ALF KNOWLEDGE FOR ACTION: Open Call for Participation! - Second Edition

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We no longer receive applications for this call.

TRANSFORM YOUR RESEARCH INTO ACTIONABLE INITIATIVES

PRODUCE EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH AND SHARE KEY FINDINGS AT BOTH NATIONAL AND EURO-MED LEVELS

Application deadline: 3 March 2024 (23:59 Central European Time)

Date of the Info-session: Thursday, 15 February at 17:00 PM (CET)
Place: On Zoom, no pre-registration needed!
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81862849192

Purpose

The ALF Knowledge for Action Programme is designed to promote the production of evidence-based and policy-oriented research that addresses relevant dimensions of Intercultural Dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The programme seeks to enhance collaboration between research/academic institutions (think-tanks, specialised centers, and universities) and civil society organisations. This collaboration is emphasised through the production of briefs or papers adressing the following topics:

  • Peacebuilding, conflict resolution/prevention, coexistence and inclusive dynamics
  • Disinformation and misinformation in the Euro-Mediterranean region
  • Living together in the Euro-Mediterranean context
  • Youth engagement in participatory dialogues and decision making processes in the Euro-Med
  • Ethics and governance of Artificial Intelligence technologies in the Euro-Mediterranean region
  • Social innovation as a catalyst for social inclusion in culturally diverse Euro-Med societies
  • Empowering women in the Euro-Med region as a way to challenge gender stereotypes
  • Integrating social dimensions in climate change policies in the EuroMed region
  • International cultural relations and cultural diplomacy to bridge both shores of the Mediterranean

Read the Call in PDF format here

This call is closed now.

APPLY HERE

Benefits

1. Financial Support 
Upon successfully incorporating peer-reviewers’ recommendations, authors will receive a lump sum allocation of 900 euro** for selected brief and 1.500 euro** for selected paper, respectively. These fixed sums apply regardless of the number of authors involved.
2. Publication and Dissemination
The best briefs and papers will be published by the ALF and strategically disseminated on a Euro-Mediterranean scale through dedicated outreach campaigns.
3. National Outreach Events
Selected authors have the opportunity to organise outreach events at the national level to share the main findings of their work. An additional lump sum, up to 700 euro**, will be allocated based on the nature of the proposed outreach event.
4. Participating in ALForum 2025
Outstanding authors will be selected to organise a parallel session during the ALForum in early 2025. This session will consist of four relevant Euro-Mediterranean stakeholders. The ALF Secretariat will cover the costs of travel and accommodation for all the participants.

(**) The programme does not foresee pre-financing payments.

Process

Interested authors, affiliated with research, academic or specialised institutions, can submit their concepts via the available online form* only {APPLY HERE} before March 3, 2024 23.59 CET. Briefs concepts or papers concepts must be in English and should include:

  • Title
  • A short explanation of the theme, identified challenges, research objectives and their added value
  • Euro-Mediterranean aspects of the proposed brief or paper, specifying how the proposed research is relevant to the region
  • Envisaged modalities of cooperation with civil society organisations, specifying their role

Selected authors will be given a three-month window period to further develop and refine their initial applications, which will then undergo a thorough peer review process. Following the review, authors will have one month to incorporate the feedback and recommendations received from the peer review process into a final version of their work. This procedure is designed to ensure that the published material contributes meaningfully to the academic discourse in the relevant field, while also allowing for a rigorous examination of the content before dissemination to broader audiences.

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria will be based on the quality of the applications received. Priority will be given to leading authors affiliated to research, academic or specialised institutions members of the Anna Lindh Foundation from the 43 Euro-Mediterranean Member States of the UfM. A gender, youth and geographical balance between regions and countries will be observed. For the evaluation process, the following elements will be considered:

  • Added value of the proposed research approach concerning the chosen topic [30%]
  • Euro-Mediterranean scope of the proposed brief or paper [20%]
  • Innovative modalities of cooperation with CSOs and the role assigned to them [25%]
  • Background of the author/s in the specific field of the proposed brief or paper [25%]

The research work must be original and must not have been previously published. The ALF maintains co-ownership of the final knowledge product's publishing rights and intellectual property.

Indicative Timeline

In case of deadline extension, the indicative timeline will be impacted

28/01/24 Launch of the call

13/02/24 Online information session (details will be published on the ALF website)

03/03/24 23:59 Central European Time (CET) Deadline to submit briefs or papers concepts

24/03/24 Announcement of the preselected briefs or papers concepts

02/04/24 Zoom meeting with the authors to share common ground

16/06/24 Deadline to submit briefs or paper proposals

June Communication of peer-review recommendations

28/07/24 Deadline to submit the final briefs or papers incorporating recommendations

August Contracts signature***

September Organisation of outreach events at the national level         

October Online meeting with to evaluate the results of the call

2025 Organisation of ALForum parallel sessions

(***): Only the applications that have been successfully concluded the final peer review process will be entitled to receive the allocated lump sums

Definitions

  • Policy briefs are a key tool to present research and recommendations designed to facilitate policymaking by evaluating policy options regarding a specific issue. They explain the urgency of a given issue, present findings, and provide recommendations. The policy briefs are audience-driven and their length should be between 2.000 and 2.500 words (excluding tables/graphs/illustrations).
  • Policy papers are policy-oriented publications presenting a clear rationale, an in-depth analysis and adopting a “problem / solution-based” and outlining public policy recommendations.  Policy Papers raise awareness of tackled issues among non-academic audience, experts and policy specialists, among others. They should be between 6.000 and 7.000 words (excluding tables/graphs/illustrations)

Basic Structure of The Content

Briefs

  1. Title
  2. Executive Summary: around 150 words aiming to grab the reader’s attention
  3. Introduction: introducing the rationale, the context and the relevance of the topic.
  4. Approach and results: providing two main elements – straight to the point: the research approach and the research results
  5. Policy Implications and recommendations: Providing are feasible, operational, realistic recommendations.
  6. References: list of the sources consulted (bibliography)

Papers

  1. Title
  2. Executive Summary: around 400 words aiming to grab the reader’s attention.
  3. Introduction: introducing the rationale, the context and the relevance of the topic.
  4. Methodology. Narrating the research methodology and data collection.
  5. Discussion and analysis of research findings: his section should interpret the data in a way that is accessible and clearly connected to the policy advice.
  6. Policy Implications and policy recommendations: Providing recommendations that are feasible, operational, realistic and potential consequences of particular policies, if any
  7. Conclusion: Returning to the big picture or the motive of the research analysis to remind the reader of the importance of the analysis.
  8. References: list of the sources consulted (bibliography)

Framework And Financial Allocation

This Programme is developed in the framework of the Action Grant NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2022/434-371 in accordance with the Anna Lindh Foundation Multiannual Work Programme 2022-2025. The indicative overall amount allocated to this call is 96.000 euro. The ALF Secretariat reserves the right not to disburse all available funds.