Infosession projects 2015
Dr. Hans Willems, director Research Policy
On the agenda
1. Mission and key facts
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
3. Funding schemes of the FWO
•
•
Research grants
Research projects
4. European funding schemes with participation of FWO
•
•
•
ERA-NET
Joint programming
Future & Emerging Technologies (FET)
5. Varia
February 2015
Information session FWO
3
1. Mission and key facts
• Mission of the FWO
• Funds fundamental scientific research (‘frontier
research’)
• Bottom-up funding in all disciplines
• Strong selection based on scientific excellence
and interuniversity competition (Flemish
universities and, to a lesser extent, research
institutes)
• Transparent and equal opportunities
February 2015
Information session FWO
4
1. Mission and key facts
Our partners

Universities (Leuven, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, Hasselt)

Main (Strategic) Research Centers:
February 2015
Information session FWO
5
1. Mission and key facts
• Label awarded in december 2010
• Implementation of Charter & Code
• Focus on transparent recruitment procedures and
family/gender friendly measures
February 2015
Information session FWO
6
1. Mission and key facts
• Target groups of the FWO
• Young researchers
• Postdoctoral researchers
• Established researchers
• Research teams
• Top-researchers and high-potential researchers
February 2015
Information session FWO
7
1. Mission and key facts
• Funding schemes of the FWO
• Funding for individual researchers
• Pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, bench fees and grants
• Funding for research teams
• Research projects, Big Science, Bilateral agreements, …
• Supporting mobility, international contacts and
collaborations
• travel grants, visiting postdoctoral fellowships, sabbatical leaves, scientific
research communities, organisation of conferences in belgium,
international coordination actions, collaboration agreements, …
• Attracting excellent researchers, active abroad, to Flanders
• Odysseus , Pegasus
• Awarding scientific prizes
February 2015
Information session FWO
8
1. Mission and key facts
• Budget 2014: 226 million EUR, ca. 80% from Flemish
Government
February 2015
Information session FWO
9
1. Mission and key facts
Allocation 2014
Mandaten
Wetenschappelijke contacten
Onderzoeksprojecten
Administratief beheer
Kredieten aan navorsers
2%
45%
50%
2%
1%
Distribution of the allocation
Biologische wetenschappen
Cultuurwetenschappen
Gedrags- en maatschappij-wetenschappen
Interdisciplinair
Medische wetenschappen
Wetenschap en technologie
14%
6%
28%
15%
34%
February 2015
Information session FWO
3%
10
1.
Mission and key facts
Evolution number researchers in function (1st Oct.)
1400
1211
1200
1000
879
800
860
Aspiranten
Postdoctorale onderzoekers
600
Onderzoeksprojecten
400
200
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Total 2014 : 2950 researchers funded by FWO
February 2015
Information session FWO
11
1. Mission and key facts
Gender balance
600
497
500
440
439
400
363
Aspiranten M
Aspiranten V
300
Postdoc M
Postdoc V
200
100
0
2006
February 2015
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Information session FWO
2012
2013
2014
12
1. Mission and key facts
• % foreign researchers (excl. Projects)
35
32.6
30
25
20
Aspiranten
15
14.0
Postdoctorale onderzoekers
10
5
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
February 2015
Information session FWO
13
1. Mission and key facts
• Evolution success rate
40
35
30
25
25
22
20
Aspiranten
Postdoctorale onderzoekers
16
15
Onderzoeksprojecten
10
5
0
2006
2007
February 2015
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Information session FWO
14
1. Mission and key facts
• Events
February 2015
Information session FWO
15
2. Selection procedure
and how to apply
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
Call
External
referees
(online)
Submission/
eligibility
check
1 February
1 April
Expert
Panels
(30+1)
February/March
April/May
(CIS)
2 meetings/year in
Brussels
Board of
Trustees
24 June 2015
18 November 2015
Duration workflow fellowships: < 5 months
Duration workflow projects: < 7 months
February 2015
Information session FWO
17
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
• FWO E-Portal (ww.fwo.be)
(register at least 24 hours in advance)
February 2015
Information session FWO
18
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
• Some important changes in the forms
• Project outline
• A standard template is presented with questions and
instructions (Font Calibri 11 - max 10 pages).
