Good funding news

PRIO has recently been enjoying a spate of funding successes. We all know how much hard work goes into a good proposal – that also goes for the ones that receive negative news – a good reason to share some good news in this hectic weeks at the end of the year.

Two PRIO researchers now have the means to undertake post-doctoral projects from next year. Ragnhild Nordås’ project on ‘Inside Insurgencies: Organization, Motives, and Prospects for Peace’ has received a personal post-doc stipend from the Research Council’s hugely over-subscribed programme for independent basic research (FRISAM), and Kristin B. Sandvik’s project on ‘Regulating Cyberwar: Understanding Challenges to Norwegian Security and International Law’ succeeded in winning the MoD’s biennial post-doc stipend against tough competition. Congratulations to both of them.

I’m also very encouraged by a request to revise and resubmit a project on ‘Islamic Approaches to Poverty Reduction’ to the RCN’s NORGLOBAL (PovPeace) committee, and am very optimistic that the requested revisions are achievable. The three year project will include a PhD position for Kaja Borchgrevink, a part-time engagement for Marta Erdal and will be led by myself.

Furthermore, PRIO’s middle-east profile received a boost when the MFA decided to fund Dag Tuastad and Mareah Peoples’ ‘Egypt at the Rafah Border and the Prospect of Gaza’, and we hope for further success later.

Also, though we were very disappointed to not be on the list of successful projects funded by the first call of the INDNOR programme (cooperation between India and Norway), it seems four of the five PRIO submitted are still in with a chance and will be re-evaluated in December for possible funding. Fingers crossed.

This is a success list with a remarkable gender profile, contributing significantly to our strategic aim that women qualify at the senior levels. This would entail a total of two post-docs (Kristin and Ragnhild), one doctoral scholarship and one part-time position for a fresh doctor, and one project for a junior researcher (Mareah).

Of course, many researchers have been working hard on applications to funders that ultimately, for whatever reason, don’t receive funding, and I hope we can maintain our motivation, emboldened by other successes, to keep improving and revising our proposals for submission to other funding opportunities next year.