/ University Grants Commission of Bangladesh
Office of the Project Director
Higher Education QualityEnhancement Project
Dhaka Trade Centre (8th Floor)
99, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue,Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215
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Fax: 02-8189021

No.UGC/HEQEP/AIF-SPP Call/2010-86/1866 Date: 08 November 2014

Invitation for Proposals for (i) University-Industry Research Collaboration under Windows 4-Innovation Fund, and (ii) Technology Transfer Office (TTO) under Window 3

The higher education institutions of the country which have fulfilled the eligibility criteria for receiving the AIF grants are hereby invited to submit Subproject Proposals under the following two windows to the respective University AIF Secretariat by 08January2015.

  1. University-Industry Research Collaboration, Window 4
  1. Background

Education disseminates known knowledge. Research converts money into knowledge. Innovation converts knowledge into money. As far as this education-research-innovation chain is concerned, AIF, established under the HEQEP, has been successful in generating a culture of researchandinnovationand improving the quality of higher education in Bangladesh. It has also enhanced the quality of the research infrastructure in the selected departments and faculties of universities in Bangladesh. This has provided a platform now tomove forward to the next level. The logical steps will be to increasing the market relevance of research, and to improve the innovation capacity within Bangladesh by fostering productive and progressive university-industry interaction. The ultimate aim will be to create and sustain a robust national innovation ecosystem in Bangladesh, which will lead to accelerated growth and development.Considering the special dynamics of the innovation process, the AIF component of HEQEP created a new window, Window 4 to be known as innovation fund (IF), to accomplish the aforementioned task.

2. Objectives and Expected Results of the “Innovation Fund”:

  1. Make university research both excellent and relevant at the same time;
  2. Create enabling conditions for university-industry research collaboration aiming at building innovation ecosystem;Buildhome-grown industrial products and processes based on cutting edge research to endow Bangladesh’s industries competitive edge;
  3. Generation of intellectual property;
  4. Provide the university students and the faculty access to the sophisticated instrumentation and experimental facilities in industry; and
  5. Increase employability of PhD students based on the significant exposure for industrial problem solving.

The Innovation Fund will be provided for two sets of activities: (i) university-industry collaborative research; and (ii) industrial research fellowship. The two activities will be mutually dependent upon each other and implemented under the same subproject. While the university-industry collaborative research grants could be utilized for: (a) formation of joint innovative research designs aimed at increasing productivity and innovation in industries; (b) revamping of university laboratories and workshops with state-of-the-art scientific instruments for conducting cutting edge research aimed at innovation; and (c) strengthening of linkages with the industries.

(ii) Industrial research fellowships will be awarded to full-time PhDs, part time workplace PhDs and post-doctorate fellows to engage them in the joint research/bench work undertaken by the subproject.

3.The Areas and Disciplines for Submitting Proposal:

The Window 4 IF resources will be granted to fund collaborative researches on the following science and technology disciplines and industrial areas: (1) Biological, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences; (2) Engineering and Technology (machine tools, electronics, robotics, mechatronics and electric appliances); (3) Agriculture (including, but not limited to, Agro-processing, Farm Mechanization, Crops, Seeds, Livestock, Veterinary, Fisheries, Poultry, Apiculture, Floriculture and Horticulture); (4) Information and Communication Technology (ICT); and (5) Textile and Leather technologies.

4.Proposal Submission

The subproject proposals will have to be submitted in prescribed formats known as Complete Proposals (CP) at the University AIF Secretariat (UAIFS) in case of public universities and at the AIF Management Unit (AIFMU) in case of private universities by the proposal submitting entities, e.g., universities, departments, faculties, institutes and centers or combinations of two or more of the entities. Individual faculty members are not eligible for submitting proposals. All proposal submitting entities are requested to consult the IF Operations Manual (IFOM ) Window 4 prior to submission of the complete proposals (CPs). Proposal submitting entities will have to submit Complete Proposals (CPs) to the UAIFS/AIFMU in a in eight weeks time from the date of this proposal call. The CPs will have to be submitted in ten copies in 80 grams A4 size paper along with two soft copies in CD (Ms Word & Excel, not in PDF). The CP formats are available in the IFOM hosted on HEQEP website: A formal MoU between University and the partner Industry in a prescribed template, given in IFOM, has to be submitted along with the proposal.

  1. Proposal Evaluation

The submitted CPs shall be evaluated by peer reviewers according to a transparent evaluation/selection criteria who would form an Innovation Review Panel (IRP) set up by the University Grants Commission. The total proposal selection process would take 17 weeks from the date of proposal call. CPs will be finally selected for IF award by UGC Board of AIF (UGCBAIF). Winning entities will have to sign a Performance Contractwith UGCfor triggering fund disbursement.

