Grants

The Froebel Research Committee is a panel of research specialists and informed lay members who seek to encourage research by awarding Small Grants for pilot studies and PhD bursaries for research. It tries to be generous in appreciating the creativity and ingenuity of proposals and helpful in its advice to researchers. It does expect that all funded projects should be of sufficient substance and quality to result in publication, preferably in refereed journal(s) and/or book form. The Committee also requires, as a condition of the award of PhD bursaries or Small Grants or other financial support, that the recipients make interim presentations and updates to the Committee. A copy of subsequent publication(s), and acknowledgement of the Committee's financial support is also expected.

Froebel’s principles and ideas have been developed and adapted many times since he died, but now, as we enter an age of globalised economies and pervasive electronic media, it is important that Froebelian practices are kept under research scrutiny and subject to development within the general principles which he established. Any area within the outline statement of ‘Elements of a Froebelian education for children from birth to seven years' would merit consideration as the starting point for a pilot study or the development of a PhD research proposal.

Successful Small Grant applicants will be required to keep in regular touch with a nominated member of the Research Committee to discuss progress and, where possible, participate in the appropriate research centre at the University. Successful PhD bursary applicants will be required to be full-time students at Roehampton University and to attend regularly for supervision and to participate in the appropriate research centre at the University.

Bursaries for PhD applicants for 2009-12 are now being offered, as are Small Grants (of up to £5,000 each) for pilot studies for 2009-10. (Applications for Small Grants should not exceed 2000 words.)

Please submit your application either by email, using this form, or by letter, to the Company Secretary at: office@ifei.co.uk or 'Templeton', 118 Priory Lane, London SW15 5JW or tel. 020 8878 7546. Academic queries or requests for advice should be addressed to: Professor Kevin Brehony at k.brehony@roehampton.ac.uk. If applying for a Small Grant, please read the Guidelines for Applying for Small Grants.