Writing the Research Proposal

A research proposal is similar in a number of ways to a project proposal; however, a research proposal addresses a
particular project: academic or scientific research. The forms and procedures for such research are well defined by
the field of study, so guidelines for research proposals are generally more exacting than less formal project
proposals. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews and must offer convincing support of need for
the research study being proposed. Doctoral dissertations begin with research proposal; the proposal must be
accepted by a panel of experts (usually professors) before the actual research can begin. In addition to providing
rationale for the proposed research, the proposal must described a detailed methodology for conducting the
research--a methodology consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field. The links below offer
explanations and examples of research proposals.

Call for proposals

The Summer University Program (SUN) of the Central European University (CEU) announces a
call for course proposals for its summer school held in Budapest, June 24 - July 26, 2013.
CLICK HERE to download the Call in MS Word format.
PROGRAM MISSION
The Summer University (SUN) of CEU is the extension of the universitys mission of promoting
research, teaching and social engagement by hosting high-level, research-oriented,
interdisciplinary and innovative academic courses as well as workshops on policy issues for
professional development in the social sciences and the humanities. The short, intensive courses,
taught by a team of distinguished international faculty (including CEU professors), are
advertised worldwide to attract graduate students, junior or post-doctoral researchers, teachers
and professionals. The teaching teams' joint expertise is shared with participants in a comparative
framework during the summer courses.
The program utilizes CEU's recognized regional expertise and its wider network, providing space
for academic networking between junior and senior scholars from a wide range of institutions
and discipline areas, often with long-term outcomes such as collaborative research projects, joint
publications, etc.
While previously SUN was aimed almost exclusively at junior faculty from Central and Eastern
Europe and countries of the former Soviet Union, we now encourage MA and Ph.D. students,
postdoctoral fellows, young faculty and researchers as well as professionals worldwide to
participate in our summer school. Scholarships are made available for those in need of financial
assistance on an academic merit basis with continued preference for applicants from postcommunist countries and emerging democracies.
HISTORY & KEY FACTS

To multiply the impact of CEU's mission, the SUN program was launched in 1996. Since the
inception of the program, the sixteen summer schools held so far hosted 293 courses taught by
more than 2,000 faculty members. SUN received approximately 22,000 applications, out of
which close to 8,500 were accepted. In any given year, the average number of countries
represented in a course is around 16, ensuring the truly and uniquely international nature of the
program.
Participants have been enrolled in the program so far from over 120 different countries ranging
from East and Central Europe and the former Soviet Union to countries of Asia, Africa, North
America and South America. In recent years, 40% of the participants have come from our region,
12% from non-regional countries of emerging democracies, and 48% from other countries. The
majority of participants are junior faculty, researchers and MA or Ph.D. students; the rest of the
participant body is professionals such as government officials, NGO workers, etc. The gender
distribution is 57% female and 43% male.
Faculty members have come to teach courses from 68 different countries so far: 41% of the
faculty from the region (mostly from new EU member states), 56% from Western Europe,
America, Canada, Australia, Israel and Japan and 2% from non-regional emerging democracies.
In the first seven years of the program SUN offered both academic and training courses ranging
from general survey to advanced, in-depth courses. From 2004 the focus has shifted towards
high-level, research based, innovative courses, with a possible interest in the exploration of
the policy implications of the research issues as well. This change is in line with the
universitys efforts to establish itself as a research-intensive university and wish to be
increasingly involved in creating and disseminating new knowledge gained through innovative
research.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONCourse offerings
SUN courses cater for the various needs of academic and professional development in the social
sciences and humanities across a wide spectrum of disciplines. These include anthropology,
cognitive science, comparative religion, environmental sciences, gender studies, history, history
and philosophy of science, international relations, cultural, legal, media and medieval studies,
philosophy, political science, public policy, sociology, etc. The program encourages topics in
newly emerging fields. Courses often tend to address currently relevant issues, such as ethnic
relations, migration, nationalism and transnationalism, globalization, human rights, urban
development, poverty reduction, integrity, religion and identity, and gender inequalities, among
others. These issues are discussed in a general theoretical framework as well as embedded in the
context of the actual countries/regions the participants come from.
Prior to your own submission you may wish to review the list of previously held courses
available on our website at http://www.sun.ceu.hu/01-about/past-years.php
Tracks
There are two major tracks in the program:

a) Track I offers high-level, research oriented courses for academics.

