Open Call: ALC Knowledge Exchange Programme

Deadline: 16-Oct-2026

The African Laser Centre Knowledge Exchange Programme is inviting applications to support South African and other African researchers in facilitating short-term knowledge exchange visits for Doctoral and Master’s students working in laser and photonics-related fields. The programme is designed to strengthen research capacity and knowledge transfer by enabling postgraduate students to undertake short-term exchange visits between South African and other African research institutions. Through these exchanges, students can gain hands-on research experience, access specialised equipment, and develop technical skills relevant to their research. The programme provides a maximum grant of R60,000 per project, with support available for eligible travel, accommodation, subsistence and experimental consumables. Institutional co-funding is mandatory, and applications seeking full funding across all expense categories will not be considered.

About the African Laser Centre Knowledge Exchange Programme

The African Laser Centre Knowledge Exchange Programme promotes research mobility and knowledge exchange among African research institutions in laser and photonics-related fields. The programme focuses specifically on supporting Doctoral and Master’s students through short-term visits that provide practical exposure to research facilities, specialised equipment and expertise that may not be available at their home institutions. Rather than supporting general research collaboration, the programme requires applicants to identify a specific student and clearly define the knowledge transfer objectives of the proposed exchange. What Is the Purpose of the Programme? The programme aims to facilitate practical knowledge exchange and research training for postgraduate students in Africa.

The initiative seeks to:

- Support short-term mobility of Doctoral and Master’s students. - Provide access to specialised laser and photonics research equipment. - Enable students to gain hands-on technical experience. - Facilitate transfer of specialised knowledge between research institutions. - Strengthen research capacity among African postgraduate students. - Promote collaboration between South African and other African research institutions. - Support students in developing skills directly relevant to their research projects. The emphasis is on a defined knowledge-transfer experience for an identified student rather than broad institutional collaboration. How Much Funding Is Available? The programme provides a maximum of R60,000 per project, approximately US$3,300. The funding may be used for eligible costs associated with the short-term exchange visit, including: - One return flight ticket. - Accommodation support of up to R8,000 per month. - Subsistence support of up to R300 per day. - Consumables for experimental work of up to R10,000. Applicants should structure their budgets carefully because institutional co-funding is required. Institutional Co-Funding Is Mandatory Institutional co-funding is a mandatory requirement of the programme. Applicants cannot request complete funding for every expense category. Applications requesting full financial support for all categories of expenditure will not be considered. The proposal should therefore clearly demonstrate the financial or in-kind contribution being provided by the participating institutions. This requirement ensures that the exchange is supported through shared institutional investment rather than relying entirely on the programme grant. Who Can Apply? Eligible applicants are researchers based at South African or other African research institutions.

Applicants must:

- Hold a Doctoral degree. - Have an established research track record. - Be affiliated with an eligible African research institution. - Apply in connection with a nominated Doctoral or Master’s student. - Work with a host researcher at the institution where the exchange will take place. The application must demonstrate the researcher’s capacity to facilitate the proposed knowledge exchange. Who Is the Programme Intended For? The programme is intended to support Doctoral and Master’s degree students registered at the applicant’s institution. The nominated student should have a strong academic record and be working in a field related to lasers or photonics. The proposed exchange should provide the student with a specific opportunity to gain knowledge, technical experience or access to specialised resources that directly support their research. Student Eligibility The student participating in the exchange must be registered for a Master’s or Doctoral degree at the applicant institution. Applicants should demonstrate that the nominated student has: - A strong academic record. - A relevant research project. - A clear need for the proposed knowledge exchange. - Specific learning or technical objectives. - A research need that can be addressed through the short-term visit. The student should therefore be central to the proposal rather than being included simply as a participant in a general institutional collaboration. Institutional Collaboration Requirements At least one of the collaborating institutions must be a South African-based higher education institution or science council. The exchange can involve South African and other African research institutions, provided the programme’s institutional requirements are met. The collaboration should provide a genuine opportunity for the nominated student to learn from the host institution and access expertise, equipment or research facilities relevant to their work. Joint Application by Applicant and Host Researchers Applications must be jointly completed and signed by both the applicant researcher and the host researcher. This requirement demonstrates that both institutions and researchers have agreed on the proposed exchange and its knowledge-transfer objectives.

Applications must also include:

- A letter of invitation from the host institution