• The applicant will be able to download it, fill it in and upload it
again. (You can include lay-out, formulas, graphs, pictures, etc.)
• The FWO administration can reject the PDF if it does not
comply with the instructions and ask to adapt it.
February 2015
Information session FWO
19
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
• Publication lists within the E-portal
• Based on FWO classification (A1.1, A1.2, A2, B1,
etc.)
• Copy/paste of publications within each category
is possible
• Automatic upload from Academic Bibliography
available (UAntwerpen, UGent, Uhasselt and KU
Leuven). Only for the publication categories A1.1,
A1.2, A2, B1, B2, B3 and C1
February 2015
Information session FWO
20
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
• Publications
• The classification in the publication list does not imply a qualitative
ranking order.
• The Expert panel evaluates the quality of the publications.
• The FWO does not put forward qualitative or quantitative norms.
February 2015
Information session FWO
21
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
• Ethical advice
• The applicant has to indicate whether an advice is
necessary if human beings or animals are involved.
• The panel can also ask for an advice.
• The advice has to be provided by the local ethical
commission (host institution).
• The advice has to be submitted to FWO before the
start of the fellowship/work package concerned.
• No advice  no funding
February 2015
Information session FWO
22
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
• Choice of panel
• Applications for the Interdisciplinary Panel which are
inadmissible based on the interdisciplinarity of the
research proposal, can be redirected towards a
monodisciplinary panel (after consultation of the
applicant).
• The selection of the correct Expertpanel is crucial.
February 2015
Information session FWO
23
2. Selection procedure and how to apply
• Reform panel structure
• 30 > 31 Expert panels
(30 disciplinary / 1 interdisciplinary)
• CULT 4 is split up in
• CULT 4: Theology and Religion Sciences
• Cult 5: Philosophy and Ethics
• Other panels: adaptation scope and/or name
February 2015
Information session FWO
24
3. Funding schemes of the FWO
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research grants
Research projects
Odysseus
ERA-NET
Joint Programming
Future & Emerging Technologies (FET)
February 2015
Information session FWO
25
3. Funding schemes of the FWO
• General remarks: scoring by the Expert panel
•
•
•
•
•
A+ marks for the top 5% of the proposals;
A marks for the top 10% of the proposals;
A- marks for the top 20% of the proposals;
B range only for the top 50% of the proposals;
C or D for the lower half of the proposals.
(Cf. Assessment Form)
February 2015
Information session FWO
26
3. Funding schemes of the FWO
• General remarks: Accountability
• Progress report / end report
• Evaluated by FWO Expert Panels
• FWO should be mentioned on each publication
February 2015
Information session FWO
27
3. Funding schemes: Research grants
Deadline: 1 April 2015 – 17.00h
In function: ≥ 1 January 2016
February 2015
Information session FWO
28
3. Funding schemes: Research grants
• Personal research budget between € 2.500 and
€ 40.000
• Grant for 1 year
• Specific research grants:
•
•
•
•
Eiffel (Cancer/Leukemia): € 7.450
Fernand De Waele (Civil Engineering/Cancer): € 6.200
Fortis Bank & MeersPierson (Economics): € 12.500
Rimaux-Bartiers (Incurable Disease): € 12.400
February 2015
Information session FWO
29
3. Funding schemes: Research grants
• Who can apply? (Always under the supervision of Flemish University)
• Appointed at a university
• Appointed at a Flemish or a Federal institute for scientific
research (belonging to the Dutch-speaking community)
• Independent postdoctoral researchers from the Flemish
Community under the direction and responsibility of a
Flemish University
• Not exceeding the level of ‘hoofddocent’
• Exception: mathematics, languages, humanities and social sciences
February 2015
Information session FWO
30
3. Funding schemes: Research grants
• Selection
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scientific output of the applicant
Scientific context of the research department
Research methodology
Originality and innovative nature of the project
Feasibility of the project
Purposefulness of the project
Necessity of the applied for budget
• Evaluation
• Achieving goals set at the start of the project
• Results and publications
February 2015
Information session FWO
31
3. Funding schemes: Research grants
• What can be applied for?
