Swedish Research Council Formas
The Swedish Research Council for
Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial
Planning
Kristina Laurell
KTH, March 24th 2014
Swedish Research Council Formas
Formas
One of three governmental research councils
Formas’ mission
”is to promote and support basic research and need-
driven research in the areas Environment, Agricultural
Sciences and Spatial Planning. The research that is funded
should be of the highest scientific quality and relevance
to the areas of responsibility of the Council. Formas may
also support activities related to development to a limited
extent”
According to the Government’s instructions Regulation (2009:1024)
Swedish Research Council Formas
Formas – the mission
- Distribute funds to research within Formas’ areas of responsibility
- Support interdisciplinary research
- Evaluate research and development
- Identify research needs
- Initiate and support national and international cooperation
- Communicate research and research results
- Make research results useful
- Promote sustainable development in society
According to the Government’s instructions Regulation (2009:1024)
Swedish Research Council Formas
Funding of Formas
 Total budget ~1.2 billion (1,2 miljarder) SEK per year
 Positive trend of Formas’ budget since 2001
Budget from two ministries:
 Ministry of the Environment (55%)
 Ministry of Rural Affairs (45%)
Swedish Research Council Formas
Three research areas
 Environment and Nature
 Agriculture, Animals and Food
 Spatial and urban planning, Building
Swedish Research Council Formas
International activity
To promote contacts, import new knowledge, new ideas
and experiences and to bring about greater Swedish
participation in international research collaboration (e.g.
ERA-net, ERA-net+, Article 185, TFI and JPI:s)
Swedish Research Council Formas
Research Communication
To spread and communicate
research and research results
in the areas of Formas
responsibility
 Formas fokuserar
 EXTRACT
 Conferences and Workshops
Swedish Research Council Formas
Formas’ different funding instruments
 Annual open call ~ 40% (2014)
bottom-up (R&D projects, R& D young research leaders,
mobility starting grants)
 Targeted calls – 31% (2014)
programs, strategic, international cooperation – areas with
identified research needs
 Grants that can be applied for twice a year – 3% (2014)
conferences and workshops, information projects
 Urgent grants – 2% (2014)
 Co-financed research – 7% (2013)
(Skogforsk, SLF, JTI, IVL and others)
Swedish Research Council Formas
Formas annual open call 2014
Three subcalls
 Research & Development projects
(2013: 848 applications, 82 granted money (10%))
 Research & Development projects for young research
leaders
(2013: 411 applications, 25 granted money (6%))
 Mobility starting grants for young researchers
(2013: 89 applications, 14 granted money (14%))
Swedish Research Council Formas
Formas annual open call 2014
News this year:
 Up to 50% of full time salary in the call for Research and
Development grants (per application)
 Young research leaders up to 100% of full time salary
 PhD-students and postdocs 100% of a full time salary
 Maximum 150% total salary costs for the project leaders,
co-applicants and other staff (i.e. PhD-students, post-docs,
technical staff)
Swedish Research Council Formas
Annual open call 2014
 Identical applications to several subcalls is NOT allowed
 Main applicant one ongoing project grant from any of
Formas’ annual open calls ( rejection before evaluation)
 A new application may be submitted the year the
disbursement for the old project ends
 It is the timeframe in the contract deciding when a
project is ongoing. Prolongation of a project (förlängd
dispositiontid) does not affect the timeframe.
Swedish Research Council Formas
Annual open call 2014
 Transition rule 2014
A project leader with two project grants from previous
annual open calls with one project ending 2014 may
submit a new project application. Funds can however
only be sought for the years that persists in the other
ongoing project grants.
Project 1 -------|-----------------------------|
2014
new application
Project 2 -------------------------------------|
2016
Swedish Research Council Formas
Eligibility criteria and co-applicants
Doctoral degree
Swedish university or research institute
No age limit, must however have a position at
a university
International collaboration
Industrial partners
Swedish Research Council Formas
Grants for young research leaders
PhD within 2 to 8 years (i.e. 1 January 2006 at
the earliest, and 31 December 2012 at the latest)
Three consecutive years
The receiver of the grant must be the project
leader
Same criteria and instructions for applications
for grants for research projects except for
100% salary
Swedish Research Council Formas
Mobility starting grants
 PhD max 3 years - January 1stst 2011 at the earliest
and October 1st 2014 at the latest
 Home university - employment at a Swedish
university/research institute for the full time period
 Host university
 Grant for 24 - 48 months
 Visit can be divided into several periods (min length 3
months)
 Appendix G: The candidate for the grant must be the
main applicant
Swedish Research Council Formas
Formas’ Review Process
 In the annual open call ~1 300 applications per year
 Evaluation in Review panels – ranking of top projects
 Scientific quality and Societal value
 Final decision is always made by Formas’ Scientific
Council
Swedish Research Council Formas
Evaluation Panels in the annual open call
 Climate change
 The natural environment
 Use of natural resources
 Resource efficient products and processes
 Environment pollution
 Food and animal welfare
 Urban and rural development
 The built environment
Swedish Research Council Formas
Formas’ Review Panels
 15-20 members in each panel
 Majority of active researchers
minimum qualifications equivalent to associate
professor
 Minority users of the research in society
documented research experience
 Maximum 4 years
 Equal gender distribution
Swedish Research Council Formas
What is assessed?
Scientific quality
 Research question
 Method and performance
 Scientific competence
For Mobility starting grants also strength and competitiveness of the
research environments at the host- and home institutions will be
assessed.
Societal value
 Societal value of research question
 Communications with stakeholders / end users
Swedish Research Council Formas
Important dates
 Last day for applications: April 2nd 2014
 Decisions are made: 7th November 2014
 Funding starts: January 2015
 You should start your granted post during 2015
Swedish Research Council Formas
Further information
 Formas’ Handbook 2014 - www.formas.se
 Telephone information service:
08-775 40 05, 28 March - 2 April
Any of the research officers at Formas. E-mail and
telephone numbers on www.formas.se
Swedish Research Council Formas
Questions?
Good luck with your applications!