Southern Africa - collaboration in the mining and minerals area

This the call for proposals is aimed at Swedish higher education institutions that want to strengthen their research and innovation collaboration with actors in southern Africa. From now on, we will refer to southern Africa (outside South Africa) as just southern Africa.

The focus is on materials and minerals linked to the mining sector, and the projects will have potential to contribute to sustainable value chains for raw materials. The aim is to promote sustainable social development in the region and strengthen cooperation between Sweden and the partner countries, so that the results create benefits both nationally and in southern Africa.

Applicant will develop knowledge and skills in innovative ways that support sustainable extraction, manufacturing, use, reuse and recycling of raw materials. Participants are also expected to contribute to a Swedish presence in the region by having key individuals stationed at an African university for a period of time.

Project consortia can apply for up to 9 million SEK for collaborative projects that aim to initiate and establish long-term collaboration with actors in southern Africa. Vinnova's funding may amount to a maximum of 80 percent of the project's total eligible cost.

The project duration should be a maximum of 3 years.

With this call for proposals, Vinnova supports Swedish researchers and higher education institutions who want to develop long-term and innovation-promoting collaboration within research and higher education with higher education institutions and research institutes in southern Africa.

The purpose of this call for proposals is to broaden Swedish involvement in the region and establish new, long-term partnerships with strategically important mining and mineral nations that currently lack corresponding structures for collaboration with Sweden. By directing the support to countries in southern Africa outside South Africa (for example, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, DRC, etc.), Vinnova wants to stimulate the emergence of new nodes for innovation and research, in line with the ambitions to diversify Sweden's access to sustainable raw material chains.

South African organisations may participate as partners in the projects, but the primary benefit and efforts of the projects shall be directed to countries in the region outside of South Africa.

The initiative will help strengthen Sweden's position as a knowledge nation by contributing innovation and research expertise and participating in concrete collaborative projects with key players in the region.

Southern Africa has rich mineral and metal resources that are crucial for the global digital and green transition. Sweden is also a world leader in sustainable mining and mineral technology. Deeper collaboration between Swedish actors and partner countries in the region can therefore create significant benefits, such as increased innovative capacity, more sustainable resource use, improved working conditions and reduced impact on people and the environment throughout the value chain.

Read more about FOI challenges in the raw materials sector

Read more about proposals for establishing a Swedish collaboration node for research, innovation and higher education on the African continent (Swedish-African Research Arena: SARA): Feasibility study
Feasibility study

What are the overall goals of the call for proposals?

This initiative aims to develop broad research and innovation collaboration with countries in southern Africa along the entire raw materials value chain. The initiative is guided by four overarching objective:

1. Create long-term and mutual knowledge exchange
   The goal is to establish sustainable collaboration between research, innovation and education actors in Sweden and countries in southern Africa. The collaboration will strengthen the competence of both parties and be based on mutual exchange, not one-way communication.
2. Establish a physical Swedish presence in the region
   The initiative should enable Swedish researchers or experts to be stationed at African universities, university colleges or research institutes. Project should include a significant travel budget to enable work in several countries. Those stationed should be able to represent Sweden in a larger part of the region and not only be tied to one geographical point. After the project ends, a plan should be in place for continued operation, ensuring the strategic presence independent of Vinnova.
3. Strengthening skills, technology and frameworks for sustainable mining
   The projects will contribute to the development of skills, infrastructure, innovation, technology and business models that make the mining and minerals industry more sustainable. This may include areas such as extraction, recycling, work environment and resource use and frameworks for sustainable and safe mining, as well as responsible resource use.

4. Develop innovations that are implemented in business and society
   The initiative should potential lead to innovations that are used in practice and contribute to sustainable production and consumption of raw materials. Strong industrial interest and active participation in the collaboration are crucial to ensure that the innovations are relevant, can be implemented effectively and have an impact on both companies and society.

Contribute to a sustainable system transformation

Eftersom Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and system transformation, your project should contribute to increased gender equality and contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030. This means that for the mining industry, issues relevant to, for example, gender equality, environmental and climate change should be integrated both in how your project group is composed and in the intended result of your project.

