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Course Design and Development Grants

21st Century India Center Course Development and Course Expansion Grants for UC San Diego Faculty.
The 21st Century India Center (21CIC) at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy is dedicated to making a profound difference in the lives of others through research and community partnerships designed to create actionable solutions to global challenges now and for future generations. Our mission is to drive the success of U.S.-India relations, as well as the success of India itself, in the 21st century through research, education and action.

21CIC recognizes the imperative of a globally conscious academic framework. With India’s increasing relevance in global conversations, we are eager to support:

  1. The development and implementation of new courses at UC San Diego that focus on India, enabling UC San Diego students to delve into aspects of economics, politics, and science and technology policies related to India and U.S.-India relations.  
  2. The integration of India-related content into existing courses at UC San Diego, enhancing students’ understanding of economics, politics, and science and technology policies pertaining to India and U.S.-India relations. 

This initiative underscores our dedication to providing students with an expansive, global academic exposure. The goal is to immerse students in India’s intricate interplay of history, culture, politics, economics, science and technology. By ingraining our courses with rich content from India, we are preparing them for a future where India stands as a pivotal global contributor. We eagerly await your innovative proposals and express our deep appreciation for your participation.

Grant Opportunity for Establishing Comprehensive India-focused Courses

Amount: $10,000 USD 

Objective: To design and introduce courses exclusively centered on India, covering its dynamic economics and intricate politics, as well as science and technology policies pertaining to India and U.S.-India relations.

Proposal Submission Guidelines

  • Length: Maximum of two pages.
  • Course Overview: Summarize the proposed course’s primary themes and objectives.
  • Course Content: Describe in detail the India-specific modules, readings and sections you plan to incorporate.
  • Resources and Collaboration: List prospective textbooks, readings or academic collaborations, possibly including collaborations with experts from India or scholars specializing in India.
  • Benefits to Students: Explain how this course will help students gain a deeper understanding of India in a global setting. Highlight the anticipated enriched learning outcomes and how they will be measured. 
  • Implementation Timeline: Present a tentative rollout plan for the course from inception to launch. Include how you plan to get course approval by your home department.
  • Please also submit a copy of your CV detailing your past teaching experience.

Grant Opportunity for Integrating India-related Content to Existing Courses

Amount: Up to $5,000 USD

Objective: Comprehensive addition of India-related content to existing courses that currently have no or minimal content related to India. This could manifest as expanded modules, focused readings, in-depth case studies or any educational resources that holistically represent India’s vast tapestry of knowledge. 

Proposal Submission Guidelines

  • Length: Maximum of two pages.
  • Course Overview: Provide a brief description of the current course, highlighting its primary themes and objectives.
  • Revisions and Additions: Specify the India-related elements you intend to incorporate within the course and explain why their inclusion is essential for the course. Identify specific modules, chapters or segments you aim to expand or introduce.
  • Resources and Collaboration: List prospective textbooks, readings or academic collaborations, possibly including collaborations with experts from India or scholars specializing in India. If applicable, highlight any interdisciplinary connections or collaborations that the revised course will facilitate.
  • Benefits to Students: Describe the significance to students of a thorough understanding of India in today’s global narrative. Note how many students are expected to enroll in the course per academic year. Highlight the anticipated enriched learning outcomes and how they will be measured. 
  • Implementation Timeline: Share a tentative timeline detailing the stages of the content integration, including milestones and deadlines.
  • Please also submit a copy of your CV detailing your past teaching experience.

Outcome Expectations

21CIC plans to create an India Courses Hub, which will include a repository of teaching materials on India-centered courses to be featured on the 21CIC website. This collection of resources will be available for faculty anywhere to develop and expand coursework on India, especially in core courses such as economics and political science, as well as specialized cross-disciplinary courses focused entirely on India. 

At the end of the quarter after the course is taught, we kindly request that grantees submit the following:

  • A copy of the final course syllabus, case studies and/or innovative teaching materials or methods used that can be shared on our India Courses Hub 
  • Enrollment statistics and student demographics
  • Student feedback
  • A very brief reflective report detailing your experience teaching the course including successes, challenges and any lessons learned  
  • Please also submit a copy of your CV detailing your past teaching experience.

We encourage grantees to incorporate the developed course into their long-term teaching plans, with the goal of repeated offerings of the course in the future. Repeated offerings will maximize the course's impact and benefit the greatest number of students.

Application Process

How to Apply

Submit your proposal in PDF format to Lisa Patel at lipatel@ucsd.edu.

Review Process

Submitted proposals will be evaluated on a rolling basis. Please note that funding is contingent upon course approval by the faculty member’s home department.

Contact Information

For any inquiries regarding the grant or the application process, please contact Lisa Patel at lipatel@ucsd.edu.