The TWAS Research Grants Programme in Basic Sciences aims to reinforce and promote scientific research in the basic sciences within developing countries. It focuses on strengthening the endogenous capacity in science of these nations, reducing the scientific talent exodus from the South, and building sustainable units of scientific excellence in science-and-technology-lagging countries (S&TLs) to address local challenges effectively. Supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Italian government, its mission encapsulates enhancing research productivity by providing necessary research facilities to research units in dire need.
The TWAS Research Grants Programme in Basic Sciences is designed to support individual young researchers from science-and-technology-lagging countries identified by TWAS. The grants enable these researchers to purchase the necessary equipment to boost their research productivity. The program focuses on research projects in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, offering grants of up to USD 15,000 over a 24-month period. These funds can be utilized for purchasing scientific equipment, consumables, and specialized literature such as textbooks and proceedings. Through this initiative, TWAS seeks to reinforce and promote scientific research in basic sciences across developing countries, aim at strengthening these countries' own capabilities in science, mitigate the brain drain of scientific talents from the South, and build enduring units of scientific excellence capable of addressing the pressing problems these countries face.