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About the KNUST Research Fund

The KNUST Research Fund (KReF) was established in 2016 as the University’s internal competitive research grant and research capacity-building scheme. The Fund supports innovative and practical research by staff of the University.

KReF offers two main categories of support:

  • Early Career Grant: Designed for small-scale or exploratory research projects, these grants help researchers test the feasibility of new ideas and gather preliminary data. Suitable for hypothesis testing and pilot or exploratory work, led by a single investigator or a small interdisciplinary team.
  • Multi-Disciplinary Grant: Targeted at multidisciplinary research, these grants encourage collaboration across at least three distinct disciplines or colleges, aim to influence policy and practice, and are led by a mid-career researcher.

About the KReF 11 Call

Unlike previous cycles, the 11th Cycle of the KNUST Research Fund (KReF 11) is a thematic call. Proposals must address one or more priority areas drawn from Theme 5 of Plan 2K35: Cutting-edge Research, College-driven Innovation and Commercialisation.

The thematic priority areas for KReF 11 are:

  1. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation
  2. Hydrogen and Sustainable Energy
  3. Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability
  4. Health, Biotechnology and Life Sciences
  5. Food Security and Agricultural Innovation
  6. Innovation, Commercialisation and Green Jobs
  7. Sustainable Cities and Community Welfare
  8. Technology Adoption in Design and Publishing

Full details of the call are set out in the KReF 11 Request for Proposals.

Application Schedule

Start of the KReF 11 application period: Wednesday, 4 November 2026

Deadline for applications: Tuesday, 15 December 2026, 5:00 p.m. GMT

Please note that applications may only be submitted during the application period, through the KReF Portal. Applications sent by email or by any other means, or received after the deadline, will not be considered.

Application portal for applicants

KReF Portal

This link leads to the KReF online application portal, managed by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR).

Application Documents

As part of the online application, you will be asked to upload the following documents:

  • Completed KReF 11 Application Form
  • Budget prepared on the KReF Budget Template, with item-by-item justification
  • Letter of Support from the PI’s Head of Department
  • Letter(s) of Support from external collaborators, where applicable
  • Short CVs (maximum 2 pages) of the PI and each co-investigator

Please read the Request for Proposals in full before applying. OGR will not forward incomplete applications for review.

How to Apply

To submit an application through the KReF Portal, please complete the following steps:

  1. Download the KReF 11 Application Form, the KReF Budget Template and the Two-page CV Template from the Downloads section below.
  2. Register for an account on the KReF Portal.
  3. Log in and select Submit a New Application.
  4. Complete all required fields.
  5. Upload the documents listed under Application Documents above, prepared on the templates downloaded in Step 1.
  6. Review all the information you have entered, then click Submit.

Downloads

Do you have any questions about the call or the online application?

Please read the Request for Proposals document carefully and kindly endeavour to attend the KReF 11 information sessions before contacting us. The date of the sessions will be announced separately.

If you still have questions, please send an email to the KReF Desk, Office of Grants and Research, at kref@knust.edu.gh, or call +233 3220 62 184.