Research Project(s) on Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCE) of South Asia

Introduction

Based on the findings of the SAARC Regional Seminar on ‘Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia,’ the SAARC Cultural Centre will call for Proposals and will award research projects amongst the Member States. The research will give an opportunity for the Member States to conduct an in-depth study on their TK and TCE, and identify and protect the productive components for the benefit of their people.

 

Objectives

The objectives of the Research project will be re-visited and refined during the Seminar. Tentative objectives will be:

1. To identify and document various forms of TK and TCE of South Asia,
2. To study and analyse all forces (colonial influence, industrialization, globalization) that have impactedon traditional knowledge,
3. To discuss and debate the productive characteristics of TK and TCE.
4. To present innovative measures of safeguarding TK and TCE

Research Process

• The SAARC Cultural Centre would invite detailed research proposal (along with a detailed budget breakdown for US $ 3,000), based on the themes and research approaches agreed at the Seminar. All these proposals are to be submitted through official channel (i.e. through the respective Governments of the Member States and the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu).
• All research proposals received through official channel will be reviewed by a Research Grants Committee (RGC) of the SAARC Cultural Centre which will select the recipients of the research grant.
• All the research grants will be subject to a mid-term review and the continuation of the project will be subject to the approval of the Progress Report by the SAARC Cultural Centre. For this purpose the SAARC Cultural Centre would hold a Review Meeting of the project in which all the researchers would be invited to participate and present their progress reports. Any suggestions/ recommendations made by the SAARC Cultural Centre at this stage may be included in the research process by the respective researchers.
• At the end of the research project each researcher will be required to submit a publishable draft of the Research report.

Time Schedule (2012-2013)
11 months (Starting from 1 October 2013)Call for Proposals - 10 May 2013Deadline for accepting research proposals - 31 August 2013Approval of the research project - 15 September 2013Commencement of the Project - 1 October 2013Submission of Progress Report and Review Meeting - March 2014 (Date to be communicated)Final Report - 31 August 2014

Budget

Each researcher will be granted US $ 3,000 (or an equivalent amount in the local currency) for carrying out the research. This grant will be paid in two instalments. First instalment (50%) will be paid after submitting the progress report in the Review Meeting which will be convened by the SAARC Cultural Centre. Final instalment (50%) will be paid on the submission of the completed Research report.

Besides, the SAARC Cultural Centre will also provide economy class airfare to all researchers (from outside Sri Lanka), to participate in the Review Meeting and present their progress report. Local hospitality to all outstation researchers will also be provided by the SAARC Cultural Centre participating in the Review Meeting.