Building eCommerce Websites - Part 1

Building eCommerce Websites That Work - Part 1

You want to succeed at eCommerce? Welcome to a very big family. Right off, let’s be clear - there are lots of ways to do business on the internet. And lots of ways to both make and lose money. Successful eCommerce websites come in all shapes, kinds and colors and while I can't cover every type of site in this series, I will present the basics you need to consider and apply for an eCommerce web site to be successful.

Let's begin by assuming you have some of the fundamentals, that you understand the language and that you are serious. I’m not going to tell you how to set up a web site or get a decent hosting account. We’re beyond those basics. The basics here are the factors which will influence the success (or failure) and the degree of success your eCommerce web site experiences.

First and foremost, you need to provide value for your customers. Absurd as it seems to have to repeat that, a lot of so-called eCommerce sites provide no or very little value for their visitors. Pretending to offer value is not the same thing as providing value. Promoting miserably written, hackneyed, cloned ebooks filled with questionably useful and/or outdated content doesn’t make a high value web site. Sure you might make some money. Once. And you’ll end up with a high refund rate - and an unhappy credit card processor. That path means you're taking advantage of inexperienced customers and abusing their willingness to trust you. This isn't the way to a long-term business with steady repeat customers.

Value on the net is not very different from any kind of off-line retail sales -- a quality product line that will attract potential customers and a competitive price that will lead to purchases. An honest, quality product that will meet the expectations you’ve created in your buyers. Hyped junk just doesn't cut it.

Next, you’ve got to have a smooth, user-friendly, easy to follow process all the way to your thank you page. The simpler, cleaner and clearer you can make the process, the better. Where it makes sense you can augment this user-responsive site profile by adding live-response chat.

If you do decide to use call-in or live chat, it’s imperative that your operators be well-trained, understand your products and your system and be customer friendly. This can be a problem if you outsource. The less expensive out-source call centers can turn out to be very expensive in terms of lost sales and customers who never come back.

You’ll need to check very carefully and be 100 per cent certain the operators actually speak and understand the primary language(s) of your targeted customer group. You’ll need to provide extensive background information and highly flexible, well-written scripts.

You should collect your own customer evaluations - separately. Don't rely exclusively on any monitoring or customer satisfaction
surveys provided by the call center. Track your ROI to be sure it's money well-spent. Don't stop monitoring just because the results looked good for the first two or three months. Things change. Make sure you're tracking desired actions linked to the call center separately from those NOT related to call-in or live chat. Mixing outcomes leaves you in the dark about what's really happening.

You probably should have an attractive website. An ugly site can work, but to do that you need to absolutely know exactly what you're doing and why it should work. And you'll have to test like crazy to optimize (of course, you should be doing that anyway). The ugly site tactic is not for the inexperienced. Very few individuals really have the grasp of marketing, market and customer psychology that makes for a successful "ugly" site.

To provide a pleasant experience, you need to be careful in what you use - colors, text-size, graphics, animation and white space can add value to your site or turn it into a user nightmare. Test your site with people who will tell you the truth. Just because you love it doesn't mean anyone else will. In general, aiming for a professional appearing site is your best option. Look for the highest ranked, busiest sites in your business area and study the layouts they use. Extract the common features that you see on those sites. While other factors heavily influence traffic and ranking, appearance has a strong effect on visitors and sites that do testing evolve toward optimizing visitor behavior.

Keep in mind that a site's desired actions affect the design and layout. You'll want to study sites where those actions are most similar to the desired actions you target on your web site. If your goal is direct product sales, there's not much point in emulating a site that's optimized for newsletter sign-ups or AdSense.

If your main goal is direct sales (and if it is, then you need backend products too), provide incentives for customers to buy AND to return. The return factor is critical to a long-term strategy for success. Anyone who buys is your best possible future customer. Keep them, track them, make them special offers. Use coupons, discounts, special deals, customer-only offers and back end sales. Your customer base is your gold mine. Since they've shown enough faith in you to buy, do your utmost to never damage that faith. Treat them like the priceless resource they are. Think long-term: successful eCommerce websites are all about value and customer service.

