The Institute of Borneo Studies is custodian of a special bequest from the late Prof William R Geddes.  The bequest is set up as a living memorial of Professor William R Geddes to the Bidayuh People. The bequest is upon the request of his wife, the late Ngaere Adele Geddes. This fund is designed to 

a.    support and encourage Bidayuh undergraduate students, especially as they carry out their final-year research projects; 

b.    provide funds (scholarships) for postgraduate research on the Bidayuh community 

The William R Geddes Bequest is set up to mobilise students conducting original and innovative research in various fields, prioritising studies related to Bidayuh communities.  

William Robert Geddes, also known as Bill Geddes, was an anthropologist born on April 29, 1916, in New Plymouth, New Zealand. He was the youngest of five children, and his parents, Joseph Geddes and Edith Urquhart, were of Scottish descent. Geddes passed away in 1989. Following his education at New Plymouth Boys' High School, Bill proceeded to the University of Otago in Dunedin. There, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938 and a Master of Arts degree in 1939, specialising in philosophy. During the years 1939-40, he held the position of a demonstrator in the Department of Psychology at the university. He applied the knowledge gained at H. D. Skinner's one-year anthropology course while serving in the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force from 1941 to 1945. Having achieved the rank of staff sergeant, he primarily resided in Fiji for most of his tenure. His memoir, "Deuba: A Study of a Fijian Village" (1945), was based on this experience and written during the Bougainville campaign. Additionally, his thesis for his PhD at the University of London (1948), titled "An Analysis of Cultural Change in Fiji," was written at the London School of Economics and Political Science. From 1947 to 1948, he delivered lectures on psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London. Chosen to collaborate with the Land Dayaks of Sarawak through a program funded by the Colonial Social Science Research Council, he released his findings initially as a report to the council titled "The Land Dayaks of Sarawak" (1954), which was later expanded into a highly acclaimed book called "Nine Dayak Nights" (1957). In 1951, he assumed a lectureship position at Auckland University College, where he later advanced to the rank of senior lecturer in 1954 and associate professor in 1957. After retirement in 1981, Geddes extensively travelled to attend meetings of the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils on behalf of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, where he held a fellowship. In 1983, he led the planning committee for the association's fifth annual conference in Sydney. He also edited the papers of the symposium "Asian Perspectives in Social Science" in 1985. 

In his lifetime, Bill Geddes's resolute determination complemented his sturdy physique. He combined persistence with astuteness and balanced with profound empathy and a modest sense of humour. He derived satisfaction from gardening, fishing, and socialising with companions while maintaining a reserved and non-assertive demeanour. He passed away on 27 April 1989 at Wahroonga and was cremated, leaving behind his wife. 

On the request of his late wife, Ngaere Adele Geddes, the bequest was made to Universiti Malaysia Sarawak in 2022, to help Bidayuh students who are pursuing their undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The Institute of Borneo Studies is the anchor for the bequest. The funding management is also supported by the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) and Bidayuh Graduates Association (BGA). A panel of reviewers will be appointed to process all applications for funding. A minimum of three-panel members will be sought from the Dayak Bidayuh National Association, Sarawak Bidayuh Graduates Association, and one Bidayuh academic staff member from UNIMAS.   

1. Undergraduate (Final Year Project)

The details will be announced later.

2. Postgraduate research (Masters and PhD)

The fund offers: 

Details of a 2-year project: 

1. Research duration: maximum 24 months. 
2. Research output: 1 master's student, one (1) index publication in SCOPUS/WoS and presentation of research findings at postgraduate seminars and/or conferences. 
3. The maximum allocation funding per grant is RM40,000 (non-science) and RM50,000 (Science). 

Details of a 3-year project: 

1. Research duration is maximum 36 months. 
2. Research output: 1 PhD student, two (2) index publications in SCOPUS/WoS and Presentation of research findings at postgraduate seminars and/or conferences.
3. The maximum allocation funding per grant is RM80,000 (non-science) and RM90,000 (Science). 

The studentship is tenable for two years for Master’s by Research and three years for PhD by Research and will not be renewable thereafter.  

Requirements: 

• Applicant must be the supervisor of the candidate postgraduate student. 
• The candidate postgraduate student must be of Bidayuh ethnicity. 
• The duration of the proposed postgraduate project is at least 2 years (minimum) and at most, 3 years (maximum). 
• The research should be centred on Bidayuh communities, cultures, languages, values, history and traditions with following themes: 

1. Sustaining Bidayuh arts, culture and languages for better education and ecotourism. 
2. Application of STEM in Bidayuh community for sustainable well-being and economic growth. 

To apply for the fund, interested applicants need to complete the application form via iRIS@ https://research.unimas.my/iris7/signin (select Prof WR Geddes Bequest Research Fund) by 20th January 2024. 

Applicants can refer to the flowchart below to guide the application process: