Call for Research Proposals – Frontier Scholars Research Award 2025 (Pakistan)

Research Themes and Areas​

• Analyzing the Role of Afghan Refugees in the Supply Chain in Pakistan
• Refugee Labour Contribution in Natural Resource Extraction in Pakistan: A Case Study of the Mining Sector in Balochistan
• Refugee Healthcare Access in Balochistan, Pakistan: Evaluating Disaster Response Policies

Funding Information

• The selected FSRA candidates will receive a grant of 0.6 Million PKR. “Once the grants are allocated to the awardees, their research will be evaluated and supervised by the research supervisor for each research separately“

Phases of Research and Deliverables 

• Phase 1: Preparatory Phase
  • Tasks and Expected Deliverables:
    • Signing of Contract with ICRMS
      • Submission of Updated CV and a 100-word Biography
      • Attested Copies of Academic Documents and Bank Account Details
      • Preparation of Short Research Project Description (One Pager)
      • Successful Presentation of Proposal in Defense
• Phase 2: Proposal Refinement and Approval
  • Tasks and Expected Deliverables:
    • Revision of Proposal based on Evaluators’ Feedback and Key Performance Indicators
      • Revised Proposal Incorporating Evaluators’ Feedback and Key Performance Indicators
      • Development of Research Activity Timeline and Milestones
• Phase 3: Research Execution
  • Tasks and Expected Deliverables:
    • Submission of 1st Progress Report for Release of First Tranche of Funding
    • Submission of 2nd Progress Report and Field Data
    • Development of 1st Draft of the Paper
• Phase 4: Paper Refinement and Finalization
  • Tasks and Expected Deliverables:
    • Presentation of the First Draft in a Defense
    • Revision of Final Draft Incorporating Evaluators’ Feedback
    • Submission of Paper following ICRMS Journal Guidelines
      • Successful Presentation of the First Draft in Defense
      • Revised Final Draft of the Paper
• Phase 5: Reporting and Documentation
  • Tasks and Expected Deliverables:
    • Development of Final Research Report
    • Creation of 2-5 Minute Video Documentary of the Research Project
    • Preparation of Research Budget Utilization Report
    • Submission of Final Research Report in Hard Form for Release of Second Tranche of Funding
      • Final Research Report
      • 2-5 Minute Video Documentary
      • Research Budget Utilization Report
      • Submission of Final Research Report in Hard Form

Eligibility Criteria

• FSRA targets academics and professional experts holding a Ph.D. with at least 1, 3, or 5 publications in W, X or Y categories of  Higher Education Commission (HEC) recognized journals, or upto five (05) years’ field work experience respectively. This category is aimed at seasoned researchers, emphasizing the importance of their contributions to the field.

Selection Process

• Call for Proposals Announcement:
  • ICRMS issues a formal Call for Proposals, inviting scholars and researchers to submit their research proposals based on the specified thematic areas and eligibility criteria.
• Proposal Submission:
  • Interested applicants submit their research proposals, along with required documents such as CV, work plan, timeline, and proposal format, to the designated submission portal.
• Initial Screening:
  • The submitted proposals undergo an initial screening process to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria and adhere to the specified format by ICRMS staff.
• UNHCR Screening:
  • The initial shortlisted proposals are sent to UNHCR for further screening and those aligned with UNHCR’s mandate are nominated for selection.
• Final Selection:
  • The expert review panel based on ICRMS, UNHCR, and Academic Evaluators evaluates and selects the submitted proposals based on criteria such as relevance to thematic areas, clarity of objectives, feasibility, methodological rigor, innovation, and potential impact.
• Notification of Results:
  • Selected applicants are notified of their successful selection and provided with detailed instructions regarding the next steps, including the signing of contracts, submission of additional documents, and commencement of the research project.
• Publication of Results:
  • ICRMS announces the selected research projects publicly and may also publish the list of selected applicants on its website or through other communication channels.
• Proposal Defense:
  • Selected applicants are invited to defend their proposals in front of the expert review panel. During the defense, applicants present their research plans, address panel members’ queries, and provide additional clarifications.

For more information, visit ICRMS.