Equalized funding by innovations

An innovative force in a sustainable world

Making scientific publications and resultsavailable

This the call for proposals will also contribute to making results available to everyone. Therefore, all scientific publishing should be open access. When results from research and innovation are made freely available, more people can contribute to solving societal challenges.

The call for proposals is aimed at Swedish higher education institutions that intend to collaborate with higher education institutions in southern Africa in the mining and minerals area. To apply for funding a concrete innovation collaboration with at least one university/university college/research institute in southern Africa is required. A collaboration agreement must be signed with the African the organisation.

At least three participants shall participate in the project, including the coordinating party. At least two participants shall be higher education institutions, of which at least one shall have staff stationed in southern Africa during the project period.

Participation from companies is encouraged, either as a formal participant or as a committed partner by actively contributing to the implementation of the project.

Vinnova finances Swedish universities' participation in project for innovation collaboration. The initiative covers the entire value chain – from extraction to reuse and recycling of materials and energy. Examples of thematic areas that can be financed are:

• Sustainable primary and secondary production of raw materials – Innovations in exploration, mining, processing, recycling and waste management.
• Product and system developmentthat reduces or replaces the use of critical raw materials in important sectors.
• Sustainable use and reuseof components and materials in products containing critical raw materials.
• Data-driven development of technology and information sharing in value chains.
• Developmentand implementation of policies that promote sustainable resource use, human rights and good working conditions.
• Social innovations that, for example, strengthen dialogue, transparency, gender equality, equality and reduce local impact on the environment and health.

The projects should contribute to a strengthened Swedish presence in southern Africa. This means that the applicant can be stationed at an existing African organisation, university or institute in the region. This thus implies a hosting or institutional commitment from the African side. A significant travel budget should be included to enable collaboration in several countries in the region, not just within one country.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is subject to rules about state aid. The rules govern what kinds of costs we can finance. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, these types of costs are eligible:

• Salary costs: Gross salary paid as well as employer contributions and other salary-related costs.
• Travel expenses:To be able to cover a larger geographical area.
• Other direct costs: For example, materials, supplies, and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead):Costs that are not incurred as an immediate consequence of but can be related to the project, for example regular premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may constitute a maximum of 30 percent of salary costs. Universities, university colleges and certain research organizations and government agencies have higher maximum limits depending on the type of activities.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

For your costs to be eligible for support, the following applies:

• They must be factual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.
• They must be booked correctly and under a separate project code in the accounting. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or own funds intended for other project.
• You may not claim someone else's expenses as your own.

For more detailed information about which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see Instructions for eligible costs

The rules about state aid control how much of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore differentiate between how big the funding project can get, and how much each participant can get.

How big can the funding project get?

A project can apply for a maximum of 9 million SEK over three years. Vinnova's funding can amount to a maximum of 80 percent of the project's total eligible costs. Funding is only granted to Swedish higher education institutions. At least 20 percent of the costs for Swedish higher education institutions must be co-financed by the higher education institutions. Industrial co-financing is welcomed, and companies can participate either as a formal participant or as a committed partner by actively contributing to the implementation of the project.

How big can a funding get?

How big funding each participation participant can get depends mainly on:

• party size and activities
• which activities the party will carry out in the project.

Support to non-economic activities

In this the call for proposals we give support to organisations that do not engage in economic activities. This means that the organisation do not offer a service or product on a market. This usually includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other organisations.

We can finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs.

How is it determined whether a organisation is engaged in economic activities?

A organisation that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be conducting economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how the the organisation is financed: whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has. For example, whether it is a limited liability company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

If you are unsure whether a organisation in your project conducts economic activities, contact call manager. However, The organisation is responsible for assessing whether it conducts economic activities.

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirementsrequirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject your proposal immediately.

Eligibility requirements on participants

• All project partners must be legal entities. Natural persons or individual companies cannot participate.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and conduct activities in Sweden.
• At least three participants must participate in the project. This includes the coordinating party.
• At least two participants must be higher education institutions, of which at least one must have staff stationed in southern Africa during the project period. Funding must only be applied for by Swedish higher education institutions.

