Grants

The Central Asia Research and Training Initiative (CARTI) is a regional HESP program that promotes the development of indigenous capacities for original scholarly and academic work and internationalization of scholarship in the region of Central Asia including, but not limited to, the post-Soviet states of Central Asia and Mongolia. In working to enhance independent research of university-based academics, CARTI is committed to innovation in, and enrichment of, university teaching in the humanities and social sciences, and emphasizes the role of research in the development of academics as scholars in the classroom.

CARTI provides advanced training and networking opportunities, and supports innovative scholarly work of motivated young academics in their home environment. With CARTI support, fellows engage state-of-the-art resources, theories, methodologies, and approaches to research and teaching in the subjects and areas of importance to the scholarly and social development in the region, and develop positions of academic leadership in the region.

Junior Fellowships support young individuals in early stages of their formal doctoral studies (such as aspirantura) and focus on development of ideas and skills for high quality research work. Junior Fellowships serve as medium for testing and challenging the theories, methods and assumptions in the core of the individual research projects, while at the same time guiding and assisting the Fellows in their first independent large-scale research efforts.

The program provides fellows opportunities for the following:

• enhancing familiarity with the state of the art in their disciplines and understanding of the current thinking in their fields, improving access to seminal scholarship, relevant international expertise and contemporary debates within the international scholarly community;
• advanced training in and practice of contemporary methodologies and tools for scholarly research and approaches to teaching and curriculum development;
• conducting individual and collaborative original, innovative and high-quality research with critical discussion and peer feedback on the research process and outcomes;
• applying research experience and outcomes to development of teaching and curriculum at the region's universities and promoting research work as integral part of students' learning;
• peer collaboration and mobility on regional and international level;
• development of skills and venues for publicizing scholarly work.

CARTI fellowships are typically awarded for up to 24 months, with ongoing review and evaluation procedures in place. A fellowship offers funding for the following:

• research activities, communication, access to necessary equipment and resources;
• exchange visits between fellows and the International Scholars (all CARTI fellows are encouraged and are eligible to receive funding to spend up to one academic semester at the home institution of the International Scholar during the term of the fellowship);
• a stipend;
• a training program including workshops, a summer school, and various academic activities in subject groups;
• teaching and curriculum development activities available to Senior Fellows.

Eligibility

Candidates for the Junior Fellowships must hold a diploma of higher education (at least a specialist or master's level or the equivalent) and be formally registered at a doctoral studies program (PhD or equivalent program, such as aspirantura, leading towards a first doctoral, such as a candidate of science degree) in social sciences or humanities in the region, or anticipate to obtain such formal registration within the first six months of the fellowship.

The program is open to citizens who are also residents of one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.

To Apply

Fellowships are awarded through an open competition based on an academic review of the applications, consisting of an application form, project proposal, academic references, and supporting documents. Application information and materials are distributed free of charge by the OSI-Budapest office and regional and local partners of the Soros Foundations Network. Preference in selection is given to younger candidates.

An application form is also available for download below.

Deadline

October 25, 2007

Contact Information

Open Society Institute / International Higher Education Support Program
Central Asia Research and Training Initiative
Október 6. u.12.
Budapest 1051 Hungary
Tel: +36 1 327 3854
Fax: +36 1 411 4401
Email: carti@osi.hu

Oleksandr Shtokvych
Senior Program Manager
Email: oshtokvych@osi.hu

Edit Köblös
Program Coordinator
Email: ekoblos@osi.hu