Building eCommerce Websites that Work - Part 2

Succeeding with an eCommerce website is a dream for many these days. It may seem nearly impossible at times, but it can be done. This series covers some of the basic success factors - things you must consider in creating, implementing, managing and developing a quality eCommerce web site. There are many ways to do business on the internet - and, not surprisingly, a lot of ways to both make and lose money. Mainly, I'm focusing on eCommerce sites intended to sell products of various kinds. Not every factor is going to apply to every site, but since a major failing of many internet entrepreneurs is the lack of multiple income streams, you'd do well to carefully consider all factors and apply them as needed in developing alternate revenue streams.

On examining your eCommerce web site, put some serious thought into how you can provide personal attention to each visitor. The idea here is a process of personalization through which each visitor, if they wish, can develop a unique experience of your site.

Provide options through which the user can alter layout, colors, etc. Give customers the capability to create their own personal pages on your site. Perhaps offer a simple and easy to provide service to registered customers, such as free email accounts.

As well as building loyalty and stickiness, such features also build your customer database. Scripts are also available which will allow on-the-spot personalization based on responses to a series of questions. You can also use this kind of script to focus your sales message more tightly to the user's expressed interests. This technique has been reported to substantially increase conversion rates.

Free services which can be provided on autopilot can be a virtually endless source of targeted customers. Everything from free email to blog hosting, opt-in list building to free advertising forums, all operate on the same principle as building a list through a newszine, white papers, free ebooks or whatever. In return for registration, e.g. name and confirmed email, you provide a service that your visitors desire. The exchange of value is critical. The more valuable the service that you offer, the more willing people are to provide their information. Careful structuring can allow you to collect significant marketing information on your registered users which would allow well-targeted marketing campaigns.

Never lose track of a customer. Maintaining a database of customers with any of their prior purchases, interests, and so on, allows you to provide personalized purchase suggestions and special offers. The life-long value of a happy customer may be difficult to estimate accurately, but it's far easier to sell to existing customers than to be continuously forced to acquire new ones.

Even if you only have a single product now, you will eventually have expand your product line(s). Don't throw a buyer away. Stay in touch, offer information, occasionally recommend a high quality product you use and value. Build trust through value and quality. It's nearly impossible to over-emphasize this point. Look to the long term and plan ahead. Every serious marketer needs to do this.

To further expand the human
 dimension, you can add forums and chat rooms. Provide a variety of means to acquire visitor input. On site surveys and questionnaires, email surveys and opinion polls can not only increase your customers' sense of being in contact with real people who value their opinions and ideas, but also provide exceptionally useful information for refining your marketing and sales tactics. Loyalty programs and affinity networks can also help.


This is a lot like beating a real dead horse, but... Reliability and security are crucial. If your eCommerce site is big enough and busy enough, multiple parallel servers, redundant hardware, use of fail-safe technology, fast technical support service, high quality encryption, valid certificates, high quality payment processors and excellent firewalls will all allow you to ensure your customers that their data is safe, their orders are handled properly and nobody's getting their credit information that shouldn't. Many people still are extremely hesitant to purchase on-line because of fears of identity and/or credit card theft. You can't ignore this issue and hope to succeed.

Right now you may not need (or want to pay for) parallel servers, redundant hardware and fail-over technology, but don't ignore the rest. You depend on your eCommerce hosting provider to keep your business running. So think carefully and do some serious research. Overloaded servers, lack of redundant network connections, slow technical support, poor backup procedures can create a nightmare situation for both you and your customers

As a final consideration for this part, smooth out your customer contact and support procedures. If multiple staff might come into contact with your customers (chat, phone or email) , providing all of them with the same (and useful) information about the customer, prior orders, any previous or current problems and so forth, can avoid a lot of potential frustration - and lost orders or, worse, a customer lost forever.

It can be incredibly irritating to have to tell the same story over and over, getting bounced from one person to another when no information ever seems to have been recorded. While it may cut down on repeat complaints, that's usually because the customer is gone forever. Construct your systems so that no information is lost and so that the data needed to be responsive and helpful is instantly available. In doing this consider that some information which customers may not feel comfortable about everyone knowing should be restricted to those who would actually need it.

Doing these things right can add significant credibility and usability to your online business, as well as build a loyal customer base which actually enjoys dealing with your eCommerce business. When you reach that stage, you're there - the true win-win situation that's makes an outstanding eCommerce web site.

Find your Future

this site will explore the future trend of e-commerce around the world. 

ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಮೇಷ್ಟ್ರು ಇನ್ನಿಲ್ಲ

ಕನ್ನಡದ ಹಿರಿಯ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ವಿಮರ್ಶಕ ಕಿ.ರಂ. ನಾಗರಾಜ್ (64) ಬಸವನಗುಡಿ ನಿವಾಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಶನಿವಾರ ರಾತ್ರಿ ನಿಧನರಾಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಅಪಾರ ಕೊಡುಗೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿರುವ ನಾಗರಾಜ್ ನಿಧನದಿಂದ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಲೋಕ ಆಘಾತಕ್ಕೊಳಗಾಗಿದೆ. ಕಳೆದ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಹೃದಯಾಘಾತಕ್ಕೊಳಗಾದ ನಾಗರಾಜ್ ಅವರನ್ನು ತಕ್ಷಣ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಗೆ ಸೇರಿಸಲಾಗಿತ್ತಾದರೂ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಫಲಕಾರಿಯಾಗದೆ ಸಾವನ್ನಪ್ಪಿರುವುದಾಗಿ ಕುಟುಂಬದ ಮೂಲಗಳು ತಿಳಿಸಿವೆ.

64 ವರ್ಷದ ನಾಗರಾಜ್ ಮೂರು ಪುತ್ರಿಯರನ್ನು ಆಗಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ನಾಗರಾಜ್ ಪಾರ್ಥಿವ ಶರೀರವನ್ನು ಬಸವನಗುಡಿ ನಿವಾಸದ ಬಳಿ ಅಂತಿಮ ದರ್ಶನಕ್ಕಿಡಲಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಬನಶಂಕರಿ ಚಿತಾಗಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾನುವಾರ ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನ ಅಂತ್ಯಕ್ರಿಯೆ ನಡೆಯಲಿದೆ.

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾನಿಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಧ್ಯಾಪಕರಾಗಿ ಸೇವೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿದ್ದ ನಾಗರಾಜ್ ನಿಧನದಿಂದ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಶೂನ್ಯ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿ ಮಾಡಿದಂತಾಗಿದೆ. ನಾಗರಾಜ್ ನಿಧನಕ್ಕೆ ಅನೇಕ ಗಣ್ಯ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಲೋಕ ಕಂಬನಿ ಮಿಡಿದಿದೆ. ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ವಿಮರ್ಶಕರಾಗಿದ್ದ ನಾಗರಾಜ್ ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿ ಶಿಷ್ಯ ವರ್ಗವನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದರು.

ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ವಿಮರ್ಶಕರಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬರಾಗಿದ್ದ ಕಿ.ರಂ. ನಾಗರಾಜ್ 1943 ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 5ರಂದು ಹಾಸನದ ಕಿತ್ತಾನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಿಸಿದ್ದರು. ಮೈಸೂರು ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿ.ಎ ಪದವಿ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದ ಅವರು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ವಿ.ವಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಎಂ.ಎ.ಸ್ನಾತಕೋತ್ತರ ಪದವಿ ಪೂರೈಸಿದ್ದರು. ಅಲ್ಲದೆ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿ ಗೌರವ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ, ಎಸ್.ವಿ.ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರ ಭಟ್ಟ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ, ಡಾ.ಜಿ.ಎಸ್.ಶಿವರುದ್ರಪ್ಪ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ, ಡಾ.ಎಲ್.ಬಸವರಾಜು ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ, ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿ ಫೆಲೋಶಿಪ್, ಜಿ.ಪಿ.ರಾಜರತ್ನಂ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಪರಿಚಾರಕ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಹಲವು ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಭಾಜನರಾಗಿದ್ದರು.