  1. Amount of AIF Grants

The total amount of IFgrants available is estimated BDT 98.00 crores. The IF amount allocated to a singlesubproject will be maximum BDT 7.80 crores.

  1. Financial Management

All AIFgrant recipient institutions shall generally follow the relevant rules and regulations of GoB in financial management of the sub-projects. However, institutions will be required to comply with IDA’s procurement guidelines in addition to GoB’s Public Procurement Rules, 2008, where applicable. The HEQEP Unit (HEQEPU) would provide all kinds of technical support to the universities for carrying out the subproject implementation activities.

  1. Performance Contract

All Window 4IFgrant recipient institutions shall execute a contract with UGCafter awards have been announced by UGC.Disbursement of grants to awarded institutions shall commence after the contract has been signed by the concerned parties.

  1. IF Operations Manual

The Operations Manual for IF(IFOM) describes in detail the procedure to be followed bythe universities, industry and their faculty members for participating in the IF competition and implementation of TTO subprojects under Window 3. The IFOM hasalready been hosted on UGC’s website the Project’s website The printed copies of the Operations Manual will bemade available to all the universitiesby the project

  1. Technology Transfer Office (TTO), Window 3
  1. Background

In order to create a robust and sustainable university-industry interaction system, a linkage agent or an interface between the two is required. Worldwide, it is a common practice to have an effective Technology Transfer Office (TTO) at the university which fulfills this purpose. The TTO will assist in maintaining, valuing, and transacting the transfer of all marketable intellectual assets (such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, designs, etc.) of the university to industry as well as spurring the creation of new science and technology led businesses. The TTOs also plays a role of facilitator to develop networks between academics and business firms and industries and enhance exchange of information and ideas. The TTOs should fulfill the following functions:

a)Assist the academics in converting the research products and innovations, into intellectual property in the form of patents, copyrights, etc.;

b)Train academics in Intellectual Property (IP) management and securing IP rights for the institution created by them;

c)Maintain securely such intellectual assets of the university by preventing intentional or unintentional infringement;
d)Perform all such acts that will help monetize these intellectual assets by creating brand, marketing, start-up business,in other words. Facilitatetechnology transfer and its commercialization.;
e)Design, negotiate and execute the technology transfer and licensing agreements with the industry and business firms;
f)Facilitate creating of commercial arm for the university; and,
g)Help create a greater awareness of business opportunities within the university students, faculty and management.
  1. Proposal Submission

Proposal submission and selection process forTTOwill be same as in Innovation Fundas provided in the IFOM. Proposals from the interested universities will be reviewed and evaluated by specialists and finally selected by the UGC.

The subproject proposals will have to be submitted in prescribed formats known as Complete Proposals (CP) at the University AIF Secretariat (UAIFS) in case of public universities and at the AIF Management Unit (AIFMU) in case of private universities by the proposal submitting entities, e.g., universities, institutes and centers. Only one proposal will be considered from a university. Individual faculty members and department are not eligible for submitting proposals.

  1. Amount of AIF Grants for TTO

AIF grants up to Taka 20.0 million will be awarded for each finally selected subproject on a competitive basis.

  1. TTO Operations Manual

There is no separate Operations Manual for TTO. All proposal submitting entities are requested to consult the IF Operations Manual (IFOM )prior to submission of the complete proposals (CPs). Proposal submitting entities will have to submit Complete Proposals (CPs) to the UAIFS/AIFMU in eight weeks time from the date of this proposal call. The total proposal selection process would take 17 weeks from the date of proposal call. The CPs will have to be submitted in ten copies in 80 grams A4 size paper along with two soft copies in CD (Ms Word & Excel, not in PDF).

  1. Help Desk

For further information, interested institutions and faculty members are requested to contactthe following project officialsby e-mail and phone:

(i)Md. Korban Ali, AIF Coordinator

e-mail: ; Mobile: 01712 599 821

(ii)Md. Mostaque Hassan, Senior Program Officer (M&E) (forPerformance Indicator and Environmental Management issues). e-mail: ; Mobile: 01914882145

(iii)Md. Mohsin, Senior Procurement Officer (for Procurement Plan and Procurement Management issues). e-mail: ; Mobile: 01711161926

(iv)AhmadulHaque, Finance Officer (for Budget and Financial Management issues)

e-mail: ; Mobile: 01711241344

(vi) Gazi Md. Nazrul Islam, Program Officer (Innovation) ( for CP preparation and Submission)

e-mail: , Cell: 01675501463

(vii)Dr. Abutaher M. Ziauddin, AIF Management Specialist (for over all CP preparation)

e-mail: , cell o1711192664

Md. ZahangirAlamndc

Project Director (Additional Secretary)

Phone: 02-8189020

e-mail: