We are very excited to announce a new partnership TIRF has formed with Words Up Your Way in The People’s Republic of China. Over the next three years, the Foundation will be offering the TIRF Masters Research Grants (MRG) Program to masters-level students in specific Chinese-speaking regions of the world.

TIRF would like to thank our partner, Words Up Your Way (WUYW), for its generous support of this exciting new program. Mr. Zhou Jian, Chief Executive Officer at WUYW, and his team at the company are dedicated to the language education profession and believe that funding this grant program will deliver positive benefits to masters-level students in China who are embarking on a career in the field of English language education.

In 2019, TIRF will consider masters-level research proposals from individuals enrolled in masters programs at universities in Chinese-speaking contexts. During the pilot year, applications will be accepted from masters students in Chinese-speaking contexts, including individuals living in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Funding during the pilot year is intended to support worthy applicants who have had their MA thesis proposals accepted by a supervisor or supervisory committee.

There are two levels of Masters Research Grants (MRGs) that will be offered in 2020 and 2021; however, for the 2019 competition, only Level-One Grants will be awarded:

  • Level-One Grants: The first level would target students who have been admitted to MA programs and have had their MA thesis research proposals approved by their supervisor or supervisory committee.
  • Level-Two Grants: The second level would target MA students who received funding at the first level, completed their research, and wish to disseminate their results at well-known conferences internationally and in China.

In the first year (the pilot year), all funding will be awarded to applicants at the first level. In subsequent years, annual funding will be allocated to both types of grants. In addition, we wish to point out that there is a cap on the number of proposals TIRF will accept for review during the first year of the MRG program. TIRF will review only the first 100 viable proposals it receives before the deadline, after which time the competition will be closed and individuals will no longer be able to submit their applications for funding.

Commenting on the new TIRF-WUYW partnership, Mr. Zhou had the following to say: “The partnership between Words Up Your Way and TIRF will provide an excellent opportunity for masters-level students in China who are completing degrees in English. Through conducting research and disseminating their findings, students in China will have meaningful opportunities to engage in professional development, helping them become the leaders of our field in the future. On behalf of my colleagues at Words Up Your Way, we are excited about our new partnership with TIRF and the future of the Masters Research Grant program.”

TIRF would also like to acknowledge the wonderful support of Dr. Gu Xiangdong, Professor at Chongqing University in Chongqing, China, for her help in forging the relationship between TIRF and Words Up Your Way. Asked to comment on the MRG program, Prof. Gu said, “My wish is that this grant program will help many MA students in China explore their inner world and the outside world.”

Proposals and supervisors’ letters of support are due by Wednesday, April 24, 2019. Please click here to download the call-for-proposals.