Supporting projects and international partnerships
Academics Without Borders issues call for project proposals
Academics Without Borders (AWB) recently issued a call for project proposals, offering a unique opportunity for University of Manitoba faculty to collaborate with partner institutions from around the world.
AWB is a non-profit organization that supports capacity development in higher education in developing countries, sending volunteers from Canada and other countries to support local initiatives. Projects focus on a number of areas in which institutions of higher education are involved.
Dr. Maureen Flaherty, associate professor in Peace and Conflict Studies at St. Paul’s College at UM, participated in an AWB-funded project to further develop the capacity of a university in Ukraine to engage in practical research.
“My colleagues in Ukraine and I had been discussing how we might further develop teaching qualitative research methods at Lviv Polytechnic National University (LPNU), and so we decided together to apply,” says Flaherty, also acting director of the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies in the UM’s Faculty of Arts.
Some of the project’s short-term objectives were to facilitate a workshop on participatory research for instructors at LPNU and collaborating community members, and to collaboratively develop university curriculum and a course manual on the topic for LPNU instructors. Longer-term objectives were to expand the scope of LPNU’s graduate research program and the university’s capacity to engage in practical research with the community.
“We are always looking for opportunities to work with international partners,” says Flaherty. “Whether you are interested in working with new partners or existing partners, if you have a project in mind that will further the development of another institution, it may well be worth an application to AWB for support.” If you do not have an existing project in mind, she adds, you can volunteer your expertise, providing the opportunity to build relationships.
The International Centre can assist with the proposal process. Applicants must submit a proposal to the International Centre by March 2. The national submission deadline is March 9.
“Our own International Centre is an amazing resource in these kinds of applications,” notes Flaherty.
For more information about Academics Without Borders opportunities, contact cameron [dot] zywina [at] umanitoba [dot] ca or visit the International Centre website.
Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.