Research Support & Policies

The research office at GCBS is the research, consulting, training, and entrepreneurship development arm of the college. The college recognizes the importance of research as a key component of its mission. The office drives policy-relevant business research, provides GNH value-based training in the field of business and management, engages in consulting projects, and facilitates the creation of an enabling environment for student entrepreneurship. The Royal University of Bhutan has granted endorsement for the college to establish the research centre named ‘Centre for Business Research and Entrepreneurship Development (CBRED)’.

The college continually strives to strengthen its research culture and capacity to effectively address the key research areas such as relevance, necessity, efficiency, and effectiveness.  To this end, there are research supports put in place both at the university and the college level. These research grants are currently available only to the staff/faculty and the students at the college. The research office helps the researchers in securing grants from AURG or IRG and other funding agencies.

1.1. Research Grants

1.1.1. University Level Research Grants:

a. Annual University Research Grant (AURG)
The AURG, research block grant, a competitive research grant, is administered annually by the Department of Research and External Relations, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Royal University of Bhutan. Available annual research funding is distributed to individual researchers or research teams through merit-based and peer-reviewed processes. As the grant is output-based, it is monitored through the successful submission of research output at regular intervals. In order to distribute the grant through a just and fair means, the university categorizes the applicants into four groups based on their individual research profile: Beginner Researcher (BR), Mid-Career Researcher (MCR), Advance Career Researcher (ACR), and Teaching Learning Researcher (TLR). The different amounts of funds are allocated for each research category. 

b. Research Endowment Fund (REF)
The Research and Endowment Fund (REF) was instituted with funding support from the government. The Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) manages and operates with the standing guidelines.  The scope of REF limits to the designated purposes only such as research grants and scholarships as deemed necessary by the REF Board. Application calls for the fund are floated annually and the award is based on competitive merit evaluated by the technical experts. 

1.1.2. College Research Grant
While the college has always advocated research-informed teaching and learning, lack of adequate research funds and feeble research culture among others hindered in promoting research. This has allowed the college to institute an in-house research grant, “In-house Research Grant (IRG)’ in 2016 to support business and policy-relevant research by both the teaching and support staff. The IRG annually supports nine research applications in two research categories:  One President Grant (Nu.100,000) and eight Deans Grant (Nu.50,000).

1.2. Research Policies

1.2.1. RUB Research Policies
‘Zhib Tshol’ RUB Research Policies is the primary reference regarding research for members of the university and anyone involved in research with the university. The policies define the official policies, procedures, and structure of the university governing all aspects of research. It also aims to inform and educate readers about the process and conduct of research, and is meant to be a useful tool that supports researchers in the university. It further seeks to encourage and enable collaboration amongst university member colleges with the wider research and academic world. 

1.2.2. GCBS Research and Consultancy Policy:
In order to create uniformity and transparency in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as research output dissemination process, the college has developed a policy document ‘GCBS Research and Consultancy Policy 2018’. The policy was developed in line with the Royal University of Bhutan Research Policies ‘Zhib Tshol’. The policy defines the procedures and structure of the college governing all aspects of research-related activities. The policy seeks to encourage and enable sharing of information through engagement in research, consultancy, research events, and other modes of international exposures. The policy also contains research/consultancy support services and guidelines for the students.