• Consumables / equipment
• Wages “job students” / interviewers
• Wages for excavation or similar work
• What cannot be applied for?
• Rent, heating, lighting and maintenance of the premises
• Furniture
• Compensation of scientific or technical staff (with
employment contract and subject to social security)
February 2015
Information session FWO
32
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
Deadline: 1 April 2015 – 17.00h
(each university: internal deadline)
In function: ≥ 1 January 2016
(start can be postponed for ≤ 1 year)
February 2015
Information session FWO
33
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Characteristics
• For each call, a researcher can act as a (co-)supervisor for
max. 2 projects
• If the promotor is granted a project with funding, (s)he
cannot apply as (co)promoter during the following call
• Funding for a limited period in principle 4 years
(exceptionally extended (max. 2 years))
• Specific research objectives
• Consumables, equipment and staff (scientific/technical)
• Special attention for interuniversity and interdisciplinary
projects
• If possible, organized in function of preparing a PhD
February 2015
Information session FWO
34
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Who can act as (co-)supervisor ((co-)promotor)?
1. a ZAP-member with an appointment of more than 10%
at a Flemish university;
2. a ZAP-member with an appointment of 10% at a Flemish
university, with a specific research mandate;
3. a ZAP-member with an appointment of 5% at a Flemish
university AND at the same time appointed as (adjunct)
head of the clinic of in a similar function at an Academic
Hospital in Flanders;
4. Academic personel appointed at the Evangelische
Protestantse Faculteit in Leuven or at the Faculteit voor
Protestantse Godgeleerdheid in Brussels;
February 2015
Information session FWO
35
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Who can act as (co-)supervisor ((co-)promotor)?
5. A research director of FWO;
6. A nominative beneficiant of an ERC Starting
Grant, an ERC Advanced Grant or an Odysseus II
grant, with a Flemish university as a host institution
All co-supervisors should be researchers of at least
postdoctoral level; Co-supervisors should be appointed at a
Flemish university or the Transnationale Universiteit
Limburg, a Flemish research institution, a Flemish
Academic hospital, or a Federal research institution.
February 2015
Information session FWO
36
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Who can act as (co-)supervisor ((co-)promotor)?
If multiple universities are involved in the project: for each
university at least the promotor or 1 co-promotor needs to
fulfill the conditions, mentioned in §1, sections 1°, 2° and
3°, and furthermore have an appointment for the duration
of the whole research project.
If, at the moment of the application, the conditions for
(co)promotership are not met, the applicant needs to prove
that this will be the case at the start of the agreement
(1/1/2016).
February 2015
Information session FWO
37
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
All researchers engaged for Research Project of FWO
according principles Charter and Code
(Regulation Research Projects, art. 17)
February 2015
Information session FWO
38
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Selection criteria
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
International scientific level of the research groups
Methodology
Originality and innovative nature of the project
Importance of the project
Purposefulness of the project
Feasibility of the project
Collaboration and coordination between research
departments
• Necessity for the budgeted resource
February 2015
Information session FWO
39
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
• Applicant suggests 10 potential referees
• APPLICANT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ELIGIBILITY OF THE REFEREES;
IN CASE OF ANY MISCONDUCT EACH APPLICATION WILL
IMMEDIATELY BE INELIGIBLE
• FWO-administration selects at random referees until at least 2
reports are available
February 2015
Information session FWO
40
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
• Not eligible as referee are:
• Members of the Board of FWO;
• Members of an expert panel of FWO;
• Those who are appointed at a Belgian university, research
institution or whatever other organization;
• Those who are professionally appointed at an institution
where the applicant(s) has/have been enrolled as a student or
has/have been professionally appointed after January 1st of the
year n-3 (n= year of application);
February 2015
Information session FWO
41
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
• Not eligible as referee are:
• Co-authors of the applicant(s) of a publication that has been
submitted or published after 1 January of the year n-3 (n=year of
application); co-authorship is to be understood as follows:
– Co-authorship of a monograph of which the applicant is co-author as well;
– Co-authorship of an article or another type of contribution to a collection
of which the applicant is co-author as well;
– Editors are not regarded as co-authors, insofar as they have not also acted
as what is understood under ‘co-author’. Co-editors of the applicant are
not accepted as external referees.