Funding opportunities which support collaboration with India

As part of UniSA's international research strategy to build relationships with India, Professor Caroline McMillen, PVC and Vice President (Research and Innovation) would like to encourage staff to submit applications under the following schemes. These funding opportunities will be updated periodically as new information becomes available, so please check this page regularly.
 Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
 Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research
 Asia Public Sector Linkages Program
 Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand
 Australia-India Council Funding
 Australian Academy of the Humanities
 Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research in Sustainable Agricultural Development
 Australian Research Council
 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
 Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) - new
 East-West Center
 Human Science Frontier Program
 Ian Potter Foundation
 Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
 Wellcome Trust
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Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
Exchange Programme - Australia and India
In 2005, The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) signed an exchange agreement with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) in Delhi. Research scholars in the social sciences, who are Australian citizens, are eligible to apply to participate in this program. The aims of the program include collaboration between Australian and Indian scholars, the opportunity for access to research and research materials not easily accessible outside the countries concerned and the development of networks of scholars with related interests, both within and between the two countries.
The Academies facilitate visits by scholars to specific research institutes or conferences in India, preferably for periods of one or two weeks. Applicants are strongly discouraged from taking family members with them. The scholar is responsible for international excursion fares to the capital city of the host country and the host provides local transport, meals and accommodation as outlined in the Exchange Agreement.
Further information: Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia website
Internal closing date: 5 September 2008
External closing date: 19 September 2008
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Asia-Pacific Network (APN) for Global Change Research
APN website (updated information expected closer to submission date)
ARCP Programe
The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research invites applications for its annual regional call for proposals for the ARCP Programme. APN is an intergovernmental network whose mission is to enable investigation of change in the Earth's life support systems as it occurs in the Asia-Pacific region. APN's science agenda focuses on climate; ecosystems, biodiversity and land use; changes in the atmospheric, terrestrial and marine domains; use of resources and pathways for sustainable development; crosscutting issues and science policy linkages.
APN is prepared to support activities in the area of global change as relevant to APN's thematic areas and relating to:
 synthesis and analysis of existing research
 new research which addresses knowledge gaps in key areas
 research planning and scoping activities
 the development of policy products such as integrated assessments, impact assessments, climate models, etc.
Applications are invited from members of institutions based in APN member or approved countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, USA, Pacific Island Countries and Singapore.
The average grant awarded in 2006 was approximately $42,000.
Internal closing date: TBA
External closing date: TBA

