We are pleased to announce the continuation of the TIRF-British Council Research Mentoring Awards (RMAs) program. The RMAs, first offered last year, are designed to support new researchers and improve the quality of research undertaken by students in doctoral programs within the field of English language education on issues of mutual interest to TIRF and the British Council.
The RMAs are offered to doctoral students in more than 60 countries from four different geographic regions around the world: Africa, Latin America, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Continue reading to learn more about the goals of the program, eligibility criteria, the award timeline, and more.
Goals: The main goals of the Research Mentoring Awards are (1) to elevate the research capabilities of the mentees, thereby increasing the mentees’ ability to improve their skills as researchers, and (2) to support doctoral research supervisors in guiding their students’ research design and development.
Eligibility: Promising doctoral students who will have opportunities to influence pedagogy and research in the future in their home countries are encouraged to apply. Early-career doctoral students are welcome to apply, as are those who have applied for TIRF Doctoral Dissertation Grants (DDGs) in the past but have not been selected as DDG grant recipients. We welcome applications from admitted doctoral candidates in selected nations in Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America who are planning to do research on any of the topics listed below. The list of focal countries can be found by clicking here and selecting the “Eligibility” tab.
Topics: Applicants’ doctoral research areas must include one of the following topics: (1) Content-Based Instruction; (2) Digital Technology in Language Education; (3) English as a Medium of Instruction; (4) Language Assessment; (5) Language Planning and Policy; (6) Language Teacher Education; (7) Migrants and Refugees; (8) Plurilingualism in Business, Industry, the Professions, and Educational Contexts; (9) Research on Revitalization of Endangered Indigenous Languages; (10) Students’ Age and Effective English Language Education in Schools; and (11) Teaching English to Young Learners.
Mentoring: The mentoring sessions will be delivered online. They will include focused, small-group webinars, mentor-mentee pairing to facilitate tailored training, and feedback on research proposal drafts.
Participants: Four or five doctoral students will be selected for award. TIRF mentors will be identified for this pilot project, based on the research students’ interests and needs.
Timeline: Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2024. Recipients will be selected by July 31, 2024. Online meetings of TIRF mentors, the selected research students, and their university-based research supervisors will take place between August 2024 and January 2025.
Funding: RMA recipients will receive a stipend of $500, delivered after successful completion of the mentoring program.
Application Process: Application forms can be found by clicking here. Submit the application form, including a current copy of the doctoral candidate’s two-page curriculum vitae and the university research supervisor’s signed statement form by June 30, 2024 by clicking here.
All questions should be sent to [email protected].
