Call for Proposal2026-10-10T12:47:50+00:00

Call for Proposal

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About the Programme

Building a regional network of DPI expertise

The AI4DPI project team would like to invite partners from universities based in the Asia-Pacific region to propose research and capacity-building activities to strengthen university-led DPI expertise and to produce practical evidence to support the advancement of DPI throughout the region.

Successful university partner applicants will become founding members of the AIT DPI University Network, participating in shared knowledge, regional events and future collaboration through 2029.

At A Glance

Program Advancing Open Source Digital Public Infrastructure in Asia Pacific
Funded By Gates Foundation
Managed By Asian Institute of Technology
Grant Amount Upto USD 100,000 Per University

About the Programme

Building a regional network of DPI expertise

The AI4DPI project team would like to invite partners from universities based in the Asia-Pacific region to propose research and capacity-building activities to strengthen university-led DPI expertise and to produce practical evidence to support the advancement of DPI throughout the region.

Successful university partner applicants will become founding members of the AIT DPI University Network, participating in shared knowledge, regional events and future collaboration through 2029.

At A Glance

Program Advancing Open Source Digital Public Infrastructure in Asia Pacific
Funded By Gates Foundation
Managed By Asian Institute of Technology
Grant Amount Upto USD 100,000 Per University

Eligible Countries

Bangladesh
Bhutan
Indonesia
Laos
Nepal
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Sri Lanka
Vietnam

Important Dates

Call Opens October 15, 2026
Information Sessions October 27-29, 2026
Application Deadline November 30, 2026, 5:00 PM ICT (UTC+7)
Shortlisted Applicants Notified December 15, 2026
Interview for Shortlisted Applicants January 4, 2027
Final Selection Announced January 10, 2027

Mandatory Work Packages

All submitted proposals must demonstrate meaningful inclusion and plan for actions for the following work packages. Applicants may combine and propose cross-package activities but must maintain the core content of all packages.

Work Package 1: Research and Development

Your proposal must include original research, prototype development, and technical outputs connected to one of DPI research tracks, and real-life national or sub-national needs. All outputs must be open-source and openly published.

Six Open Research Tracks

Select the track that best matches your team’s expertise and your country’s DPI context. Proposals must address a real national or sub-national need.

01 — DPI Needs Assessment

Map the digital ID and DPI landscape in your country. Identify barriers to adoption, infrastructure gaps, and the needs of marginalised populations.

02 — Digital ID Establishment

Research and prototype open-source digital identity systems, with a focus on interoperability, inclusivity, and alignment with national digital ID strategy.

03 — Attack Dataset Development

Develop datasets of biometric spoofing and identity fraud attacks to support security research and testing of DPI authentication systems.

04 — Presentation Attack Detection (PAD)

Build and validate machine learning models to detect spoofing attacks on biometric systems used in national digital ID programmes.

05 — Verifiable Credentials (VC) Use Cases

Design and pilot verifiable credential applications for education, employment, healthcare, or financial services using open DPI standards.

06 — AI Agents for DPI

Explore how AI agents can improve citizen access to DPI-enabled government services, with attention to safety, privacy, and equity.

Work Package 2: Capacity Building

Build DPI knowledge and practical skills through a two-step capacity-building approach. First, AIT will conduct an intensive Train-the-Trainer (TtT) Program for university partners, equipping faculty, researchers, entrepreneurs, government officials, and technical staff with practical knowledge of MOSIP, verifiable credentials, digital wallets, presentation attack detection, AI tools, the AIT MOSIP Sandbox, and DPI research and advocacy. At least 25 participants per institution are expected.

University partners will then apply and extend this knowledge through local capacity-building activities for their communities. These may include integrating DPI content into university curricula, conducting training for government staff and policymakers, and organizing bootcamps, hackathons, or short courses for developers and practitioners working on DPI systems.

Work Package 3: Community and Ecosystem Engagement

Connect your research and capacity building work with the broader DPI ecosystem — regionally and globally — and engage with government and civil society in your country.

Government Engagement
Establish or strengthen ties with national DPI authorities. Present research findings to policymakers and contribute to national DPI strategy discussions.

AIT DPI University Network
Actively participate in regional knowledge-sharing, joint events, and collaborative research with other universities in the network managed by AIT.

Open Publishing
Publish findings in open-access journals or conferences. Contribute code, datasets, and documentation to open-source DPI communities.

Country Impact

Your proposal must demonstrate how your research work and outputs will address the real-life needs of your country through practical impacts by answering the following questions

Country Need
What are specific needs in your country that can be addressed by your work?

Proposed Activity
What specific activities will you conduct?

Output
What will be the outputs of each proposed activity?

Stakeholder Use & Adoption
Who will use and adopt the outputs you produce?

Country Impact
In what measurable change will your work result?

Country Need
What are specific needs in your country that can be addressed by your work?

Proposed Activity
What specific activities will you conduct?

Output
What will be the outputs of each proposed activity?

Stakeholder Use & Adoption
Who will use and adopt the outputs you produce?

Country Impact
In what measurable change will your work result?

Application Package

All submitted documents and supporting files must be according to the templates provided by AIT below.

Call for Proposal Guideline

Full programme information, eligibility requirements, research tracks, evaluation criteria, grant conditions, and application requirements.

Proposal Template

Template for preparation of the research proposal.

Budget Template

Financial template for preparing the proposed budget in USD.

Submit Your Proposal

Applicant Institution

Research Proposal

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Note: This document is not required at the time of initial submission. Applicants will be contacted by the AI4DPI team when the letter is required at a later stage.

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Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Who is eligible to apply?2026-10-09T17:39:00+00:00

Universities located in the 10 eligible countries—Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam—may apply. Applicants must also have relevant technical expertise and an established working relationship with their national identity authority.

How much funding is available?2026-10-06T07:51:13+00:00

Selected partner universities may receive funding of up to USD 100,000. The final amount will be determined by AIT based on the proposed activities, work plan, and budget.

What research areas can universities apply for?2026-10-06T07:51:35+00:00

Applicants can propose work under the programme’s research tracks, including areas such as DPI needs assessment, digital ID establishment, presentation attack datasets, open-source PAD models, verifiable credential use cases, and AI agents for DPI.

What documents are required for submission?2026-10-06T07:51:55+00:00

Applicants must submit a proposal in both PDF and Word (.docx) formats, together with a budget in Excel (.xlsx)format. A Letter of Support from the national ID authority is optional at Stage 1 but required for shortlisted applicants at Stage 2.

What is the application deadline?2026-10-06T07:52:15+00:00

Applications must be submitted by 30 November 2026 at 5:00 PM ICT (UTC+7). The online submission portal will close automatically at the deadline, and late submissions will not be accepted.

For Inquiries

For general inquiries or further information, please contact us at

AIT Digital Public Infrastructure
Email: ai4dpievents@ait.asia

ai4dpi@ait.asia

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