CAPaBLE programme
The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research invites applications for its CAPaBLE programme. APN is an intergovernmental network whose mission is to enable investigation of change in the Earth's life support systems as it occurs in the Asia-Pacific region. APN's science agenda focuses on climate; ecosystems, biodiversity and land use; change sin the atmospheric, terrestrial and marine domains; use of resources and pathways for sustainable development; crosscutting issues and science policy linkages.
APN is prepared to support activities in the area of global change as relevant to APN's thematic areas and relating to:
 scientific capacity development for sustainable development
 science-policy Interfacing
 awareness raising activities
 Dissemination activities.
Applications are invited from members of institutions based in APN member or approved countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam, USA, Pacific Island Countries and Singapore.
Internal closing date: TBA
External closing date: TBA
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Asia Public Sector Linkages Program (PSLP)
The Asia Public Sector Linkages Program aims to improve public sector capacity for governance and management for nationally determined development outcomes in selected partner Asian countries.
PSLP offers departments and agencies of Australian federal, state and territory governments, as well as Australian public universities, the opportunity to compete for grant funding that will:
 transfer capacity-building skills and expertise to their public sector counterpart institutions in partner countries
 support strengthening of sustainable development-focused public sector bilateral and regional linkages.
There are three PSLP funding rounds yearly, opening at the beginning of March, July and November respectively.
Further information: AusAID website
Internal closing date next round: February, June and October - 2 weeks prior to external closing date
External closing date for next round: In 2008 there will be three rounds which are scheduled for February, June and October.
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Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand
Canada-Asia-Pacific Awards
This award will support scholars in universities or research institutes in the Asia-Pacific Region to undertake short term research, including collaborative research, contributing to the understanding of bilateral and multilateral relations between Canada and the countries of the Asia-Pacific Region. The award will assist with direct costs related to the research project, and, when a research trip to Canada is warranted, will provide assistance towards international airfare and a weekly flat rate allowance for a period not exceeding five weeks.
Awards may be granted for:
1. research projects related to Canada and Asia-Pacific relations, either with the region as a whole, or any part thereof. Topics will be within the areas of social sciences and the humanities, as well as some professional schools, such as business studies, economics, law, international relations, public administration, history, politics, sociology, geography, arts, literature, linguistics, linguistic duality, education, communications policy, media studies, planning, science policy, social administration, environmental studies, architecture, and other related fields
2. interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary studies
3. comparative studies in which Canada represents a substantial part of the work, normally 50%.
Awards will be available to scholars and researchers from:
Australia -- People's Republic of Bangladesh -- Brunei -- Kingdom of Cambodia -- People's Republic of China -- Hong Kong -- India -- Indonesia -- Japan -- Republic of Korea -- Malaysia -- Mongolia -- New Zealand -- Pakistan -- Republic of the Philippines -- Singapore -- Sri Lanka -- Taiwan -- Thailand -- Vietnam
Further information: Canada-Asia-Pacific Awards
Internal closing date: 2 weeks prior to external closing date
External closing date: 23 November annually
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Australia-India Council (AIC)
The Australia-India Council invites applications for its funding for projects which are likely to promote long-term contact and cooperation between Australia and India. Priority is given to activities in the following areas:
 arts (including literature and film)
 education
 social (including health and sport)
 science/technology/environment
 public policy activities (including media links)
Support is available for individuals or organisations in Australia. The AIC does not generally fund travel and accommodation for attendance at conferences or meetings, nor participation in fieldwork or sporting or other events.
Further information: AIC website
Internal closing date: Monday 7 July 2008
External closing date: Monday 21 July 2008
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Australian Academy of the Humanities
Travelling fellowships
The Australian Academy of the Humanities invites applications for its travelling fellowships to support research overseas. Eligible fields within the humanities include the arts, Asian studies, cultural and communication studies, classics, literature, European languages and cultures, history, linguistics, philosophy and religion, and prehistory and archaeology.
10 travelling fellowships of up to $4,000 for short-term - not less than two weeks - research abroad in the coming year, are available to permanent resident scholars in Australia, who require access to resources held overseas.
Further information: Australian Academy of the Humanities website
Internal closing date: 17 July 2008
External closing date: Applications, including references, are due by Thursday 31 July 2008
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Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Research in sustainable agricultural development
ACIAR supports partnerships that create opportunities for Australian researchers to work with overseas agricultural researchers on issues of common concern. Their major focus, as part of Australia's overseas aid program, is to support research that contributes to sustainable agricultural development in the Asia-Pacific region.
Project proposals are welcome throughout the year, rather than inviting submissions at a particular time. There is a standing invitation to all who share the ACIAR commitment to research in sustainable agricultural development, both in Australia and in the region, to explore the possibility of an ACIAR-funded partnership.
India: Indicative research priorities
ACIAR has a formal program of consultations with India to establish priorities in research collaboration. In 2007–08 the program will continue to emphasise agricultural policy, crop production and management, broad-scale land and water resources management, and livestock nutrition.
The ACIAR contact point is ACIAR's Deputy Director responsible for R&D Programs, Dr John Skerritt, on +61 2 6217 0559 or skerritt@aciar.gov.au.
Further information: ACIAR website
Internal closing date: 14 days before submission to ACIAR
External closing date: Applications can be submitted at any time
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Australian Research Council (ARC)
ARC Linkage International Awards
ARC Linkage International Awards provide funds for Australia-based researchers to participate in joint research projects with overseas researchers, establishing new collaborations and strengthening ongoing collaborations that build links among researchers, research teams and/or centres of research excellence in Australia and overseas.
ARC Linkage International Fellowships
ARC Linkage International Fellowships (ARCIFs) provide salary and associated funding to outstanding research fellows to work in eligible Australian or overseas organisations. There are a number of International Fellowship types available for periods of up to 12 months.
Internal and external closing dates
Further information: Australian Research Council website
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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Global Health Program Grant
The Foundation has a focus on accelerating access to existing vaccines, drugs, and other tools to fight diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries, and supports research to discover new health solutions that are effective, affordable, and practical for use in poor countries.
The foundation accepts Letters of Interest in the following three areas:
 priority diseases and conditions
 other health conditions
 critical enabling strategies
Grantmaking areas funded through requests for proposals (RFPs) only:
 Critical enabling technologies
 Community health solutions
 Emergency relief
Further information: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation website
Internal closing date: 14 days before submission to the Foundation
External closing date: Applications can be submitted at any time
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Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Endeavour Research Fellowships
The Endeavour Research Fellowships provide financial support for postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows from participating countries to undertake short-term research (4-6 months), in any field of study, in Australia.
The Endeavour Research Fellowships aim to:
 enable high achieving scholars from participating countries to undertake research in Australia
 further develop Award Holders' knowledge and skills in their field of research
 strengthen bilateral ties between Australia and the participating countries
 showcase Australia's education sector
 strengthen mutual understanding between the people of Australia and Award Holders' home countries
 build international linkages and networks.
Further information: DEEWR website
Internal closing date: 17 July 2008
External closing date: 31 July 2008 (see Key dates for applicants for more details)
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Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR)
1. International Science Linkages Programme
The International Science Linkages programme aims to assist Australian researchers to increase their participation in international leading edge scientific research, to leverage access to international research funds, to raise the profile of Australian research, and to support the development of strategic alliances between Australian researchers and international researchers and industry. The ISL programme will increase Australia's capacity to attract overseas R&D investment, promote innovation, and increase the economic and social impact of Australian research.
The objectives of the ISL programme are to:
 increase the uptake of leading edge Science and Technology (S&T), through:
• promoting access to and participation by Australian researchers in strategically focused, leading edge, international scientific research and technology
• increased strategic alliances between Australian and overseas researchers
 facilitate Australia's access to the global S&T system by supporting bilateral and multilateral relations with other countries.
Further information: DIISR website

2. Strategic Research Fund
The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) facilitates and supports science and technology research cooperation between Australia and India. The AISRF assists Australian researchers to increase their participation in leading edge scientific research with Indian counterparts, raises the profile of Australian research, and supports the development of strategic alliances between Australian and Indian researchers.
Support available
Competitive funding support is available for collaborative projects and workshops covering a range of mutually agreed priority areas. Under the Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund, these areas are:
 vaccines and medical diagnostics
 biomedical devices and implants
 nutraceuticals and functional foods
 transgenic crops; stem cells
 bioremediation.
Priority areas for the Indo-Australian Science and Technology Fund are: agricultural research; environment sciences; astronomy and astrophysics; microelectronic devices and materials; nanotechnology; renewable energy; marine science; and earth systems science.
Applications for funding will be accepted from: tertiary education institutions; Cooperative Research Centres; Australian registered businesses; registered industry groups; Australian public sector research agencies; and Australian private, not for profit, research organisations.
How to apply
Applications for funding for Indo-Australian Science and Technology Fund and Indo-Australian Biotechnology Fund grants will be assessed on a competitive basis against specific criteria. The Australian and Indian Governments will bilaterally determine which applications for funding are successful.
Applicants should refer to the AISRF Guidelines
Further information: contact International Science Branch by email: aisrf@dest.gov.au or by phone: (02) 6240 9387 or visit the DIISR website
Internal closing date: Friday 12 September 2008
External closing date: Friday 26 September 2008 at 17:00 PM AEST
Please direct queries and your applications for submission to the Business Development Manager in your area.
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East-West Center (EWC)
Visiting Fellowships
The East-West Center is inviting applications for its visiting fellowships. The following research themes have been selected:
 an interdisciplinary framework for emerging infectious disease risk assessment
 agricultural transformation and the well-being of small farm households in eastern India
 very low fertility in East Asia
 policies to reduce poverty through tourism development in Asia
 the role of renewable energy in meeting the climate challenges in APEC - China's capitalist transition.
Independent research projects are also possible, related to one of the research program study areas: politics, governance and security; economics; population and health; and environmental change, vulnerability and governance.
The EWC seeks scholars of high accomplishment and promise whose work and presence will contribute creatively to the development of its research areas and to the Asia Pacific region. Applicants must have a PhD or equivalent. Funds for these fellowships come from two sources. US government funds support scholars from the US as well as from Asian or Pacific countries. Funds are also available to support a limited number of scholars from other areas whose work focuses on the Asia Pacific. Fellowships are typically awarded for between two and four months.
Further information: East-West Center website
Internal closing date: 17 July 2008
External closing date: 31 July 2008
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Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)
Program Grants
The Human Frontier Science Program invites applications for its programme grants. The HFSP aims to support research into fundamental biological problems with the involvement of other disciplines such as chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science or engineering. The grants are available for projects concerned with basic approaches to understanding the complex mechanisms of living organisms. All members of a team must be in a position to initiate and direct their own independent lines of research, and must have responsibility for their own laboratories. They must be within five years of obtaining an independent position but must have obtained their PhD or equivalent not longer than 10 years before the submission deadline.
Principal applicants must be from a non-profit institution in a member country: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus (EU part only), the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US. Awards are worth up to $450,000 per year. The HFSP supports novel, innovative and interdisciplinary basic research focused on the complex mechanisms of living organisms; topics range from molecular and cellular approaches to systems and cognitive neuroscience. A clear emphasis is placed on novel collaborations that bring biologists together with scientists from fields such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science and engineering to focus on problems at the frontier of the life sciences.
Further information: HFSP website
Call for Letters of Intent is now closed
Internal closing date for 2008: March 2008
External closing date for 2008: March 2008