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project may apply for a maximum of SEK 9 million over three years.
• The project must start no earlier than October 28, 2026 or no later than November 13, 2026 and be completed no later than November 12, 2029.
• The project manager must be employed by the coordinating party in the project.
• The project may not be started before proposal is submitted.
• Costs for consulting services may constitute a maximum of 20 percent of a project party's budget.
• Participants shall have entered into a Letter of Intent with the African universities/university college/research institutes with which collaboration is to take place. In addition, a collaboration agreement shall have been entered into by the first progress report at the latest (see in particular term below).

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal should be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal shall follow the instructions given in Section 9.
• Proposal should contain all requested attachments.

Applications that meet our formal eligibility requirements will be forwarded to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how big potential your idea is, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at three main criteria:

• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project.
• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving the desired results.

Potential

• The project proposal's potential to achieve the call's objective and aim.
• How innovative the project proposal is in relation to existing solutions and ongoing major initiatives in the area.
• How credible the project proposal's analysis is of the problem picture and the results that the proposed solution is expected to achieve.
• How likely it is that the project proposal will be used to generate new knowledge and skills that can be used to scale up or implement new solutions.
• How well the project proposal contributes to increased gender equality by integrating perspectives on sex and gender.
• Potential to contribute to long-term social and economic benefit in countries in southern Africa outside of South Africa.

Actors

• How well the composition, participation, competence and ability of the actor constellation contribute to project objectives and implementation.
• How well the project manager and other key people are assessed to be able to lead and implement the project.
• The Swedish constellation of actors' conditions for establishing long-term strategic cooperation in southern Africa.
• How well the financial contribution, participation, power and influence are distributed in an equal manner in the project team.
• To what extent does the project proposal involve industrial actors in a way that strengthens the project's relevance, level of innovation, feasibility and expected impacts.

Feasibility

• How well the project plan and budget are assessed to be able to realize a solution in accordance with the project proposal.
• How credible the project plan's risk analysis and action plan for these risks are.
• How well the project plan shows how the results will be anchored and disseminated to important actors within the area.
• How good the conditions are for the project's results to be taken forward and used after the end of the project.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or that do not meet our eligibility requirements.

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. Each proposal is assessed by at least three evaluator.

Once the evaluators has reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommends which applications should be granted.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. Since applications are assessed competitively, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

In the decision, we state how much of the costs we will cover for each organisation.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

What if you are granted funding?

If we grant you proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms include, among other things:

• That you will sign a special document in which you approve your participation and commit to carrying out the project.
• That you report how things are going, your costs and achieved results to us regularly during the project period.
• If you are multiple parties, you must agree on your mutual rights and obligations in the project in an agreement. It can take time to get a project agreement in place, so it is a good idea to get this in place before the project starts.
• How the results will be used [and how scientific publication will take place.

See our general terms and conditions

In the call for proposals the following also applies special conditions:

In addition to the project agreement according to § 1.4, which must be concluded between the Swedish project parties, cooperation agreements must be concluded between at least one Swedish higher education institution and at least one African university, university college or research institute. The cooperation agreement must clearly describe the parties' roles, commitments and forms of collaboration during the implementation of the project. Cooperation agreements must have been concluded no later than the date on which the first progress report is to be received by Vinnova.

Please note that the Letter of Intent to be attached to proposal does not meet the requirements for a collaboration agreement.

We may also decide to add additional special conditions for individual project. In that case, they will be stated in the decision.

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be required to repay.

When the call for proposals closes, your proposal will be registered as. We will then send an email confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, as well as to the project manager and the signatory. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours of the call for proposals closing, please contact us.

When the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. Then you can only supplement if we ask you to.

Who can read your proposal?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and those evaluator who participate in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under a duty of confidentiality.

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if requested. However, we keep certain types of information confidential if disclosure could be expected to cause financial harm to the individual. This applies to information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

How we handle public documents and confidentiality