Second Call for PhD Research Grant Program - ReCIPE Programme
Programme Context
The Reducing Conflict and Improving Performance in the Economy (ReCIPE) Programme invites applications for its second Call for PhD Research Grants. The programme supports high-quality doctoral research that advances understanding of how economic growth, or the lack thereof, interacts with conflict, fragility, and peace, with strong emphasis on policy relevance in low- and middle-income countries.
Funding Details
PhD Research Grants of up to £15,000 are available to support well-defined, policy-relevant doctoral research. All funded projects must be completed within 12 months from the award date.
Eligible Use of Funds
Grant funds may be used for:
- Research assistance
- Data collection or data purchase
- Stipends to reduce teaching or administrative duties (capped based on country income classification where the PhD programme is based)
- Travel to field sites (even when secondary data is used, provided activities are clearly justified and cost-effective)
All budget items must be fully itemised, justified, and adhere to the PhD Budget Guidelines, with cost effectiveness and value for money as important evaluation criteria.
Research Themes
Proposals must align with one or more of the programme's priority themes:
- Public policies for peace
- Private and public investment and peace
- Institutions, democracy and peace
- Geoeconomics
- Climate change, natural resources and conflict
- Information and conflict (including social media, public opinion, big data and forecasting)
- Ethnic diversity and nation-building
- Peacemaking, peacebuilding and reconstruction
- Gender inequality and conflict
Proposals addressing ReCIPE's cross-cutting issues generation of new data, natural resources and climate change, and gender equality and inclusion will receive particular attention.
Eligibility Requirements
- Eligibility is limited exclusively to PhD students currently enrolled in a doctoral programme at the time of application
- Applicants may be based anywhere in the world
- Proposals involving researchers based at Russian institutions are not eligible due to current sanctions
- A mandatory letter of support from the PhD supervisor must be submitted within two weeks after the application deadline
Policy Focus and Geographic Scope
Strong emphasis is placed on policy relevance for ReCIPE Focus Countries. Proposals focused on other countries must clearly demonstrate how research findings will inform policy debates in at least one ReCIPE Focus Country. Multidisciplinary collaborations are strongly encouraged, particularly between researchers from lower- and higher-income countries.
Research Design and Ethics
Projects involving in-country research in conflict or post-conflict settings must address:
- Feasibility and realistic timelines
- Security and safety considerations
- Ethical approval requirements
- Contingency plans for potential delays or restrictions
Reporting and Outputs
All funded projects are subject to structured reporting, including:
- Interim and final narrative reports
- Financial documentation
- Submission of a policy-oriented research brief
- Submission of a working paper
Outputs are expected to contribute to both academic debates and policy dialogue.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals are assessed based on:
- Research quality and originality
- Policy relevance, particularly for ReCIPE Focus Countries
- Feasibility within the proposed 12-month timeline
- Value for money and justified budgets
- Contribution to expanding knowledge at the intersection of economic growth, conflict, and public policy
- Clear link or contribution to the literature on economic growth and policies
Application Requirements
- Proposals must be submitted via the CEPR Hub portal using the templates provided
- Applicants must read and adhere to ReCIPE's Code of Conduct for Researchers, CEPR's Conflict of Interest Policy, Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy, and Privacy Policy
- PhD supervisor letter of support must be sent to recipe@cepr.org within two weeks after the deadline