The Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic has announced the second round of the competition for Academic Innovation Fund grants under the project “Quality and Innovation in Higher Education” (KIVO).

The main objective of the competition is to support innovative academic and research initiatives aimed at strengthening the scientific capacity of higher education institutions in the country and enhancing cooperation between universities and various sectors of the economy. Teachers and researchers from both public and private higher education institutions are invited to participate.

Special consideration will be given to projects led by women, as well as initiatives involving female students, representatives of socially vulnerable groups, and persons with disabilities.

The maximum grant amount is up to USD 200,000, and the project implementation period may last up to 36 months.

The competition will be held in two stages. During the first stage, applicants must submit their project ideas by April 8, 2026, before 24:00. The second stage requires the submission of a full project proposal by July 30, 2026, before 24:00.

As part of the information campaign, online meetings for teachers and researchers will be held via Google Meet on:
March 12 from 11:00 to 12:00,
March 16 from 11:00 to 12:00,
March 19 from 11:00 to 12:00.

In addition, introductory seminars in both offline and online formats will be organized on March 25, as well as April 3 and April 7, 2026.

To participate in the seminars, applicants should send an email to aifgrant2025@gmail.com by March 22, 2026, indicating their full name, institution, preferred seminar date, and email address.

The organizers note that grant funds may not be used for construction works, salaries or allowances for teaching staff, student scholarships, the purchase of vehicles, or any expenses not directly related to the implementation of the project.

Application forms and additional information are available at the official source: https://egov.kg/kg/ministry/104/news/21044.

The KIVO project is being implemented with the support of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and is aimed at improving the quality of higher education and promoting systemic changes in this sector.

For questions regarding participation and submission of applications, please contact: aifgrant2025@gmail.com.