please request from RMC at least TWO (2) weeks before the deadline)

 

The four (4) documents should be submitted to the NEF Secretariat by e-mail (secretariat@nagaofoundation.or.jp) cc grantapplication@iium.edu.my.

 

 

Result announcement will be made on their website by three (3) months after each deadline. Successful applicants will receive a letter of approval, report instructions, and account information form by email. Fund remittance will be made as soon as receiving account information form. Due to the high volume of applications received, the Secretariat will only contact the successful applicants and those who receive the Selection Committee’s feedback. 

 

* Please note that applications will be screened for plagiarism using iThenticate plagiarism detection system during the selection process. The NEF Secretariat will reject applications leading to plagiarism or self-plagiarism.

 

If you have any questions or concerns about the programme, please feel free to contact the NEF Secretariat by e-mail (secretariat@nagaofoundation.or.jp). For further information, please visit the website: https://www.nagaofoundation.or.jp/e/research/research.html

 

Thank you.