Young Investigators Grants
Human Frontier Science Programme invites applications for its young investigator grants. These support novel collaborations that bring biologists together with scientists from other scientific disciplines to focus on problems at the frontiers of the life sciences.
Principal applicants will have completed one or two periods of postdoctoral training and be appointed to staff positions that allow them to conduct independent research. All members of the grant team must be within five years of obtaining an independent position but must have obtained their PhD or equivalent not longer than 10 years before the submission deadline. They must be from a non-profit institution in a member country: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus (EU part only), the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US. Awards are worth up to $450,000 per year.
Further information: HFSP website
Call for Letters of Intent is now closed
Internal closing date for 2008: March 2008
External closing date for 2008: March 2008

Fellowships
Postdoctoral Fellowships are available for scientists who wish to work in foreign laboratories, with emphasis on individuals early in their careers who wish to obtain training in a different field of research. Fellows who return to their home countries are eligible to apply for a Career Development Award.
Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships: Cross-disciplinary fellowships are intended for postdoctoral fellows with a Ph.D. degree in the physical sciences, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and computer sciences who wish to receive training in biology.
Long-term Fellowships provide young scientists with up to three years of postdoctoral research training in an outstanding laboratory in another country. The third year of the Long-Term Fellowship can be used either for repatriation to the Fellow's country or in the host laboratory. The fellowships provide approximately $US 45,000 per year, including allowances for travel and research expenses. To be eligible, a fellow must either come from or go to a member country.
Further information: HFSP website
Internal closing date: Mid August 2008
External closing date: Next deadline to apply for a Fellowship will be at the end of August 2008. The online application form and the new guidelines will be available in July 2008.
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Ian Potter Foundation
Travel Grants
The Foundation’s competitive early career travel grants program is distinctive in Australian philanthropy. The grants made are small, generally of between $2,000 and $3,000, and are paid to the individual's employing organisation. Most travel grant recipients in the past have been staff from universities or research institutes, but those working in the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) sector are encouraged to apply and staff of any organisation with deductible gift recipient status are eligible.
Applications are normally considered at four meetings of the Board of Governors.
Further information: Ian Potter Foundation website
Internal closing date: 2 weeks prior to external closing date
External closing date: 25 January, 27 March, 30 June and 6 October 2008
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Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
International exchange programme with Eastern Europe, India and Australia - Short working visits
The Academy supports the international transfer of knowledge and science through funding. It awards grants for working visits and researcher exchange programmes.
Target group: senior researchers
Object: working visits, generally lasting one to two weeks, during which the researcher gives guest lectures and becomes acquainted with colleagues abroad. Most agreements specify a maximum number of days.
Exchange agreements have been signed with:
 Indian National Science Academy
 Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and the Australian Academy of the Humanities.
Further information: Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences website
Internal closing date: 14 days before submission to the Academy
External closing date: Applications can be submitted at any time. An application form should be accompanied by an invitation letter from your host.
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Wellcome Trust
International senior research fellowship in biomedical science (India and South Africa)
The Wellcome Trust invites applications for its international senior research fellowships in biomedical science. The awards support outstanding researchers, either medically qualified or science graduates, who wish to establish a research career in an Indian or South African academic institution. Applicants should have between five to 10 years' experience at a postdoctoral level or clinical equivalent and have a substantial record of publications in leading international journals. Candidates should normally have spent a significant period of their postdoctoral (or equivalent) research career working outside their chosen country. Applications will be accepted from scientists who are currently overseas or who have returned to the country where the fellowship will be held. Scientists working outside their own countries who wish to return home are particularly welcome to apply. Exceptionally, proposals will be considered from those who have pursued careers entirely in-country. Applicants must have a sponsor at their host department who will guarentee space and facilities. Candidates need not be nationals of the chosen country.
Fellowships last for five years and include a salary, research expenses and travel costs.
Eligibility: Australian citizens are generally eligible to apply, however, to confirm this is the case you could get in touch with a member of staff in the funding stream for your subject area.
Contact email addresses and telephone numbers