b) Track II courses mostly address the professional development needs of practitioners, policymakers, etc. These courses tend to provide training and/or deal with policy issues at a practical,
applied level. To be accepted, Track II courses are expected to offer 2/3 of the total expenses of
running a course from non-CEU funds, which amounts to approximately 15,000 EUR. Please
indicate your preferred choice of Track and the amount and planned break-down of external
funding if available in the relevant section of Datasheet I.
Please indicate your preferred choice of Track and the amount and planned break-down of
external funding if available in the relevant section of Datasheet I.
Course format
Courses typically last two weeks, but one-week workshops can also be offered. Based on the
CEU credit hour system, each course has a teaching load of 24 hours per week (one teaching
hour is 50 minutes long).
Courses can be designed in various formats depending on what the organizers would like to
focus on:
1) Developing participants' research agendas during the course
Applicants submit a statement of purpose, a research proposal and/or a sample of their work in
progress as part of their application. During the course, while faculty members present their
topics through lectures, seminars, panel and group discussions, etc., they should also facilitate
work on the development of participants' research agendas through individual tutorials, office
hours, and allot time for participants to do library research during their stay in Budapest. As an
outcome of the course, participants are expected to give an individual or group presentation.
With some follow-up help and additional research after the course, they should be encouraged to
submit an article for publication.
2) Developing research into policy proposals
Policy oriented courses may want to decide to focus on some theoretical issues which could be
turned into policy proposals. The course can guide participants from identifying key questions
through the discussion of the research aspects of the selected issues to some conclusions, which
could lead to formulating policy recommendations. In addition to providing relevant literature on
the subject, such courses are advised to rely on faculty and participants' contribution with case
studies, country reports, etc.
3) Curriculum development
Courses interested in promoting newly emerging, often interdisciplinary subject areas may
decide to work on how the research issues, the literature, etc. discussed during the SUN course
could be turned into the syllabus of a course to be offered at the home institution of participants

in the future. Along with the syllabus, the most appropriate teaching methodology for the
proposed course could also be demonstrated and discussed.
Teaching mode
1) e-Learning prior to the course
Each course has an interactive e-learning site designated to it, where each participant and faculty
member can create their profile and post distance learning materials, readings, pre-course
assignments, hold electronic seminar discussion, and circulate messages before and during the
course. After the courses end, the course web sites can continue to function as alumni pages
through which participants and faculty can stay in touch. This way the summer course has a
potential of being not a stand-alone, discreet event, but rather a stage of a process, multiplying its
impact by a pre-course phase of reading, preliminary interaction, etc. followed up by networking
after the course.
2) During the summer course
In addition to the academic quality of the course, one of the major contributors to its success is
the variety of teaching modes it employs. Authors of proposals are encouraged to include a
broad range of teaching methods, such as lectures, intensive reading seminars, discussions,
individual and group projects, presentations, field trips, etc., thus avoiding lectures being the
dominant medium for teaching. SUN courses aim to provide a model in terms of course design
and methodology as well by exposing participants to a diversity of teaching methods they could
adopt and experiment with in their own teaching.
Target audience
SUN courses are primarily designed for MA and Ph.D. students, postdoctoral fellows, junior
faculty, researchers, and professionals. The minimum enrollment for a course to be launched is
15 participants; however, we prefer an enrollment of 20-25 participants.
Application requirements for course participants
Participants are selected based upon their application materials including information on their
education background, publications list (if any), a research proposal or a relevant writing sample
(project proposal or summary, country report, or case study for professionals), a statement of
purpose describing how they would benefit from the course, and a letter of recommendation.
Fees and Costs
The participation costs for a two-week course at a subsidized CEU rate, excluding travel, are the
following:
Tuition fee:
Accommodation:

550 EUR
220 EUR

Living expenses:
TOTAL

250 EUR
1020 EUR

Financial aid for course participants

Financial aid is available in the following categories:
- tuition waiver
- accommodation grant
- travel grant (full or partial)
Participants from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and Mongolia, as
well as those coming from emerging countries worldwide can apply for financial aid in all
categories listed above.
Participants from developed countries are expected to pay tuition fee. However, there are a
limited number of tuition waivers available on a competitive basis.
While it is the prime responsibility of the SUN Office to conduct an effective advertising
campaign for the program with the help of the CEU coordinators through the Soros local
foundations network, via the Internet, etc., course directors and their faculty are also expected to
be active in recruiting participants, especially fee-paying students from western countries (e.g.
Ph.D. students who may be able to receive grants from their home departments, etc.).
Funding for course costs
SUN provides a core budget for a limited number of courses, therefore proposal authors
areencouraged to try and supplement this core wherever possible. Seeking external funding is
encouraged in the following expenditure categories:

Contribution to course costs (honoraria and/or travel and/or accommodation of faculty)

Scholarships for participants

Contribution to course material development

Possible funding sources can be:

Applicants' home institutions (e.g. travel grants for Ph.D. students and faculty from
departments)

Establishment of institutional partnership between CEU and another university, research

institute, international organizations (e.g. our current and previous partners include the
World Bank, USAID, UN, Council of Europe, UNDP, etc.)

European Union (e.g. SUN can be part of a consortium for performing the task of
dissemination of research results of an EU research project)

European or American foundations supporting research, and /or summer schools.

The SUN office is ready to provide assistance with the preparation of joint applications where
needed.
Course directors and faculty1) Course director's role
Each course is convened and led by a course director, who is responsible for the academic
content and the organization of the course. As each course is allotted its own budget, s/he is the
budget administrator as well. Detailed tentative budgets will be prepared by the SUN office staff
in co-operation with course directors during the course application preparation period to see
whether the proposed course can be covered from the available funding, or whether some
adjustments should be made before finalizing the application.
2) Faculty
- composition
The course director recruits an international team of co-teachers, who design the course content,
the syllabus, the reading lists, etc. in close co-operation. Holding a Ph.D. is a minimum
requirement for faculty with research format courses. The SUN course teams are expected to aim
for diversity in terms of their geographical, institutional and disciplinary background. Preferably,
they are composed of an even mix of
- outstanding eastern and western scholars and/or practitioners wherever the geographical
diversity of expertise is relevant to the course topics.
- CEU and non-CEU based faculty
Applicants outside CEU are strongly encouraged to contact CEU faculty whose work is relevant
to the proposed course about their possible participation. When the CEU Summer University
Board decides about course proposals, the way in which the summer course contributes to the
academic interests and developments of CEU faculty members and their departments is an
important selection criterion.
- number of teachers
Ideally, a course is envisaged to be taught by 4-5 core faculty members. (One or two, preferably
local guest speakers can also be added if necessary and the budget can cover it.) Deviation from
this proposed format is also possible in well-justified cases and when the budget allows for a
larger team.
- expected length of stay/level of involvement
Non-Hungarian faculty members are encouraged to come for the entire period and be available

for the participants during their stay outside classes as well. If their schedule does not allow for
this, they can come for only part of the course.
- course administration
Course directors can hire a coordinator to help with administrative tasks. The SUN Office is
responsible for the overall organization of the courses in terms of recruitment, processing
applications, taking care of travel and housing arrangements, etc.
HOW TO APPLY?Option I.
Two-stage submission processwith a simplified first stage and the provision of more materials
in the second stage once the proposal has passed the first one.
1. Submission of a draft proposal, deadline: April 5
Proposal authors are requested to submit a preliminary draft to Eva Gedeon by email
([email protected]) with:

- a brief description of the course concept (1-2 pages) including a brief

explanation of how the course contributes to the SUN's mission, and an indication
of whether funding is expected from outside sources or CEU sources

- a faculty list with CVs and publication lists

2. Feedback on draft proposals, deadline: April 30, 2012

The CEU Summer University Board will review draft proposals and make a decision:
a) invite a full submission (which does not guarantee final approval)
b) reject the draft proposal in case it is not in line with SUNs mission or CEUs
institutional goals with SUN described in the Call for Proposals.
3. Submission of the complete course proposal, deadline: June 5, 2012
Option II.
One-stage submission of new full proposals, deadline: May 5, 2012
If a proposal author does not wish to take advantage of the two-stage process and receive
feedback from the CEU Summer University Board before submitting the complete
proposal, the first stage of sending a draft proposal can be skipped. Full (single-staged)
proposals should be submitted by May 5, 2012.
Option III.
One-stage submission of repeat full proposals, deadline: August 10, 2012

Repeat courses are requested to submit a one-stage full proposal by August 10, 2012.II.
Required documents for submission of the complete course proposal
Each course proposal should contain the following:
1. Two datasheets filled out (Datasheet I., Datasheet II.)
2. Please enclose the following for each faculty member proposed:
- a C.V. and a publication list
CV's should not be longer than 2-4 pages, publication lists should contain selected publications,
e.g. from the past 10 years, or 10 most important ones, etc.
- letter of intent (See the enclosed sample Letter of Intent in Attachment I.)
3. Tentative syllabus
a) A statement of the purposeof the course with reference to how the course can help fulfill the
stated mission of SUN and contribute to the academic and /or professional development of CEU
faculty members and their departments
b) Pre-requisitesfor the course, if any (prior knowledge required for participation)
c) Brief overview of the course (a 1-page description of the course content)
d) Bibliography: a list of recommended articles and books that will be used by faculty in
- designing the course (background reading), and
- preparing a class reader for participants (a preliminary reading list for the course)
e) Tentative course schedule: a first draft of a detailed schedule of lectures, seminars or
workshops listing the themes covered in the course.
Please try to give as much detailed breakdown of the course content as possible. You can use the
following format, for instance:
Topic 1
Faculty member(s)
Number of hours
Teaching mode
Discussion points