February 2015
Information session FWO
42
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
• Not eligible as referee are:
• Partners of the applicant(s) in a research project that has been
applied for or ongoing within the last three years prior to the
final submission date for applications
• Applicants are responsible for the eligibility of the proposed
referees! If the proposed referees do not comply with the
eligibility criteria, the application will be declared ineligible!
February 2015
Information session FWO
43
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
• Eligibility: specification “research partners”:
• Art. 12, § 4: “partners of the applicant(s) in a research cooperation ,whether
formalised in a research project or not, that has been applied for or has been
running after January 1st of the year n-3 (n=year of application. In this context, the
following shall in any case qualify as research cooperation (non-exhaustive list):
February 2015
Information session FWO
44
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
•
External referees
• Eligibility: specification “research partners”:
• Cooperation under a research fellowship, granted by the FWO;
• Cooperation under a research project, whether relating to a specific subject or not or
under an international cooperation project, granted by the FWO;
• Cooperation under the Odysseus programme or the Big Science programme, granted by
the FWO;
• Cooperation under a Scientific Research Network, granted by the FWO;
• Cooperation under programmes similar to those mentioned above, granted
by organisations other than the FWO;
• Joint research work not formalised in a cooperation structure as defined above;
• Research carried out in the research areas and/or with research facilities provided by the
applicant to the referee or vice versa;
• …”
February 2015
Information session FWO
45
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
Eligibility
• When in doubt about the eligibility before the submission,
applicants can contact FWO before submitting the application:
referentencommissie@fwo.be .
• The questions to the FWO before submission will be presented
to the FWO referee commission of the appropriate scientific
domain.
February 2015
Information session FWO
46
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• FWO Referee Commission
• After submission, co-authorship in publications with > 10
authors  FWO administration will consult the referee
commission
• After submission, referee commission will decide on the
alleged eligibility of the proposed referees
• When the referee commission decides negatively on the
eligibility of a proposed referee in an application that has
already been submitted, this application will be disqualified!
February 2015
Information session FWO
47
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• FWO Referee Commission
• If after the submission date the referee commission answers
negatively to a question concerning eligibility of a proposed
referee that reached the FWO before the application: applicant
will be asked to propose a new referee that meets the
eligibility criteria.
February 2015
Information session FWO
48
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
Other issues
• Applicants must see to it that any contact information of the reviewers is up-todate  not the case: FWO will not take further steps in tracking down the
reviewer(s) and the applicant may be asked to submit new names.
• Applicants and reviewers may not in any way communicate with each other
about any aspect of the application and of the evaluation.
• At the time of entry in application process: reviewers will need to declare that
they comply with eligibility requirements or reviewers and that they will treat
any information contained in the application as confidential and that they will
not use any of this information for purposes other than the drawing up of their
evaluation
February 2015
Information session FWO
49
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• External referees
Check by FWO
• FWO administration will see to it that applicants strictly
observe the eligibility regulations and other guidelines. It will
inform the Board of Trustees about any violation of this sort.
The Board of Trustees will take the final decision on these
violations.
• After administrative check: FWO will inform applicants about
violations that were found  if alleged violations result from a
factual error of the FWO administration, the FWO can be
notified.
February 2015
Information session FWO
50
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Cost categories
• For each project, and in the case of an interuniversity
project, for each host institution, one can apply for
€45.000 till €130.000 per year for consumables and staff
taken together.
• If one of the partners only applies for consumables, the minimum budget
for these consumables can be lowered to €20.000.
• One can apply for max. €150.000 for equipment.
Applying for matching funding for max. €150.000 is
possible.
February 2015
Information session FWO
51
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Cost categories
• Staff
•
•
•
•
•
February 2015
According to the rules of the host institution
Employment contract or stipend
Interchangeable with consumables
Account for duration project and 1 extra year
Lump sums are no longer applicable: the applicant puts in the
estimated real cost (see HR department host institution).
