For the fifth consecutive year, the Andean Development Corporation (CAF) today announced the opening of the Project to Support Research on Development Issues, for researchers from the Latin American region, with the objective of moving forward with the design of a regional development agenda. The theme on this occasion is an analysis of “The Challenge of Social Inclusion.

Miguel Castilla, CAF development strategies (acting) vice president, said that this activity was mainly aimed, though not exclusively, at researchers associated with universities, research institutes and other public and private institutions in Latin America. "In this respect, the invitation is also extended to teachers or postgraduate students in CAF shareholder countries who are working in institutions in the United States or Europe and whose work relates to Latin America."

Submissions will be considered which focus on studying ways of providing poor and excluded sectors with opportunities to generate wealth and benefit from the economic growth expected from the process of increased participation and productive transformation. Specifically, research will be financed which develops the following topics: microfinance; social investment funds and infrastructure for the poor; corporate social responsibility; strengthening of social capital; improvement of social expenditure programs; equity and tax progressivity; education; health; and labor market.

The selected submissions will receive financial support for their execution and the final papers will be presented in a local seminar and distributed in academic and research centers in the shareholder countries. Last year, in the fourth annual event, about 60 applications were received from candidates in the countries of the Andean Community, Argentina, Australia, Spain, United States, France, India and Mexico. The winning researchers were from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, United States, India and Venezuela.

Conditions of the program:

Interested researchers should visit the CAF website www.caf.comto evaluate the terms of reference. The submissions must have between 8 to 10 pages and include the following:

Title

Executive summary

Objectives and relevance for the region

Research methodology

Research scheme and timetable

Bibliography

The documents must be accompanied by the applicant’s resume and an application letter from the researcher’s institution or, in the case of postgraduate students, a letter from their academic advisers. The material must be sent by e-mail to desarrollo@caf.com.

CAF will grant US$6,000 to the selected submissions, and pay travel (economy-class) and lodging expenses for a seminar to be held in Caracas where the final papers will be presented.