GUIDELINES

REVIEW OF PROPOSALS 

• The Committee may appoint a reviewer to review the proposals. 

• The review will consider the following aspects:   

  • The strength and completeness of the proposal;  

  • Whether the proposal satisfactorily identifies the key issues to be investigated and covers the matters outlined in the research topic;  

  • Whether the project is likely to achieve the anticipated impact and influence;  

  • Whether the research method is suitable for the topic; and  

  • Whether the research has sufficient experience and a track record of research in this area. 

• Applicants will be invited into a meeting with a panel of experts to discuss their proposals before the final funding decision is made. 

SUBMISSION OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL 

• Each research proposal should be submitted in soft copy. 

• Application received after the deadline will not be considered.

• If no suitable applications are received, the Committee may decide to extend the deadline submission and re-advertise.

APPROVAL POLICIES 

• Research Grants will be awarded based on the relevance and timeliness of the topic proposed for research, the likelihood of successful and timely completion of the project, and the significant contribution to Takaful Industry.

PROGRESS REPORTS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

• Researchers are required to submit a quarterly progress report to the SCOE. The progress report is a general report, which highlights the work/activities done to date, milestones achieved and expenses incurred. 

• Project milestones must be identified in the application form and ongoing performance will be measured against these milestones. 

• SCOE will monitor the project milestones assiduously to ensure that such projects are delivered in a timely manner. 

• Researchers who fail to complete their research projects within the stipulated time frame, or within a reasonable period will not be considered for future funding. 

• Researchers may be invited to attend Committee meetings in order to provide an update on the progress of their projects, initial findings, conclusions.

CHANGES TO RESEARCH PROPOSALS 

• Researchers may encounter circumstances forcing them to modify their research plan, which may compromise the objectives of the research originally approved by the Committee. In such cases, researchers must obtain the prior approval of the Committee before implementing any changes. 

DELAY/ABANDONED IN A PROJECT STARTING DATE 

• If the approved research project has not commenced within two months of the proposed date, approval has to be sought from SCOE. ETIQA Takaful reserves the right to withdraw the research grant if the project is delayed for more than two months or approval has not been obtained for the delayed starting date. 

• If the approved research project is abandoned, the researcher is responsible to ensure the disbursed grant is refunded. ETIQA Takaful may take necessary action to ensure the disbursed grant is refunded.

EXTENSIONS 

• Extensions to the duration of a research project without additional funding will be limited to one month (up to two months in exceptional circumstances) and must have the prior agreement in writing to the Committee. Extensions will not be awarded automatically or retrospectively. 

• ETIQA Takaful has the right to suspend or terminate payment to the researcher. ETIQA Takaful reserves the right to revise or amend at any time the conditions of the grant or suspend or terminate the research grant at any time. This situation may arise if:  

  • ETIQA Takaful  is of the view that the research has been unduly delayed or would not be able to achieve the objectives stated in the proposal; 

  • the grantee has deviated from the objectives stated in the proposal;  

  • if the grantee fails to comply with any material terms of the research grant program  

  • if the grantee has made or makes any material misrepresentation of any nature with respect to any information or statements furnished.

• In this event, ETIQA Takaful may terminate the grant and recover any unspent or improperly spent grant funds. 

Submission of reports 

• Within 2 months of the completion of a Research Project, a researcher is required to submit to SCOE in both hard and soft copy (MS Word).

  • 2 copies of the Final Report;

  • 2 copies of the Executive Summary Report of not less than 3,000 words; 

  • 1 copy of the PowerPoint slides that would be presented to the Committee any research material and related documentation which the researcher has collected or produced; and 

  • Other materials as may be reasonably requested by SCOE 

EXCEPTIONAL COSTS 

• Conference/seminars 

  • The cost of attending conferences/seminars will only be considered if full justification was provided in the application to show that it is an integral part of the research. The research should also have been completed, and the findings have been presented to the Committee. The approval of funding will be at the discretion of the Committee. 

  • Purchase of equipment is not allowed. However, researchers may rent the equipment if the specific equipment requested is essential to the effective conduct of the research and is not already available.  

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

• The qualification of the research assistants must be stated, if any. The period of employment and the mode of payment must be stated, including the number of research assistants required for the research project. 

• The cost for research assistants should not exceed 30% of the total budget for a research project unless approved by the Committee. 

RIGHTS OF THE RESEARCHER AND ETIQA TAKAFUL 

• ETIQA Takaful shall own all technical reports, data, and information developed under this research grant scheme and shall have the right to copyright, publish, disclose, disseminate, and use, in whole or in part, any data and information received, collected, or developed under this grant program. 

• The researcher may use the results of the research with written permission from the Committee. 

• All publications resulting from the research must provide acknowledgement to  ETIQA Takaful. 

• Researchers are expected to present their research results at any of the conferences, workshops, or events in which ETIQA Takaful is directly involved, and the ultimate goal for all projects is the publication of the research result in reputable publications. 

PATENT RIGHTS 

• All rights to inventions, discoveries, or other commercially useful research products arising from research conducted under this grant program shall belong to ETIQA Takaful.

• The researcher shall not transfer or assign any or all rights or obligations under the research grant, and any attempt at assignment shall be totally null and void. No third party shall have any right of action under the research grant.