Information session FWO
52
3. Funding schemes
Research projects
• Cost categories
• Consumables
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Normal consumables for the execution of the project
“Job students”, interviewers
Guest researchers
Small equipment ≤ € 20.000
Research stays, conferences
Literature
Travel costs (no commuting)
Interchangeable with staff
– Account for during project and next two budget years
February 2015
Information session FWO
53
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
• Cost categories
• Equipment
• The equipment becomes property of the university
• ≤ € 150.000
• Matching funding is allowed ≤ € 150.000
February 2015
Information session FWO
54
3. Funding schemes: Research projects
Lead Agency
•
•
International cooperation with peer review by one of the agencies involved
Eligibility and funding by agency in country of the researchers
•
With Luxemburg (FNR) and Slovenia (ARRS): cf. regular project
•
With the Netherlands (NWO) more specific:
• Cultural Sciences
• Budget/call: €280 k (FWO) + €225 k (NWO)
• Period: 4 years (FWO) – 3-4 years (NWO)
• 2015: FWO is L.A. - Flemish applicant + Dutch co-applicant
• 2016: NWO is L.A. – Dutch applicant + Flemish co-applicant
February 2015
Information session FWO
55
3. Funding schemes: Odysseus
• New call 2015
• Deadline: 30/09/2015
• KU Leuven, UGent, UAntwerpen, VUB, UHasselt
• To attract top scientists from abroad (brain gain)
• Universities suggest candidates
• Strict selection by international jury and
international peer review
February 2015
Information session FWO
56
3. Funding schemes: Odysseus
• Group I
• International recognized leading researchers
• Budget: between € 400.000 and € 1.500.000 per year (max.
5 years)
• ZAP-position financied by universities (year 1 min. 50%,
from year 2 min. 80%)
• Group II
• Researchers with the potential to grow to a leading position
• Budget: between € 100.000 and € 200.000 per year (max. 5
years)
• Postdoctoral fellowship during the term of the project
financed by universities
February 2015
Information session FWO
57
3. Funding schemes: ERA-NET
• FWO participates in 30 networks (2015)
• All domains: biomedical, technology, SSH
• See: http://www.fwo.be/nl/mandaten-financiering/europeseprogrammas/era-net/
• Focus on joint calls: consortia of European/associated
teams each paid by their national agency
• Selection for partipation by FWO in consultation with
Flemish universities and experts
February 2015
Information session FWO
58
3. Funding schemes: ERA-NET
• General principles for participation in joint calls
•
•
•
•
Basic research
Virtual common pot
Ca. € 200.000 per call
Rules concerning Flemish participants = FWO-regulations
Research projects
February 2015
Information session FWO
59
3. Funding schemes: JPI
• What is Joint Programming?
• EC 07/2008: “towards joint programming in research:
working together to tackle common challenges more
effectively”
• General principle: coördination of national research
programmes in order to tackle “grand challenges”
• Proces steered by GPC (“Groupe de Programmation
Conjointe”)
• Implementation: “voluntary guidelines” (framework
conditions
February 2015
Information session FWO
60
3. Funding schemes: JPI
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Neurodegenerative diseases
Agriculture, Food security & Climate Change
Cultural Heritage
A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life
Urban Europe
Antimicrobial Resistance
Climate
More Years, Better Lives
Water Challenges for a Changing World
Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans
•
+ Strategic Energy and Technology (SET) Plan
February 2015
Information session FWO
61
3. Funding schemes: JPI
• Participation by FWO
• General principles
• Fundamental/translational research
• Top-up for existing FWO-projects: 10k €/year
• Synergy possible with ERA-NET
See: http://www.fwo.be/nl/mandaten-financiering/europeseprogrammas/jpi/ .
February 2015
Information session FWO
62
3. Funding schemes
Future & Emerging Technologies (FET)
• Basic research with high risk, but possible large
impact on technology and society
• Large-scale and long-term research based on
cooperation between academy and industry in the
European Research Area (ERA)
• 2 FET Flagships approved: HBP and Graphene
• FWO is possible partner when it comes to basic
research (e.g. ERA-NET)
February 2015
Information session FWO
63
More information on the FWO
• Website of the FWO: www.fwo.be
• Information on strategy, regulations, scientific
prizes, calls, …
• Free to download publications
• More information on FWO:
http://www.geschiedenisfwo.be/
February 2015
Information session FWO
64