South Asia Development Programme For South Asian Students 2010/2011

The Scottish Government International Development Team is pleased to open a funding round for the South Asia Development Programme.

The Scottish Government's purpose is to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.

The vital role engagement across borders must play in our economic growth is articulated in our International Framework. This describes how our engagement is based on working in partnership with other nations, and sharing expertise and experience for mutual benefit.

Strengthening Scotland's relationship with South Asia is therefore a priority for us. Such engagement with countries like India and Pakistan, provides a key opportunity for Scotland in economic terms whilst recognising our historical links. We already benefit from the strong contribution that the South Asian community in Scotland makes to our culture, economy and identity - and we will continue to work with representatives of our Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan communities to help maximise the opportunities to build links....



As a responsible nation, Scotland will not drive its own economic growth while ignoring the reality that is global poverty. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to changes in the global economic climate, hindering their efforts to work themselves out of poverty. The Scottish Government's International Development Policy published on 7 May 2008, focuses on poverty alleviation and contributing to the achievement of the MDGs. Within that policy, we announced our intention to develop a South Asia Development Programme. The Scottish Government is committed to building upon Scotland's links with South Asia by working together with communities in Scotland to support development, and in turn support an inclusive society in Scotland.

The new South Asia Development Programme covers international development work in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and is supported by the Scottish Government's International Development Fund.

Applications for funding are now invited.

The key thematic priority for this programme is to address poverty alleviation and the MDGs through sustainable economic development. Sub-themes within this thematic priority are:

* Gender equality and the empowerment of women, i.e. the project addresses the discrimination that exists against women and girls and aims to promote gender equality.
* Capacity building and skills exchange, i.e. the project empowers communities through skills, knowledge or training.
* Community-led approaches and initiatives which seek to build civil capacity, i.e. the project directly involves local communities and helps build civil capacity.

All projects are therefore expected to address sustainable economic development and to contribute to at least one of these sub-themes. A higher weighting will not be given to projects that contribute to more than one cross-cutting theme.

We are also interested in supporting a number of small innovation or pilot projects. This is intended to provide the opportunity to test new approaches and ideas and offer the potential to demonstrate Scotland's reputation for innovation. These projects too must be in the countries identified, address sustainable economic development and contribute to at least one of the sub themes.

Further Information : http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations/internationaldevelopment/idffundingguidance/southasiadevprog/Q/editmode/on/forceupdate/on