CHEd to invest up to P15M each for 76 research projects

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) announced on Tuesday that it would fund 76 research proposals through the Discovery-Applied Research and Extension for Trans/Inter-disciplinary Opportunities (DARE TO) research grants program with a financial support of up to P15 million for each project for a duration of two years.

Of the 229 proposals from across the country, only 76 made the cut after multiple and rigorous rounds of screening.

Forty-one of the 76 proposals came from Luzon, 10 from Visayas and 25 from Mindanao, focusing on health systems, environment, terrestrial and marine economy, climate change and energy, economy, biodiversity and conservation, smart analytics and engineering innovations, and education for science, technology, engineering, arts, and music or STEAM.

“The goal of the grant is to seek out truly groundbreaking and inspiring research. Most of the faculty we have in universities are very talented, and we want to dare them to take that leap,” CHEd research management division chief Custer Deocaris said in a statement.

CHEd Chairperson Patricia Licuanan also noted that the DARE TO program was part of CHEd’s initiatives to assist faculty and staff who were adversely affected by the transition to K to 12.

“At the same time, we are investing strategically in bold, innovative trans-disciplinary or multi-disciplinary research that can solve current socioeconomic challenges and produce sustainable solutions,” Licuanan said.

While the maximum grant amount is P15 million, not all projects will receive this amount. CHEd said that it will provide research funds “based on the financial plan submitted with each proposal,” which the Commission “required appropriate justification for operational expenses and items to be acquired for the whole duration of each research project.”

See the complete list of approved research proposals here./rga