The Maldives National University (MNU) has awarded research and book writing grants to 14 individuals as part of its efforts to foster academic research and literary contributions. The grants were distributed to encourage research activities among the university’s academic staff and students and to create a more conducive environment for scholarly work, according to the university.
As part of the programme, MNU awarded research grants to 10 individuals, while four writers received grants for book writing. These awards are part of MNU's ongoing efforts to promote the research sector, which began in 2014. The initiative aims to support researchers in their academic endeavours and enhance the university's research output, the university said.
According to MNU, the research grants are also available to current full-time degree students at the university. The selection process for these grants is rigorous, with proposals needing approval from the MNU Research Grant Committee and the Book Writing Grant Committee. All proposals must adhere to the university's established guidelines, it said.
The research grants are categorised into three levels: the first category offers up to USD 648, the second category ranges between USD 648 and USD 6,485, and the third category covers between USD 6,485 and USD 64,852. Similarly, book writing grants are divided into three categories: the first up to USD 648, the second between USD 648 and USD 3,242, and the third between USD 3,242 and USD 6,485.
In the first round of grants for this year, MNU has disbursed approximately USD 116,733 to students and faculty for conducting research and research projects, it said. Additionally, around USD 17,346 has been allocated for book writing grants.