Call for Research Proposals: AURG 2026
Call for Research Proposals
Annual University Research Grant (AURG) FY 2026-27
The Royal University of Bhutan (RUB), through the Research and Development Division, Department of Academic and Research Services (R&D Division, DeARS), invites research proposals for the Annual University Research Grant (AURG) 2026 from eligible faculty and staff of RUB.
The AURG 2026 has been revised to emphasise research impact, with a specific focus on policy relevance, innovation, and practical interventions aligned with national and institutional priorities. The grant no longer emphasises capacity-building components or categorisation of faculty and grant types.
Objective
The AURG aims to support high-quality research projects that generate new knowledge and demonstrate clear potential to:
- inform or influence policy and decision-making,
- promote innovation, and/or
- deliver practical interventions with societal, institutional, or sectoral relevance.
Eligibility
- All Regular, Fixed-Term, Contract, and Adjunct staff of RUB colleges are eligible to apply.
- Fixed-Term, Contract, and Adjunct staff must include at least one Regular staff member as Co-Investigator to ensure project continuity.
- A staff member may serve as Principal Investigator (PI) for only one AURG project in 2026.
- A PI may additionally serve as a team member in only one other AURG project.
- No staff member may be involved in more than two AURG projects concurrently.
Nature of Research Supported
Proposals should clearly demonstrate:
- defined impact pathways (policy, innovation, and/or intervention),
- strong methodological rigor and ethical compliance,
- relevance to teaching, learning, or discipline-specific advancement, and
- alignment with College and University research priority areas.
Team-based and multidisciplinary research is encouraged.
Proposal Submission
- Proposals must be submitted using the AURG Application Form (Annexure A) through the DRIL Office of the respective College.
- Submission of proposal to DRIL Office: End March 2026
- Submission of proposals by the DRIL Office to R&D, DeARS: Mid-March 2026
- Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.
Review and Selection
All eligible proposals will undergo initial screening by the DRIL Office with support from the College Research Committee (CRC), followed by a blind peer-review process. Final funding decisions will be made by the Evaluation Committee based on reviewers’ recommendations.
Enquiries
For further information, please contact the DRIL Office of your respective College or Research and Development, Department of Academic and Research, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Royal University of Bhutan.