The Contemporary Coordinates of Artwriting

Mark A. Cheetham
3
Lecture (50 min.) & Seminar (100 min.)
Territories of Image/Text 1: Historical and Theoretical Coordinates

1. We will review the long and contested history of word/image relations. Reference will be
made to Plato, the Ut Pictura Poesis tradition, Lessing, Kant, and others.
Question: To what extent - and how, specifically - are these philosophical legacies still relevant
to our work today when we engage in "artwriting"?
2. What connections are there between controversies about Word and Image and the notion of
"artwriting"? This discussion will serve as an introduction to the second class.
3. Throughout the course segment, we will be asking if, and in what ways, the visual and textual
are different, comparable, or incommensurate.

Topic 2
Faculty member(s)
Number of hours
Teaching mode
Discussion points
Topic 3
Faculty member(s)
Number of hours
Teaching mode
Discussion points
4. Indication of potential interest of target audience in the proposed course
Please indicate how the course director and the faculty members will have access to potential
applicant groups (e.g. reference to already existing networks, names of listservs and electronic
newsletters, conference participation lists, etc.)
5. A statement about the proposed way/s of assessment of the participants` performance in the
course and expected outcomes (e.g. revised research proposals, reports, articles, etc.).
All participants receive a certificate of attendance upon successful completion of the course. In
order to gain this certificate, participants will be expected to attend and actively participate in all
classes and complete assignments required by the course. In addition, Track I research-intensive
courses will issue ECTS credits (typically 1 credit per week) to participants who request these.
6. Repeat proposalswithout any major change in faculty or content should contain an additional
statement presenting a strong academic argument why the same course should be held again. No
course without major changes should be run for more than three consecutive years.
7. Tentative budget
The SUN office staff will assist proposal authors in the preparation of a tentative budget during
the course application period to see whether the proposed course can be covered from the
available funding, or whether some adjustments should be made before finalizing the application.
Please contact Eva Gedeon at [email protected] to discuss the budget.
CLICK HERE to see a sample course budget.
CLICK HERE for the Application Checklist to make sure you submit all the necessary
documents.
REVIEW AND SELECTION
1. Submission of proposals
Two-stage submissions:

- Draft proposals: April 5, 2012

- Final proposals: June 5, 2012
One-stage submissions:
- Full proposals: May 5, 2012
- Repeat courses: August 10, 2012
Applications should be sent by email to va Gedeon, SUN Director, SUN Office
at [email protected] .
2. Review and selection
- Draft proposals will be reviewed by the CEU Summer University Board by April 30, 2012.
- Final proposals will be reviewed by external evaluators and the SUN Board in terms of quality
and relevance to the mission of the summer program and CEUs institutional goals with it (see
the criterion of selection below). The SUN Office may contact authors of proposals for further
information or to make recommendations.
3. Notification
All proposal authors will receive notification about the results of review and selection via e-mail.
Notification of selection will take place by the end of October 2012.
CRITERIA OF SELECTION
In selecting proposals, the SUN Board will take into consideration:

The experience and expertise of the proposed faculty. (Holding a Ph.D. is a minimum
requirement for faculty with research format courses.) Preference will be given to
proposals that include internationally recognized, outstanding scholars in their fields.

The proposals added value to CEU. Preference will be given to proposals demonstrating
how the course contributes to the academic and /or professional development of CEU
faculty members and their departments.

The relevance of the topic proposed for the target audience of the program. Proposals
with interdisciplinary approaches offering fresh insight into research issues and with
innovative course design are preferred.

The quality of the proposal and its adherence to the program mission outlined above.
Evaluators can form a better and more realistic opinion of the course proposal if the
syllabus submitted is fairly detailed and concrete.

Preference is given to proposals that conform to the academic requirements of SUN and,
in addition, can bring matching funding to the CEU base budget.

Wherever relevant for the course topics, preference is given to applications that propose a
teaching team composed of an even, dynamic mixture of regional and Western
scholars/experts, who are sensitive to and knowledgeable about the specific needs and
problems of the regions from where the participants come. A balanced gender
composition is also required.

Evidence of a sound methodological approach. Proposals that employ a variety of

teaching methods will be given preference.

File Attachments:
Data Sheet I.
Data Sheet II.
Application checklist
Course budget - SAMPLE
Letter of intent - SAMPLE
Call for course proposals - 2013