Second Call for Proposals for the
Strategic
Korean-Swiss Cooperative Program
in Science and Technology
To be submitted by September 30, 2010
Based on the:
Action Plan between the Swiss State Secretariat for Education
and Research and the Korean Ministry of Education, Science
and Technology
1. General Description
1.1 Background and aim of the program
In their ‘message for the promotion of education, research and innovation 2008-2011’
the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) defined eight priority
countries for bilateral science and technology cooperation programs (Korea, China,
India, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Chile and Brazil).
A mandate was given to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), who
is acting as Leading House for the cooperation programs with China, and coordinating
the programs for Japan and Korea, and ensures that all Swiss Universities and
Universities of Applied Sciences are granted access to these programs.
The Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), recognizing the
significance of the cooperation with Switzerland in the field of science and technology,
has been promoting various bilateral initiatives by researchers from the two countries.
The National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) is playing an important role in the
bilateral cooperation as a funding agency facilitating networking activities and
cooperative research between the two countries.
In this context, the Korean-Swiss cooperative program is thus supported by the SER
with an amount of CHF 196’000 per annum, and KRW 200 million as matching funds
are provided by the MEST. Based on the mutual action plan signed on the 16th June
2009, the SER and MEST have agreed to set up a joint funding program that will
support Korean-Swiss cooperative research projects with the main aim of promoting
the scientific and cultural exchange between researchers of the two countries. After a
first Call in 2009, applications can now be made in response to the second call for
proposals.
1.2. Research areas
The aim of the program is to strengthen bilateral collaboration and specifically promote
scientific exchange between Korea and Switzerland within fields of Science and
Technology.
Specific fields to be supported are:
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1. Applied Physics
2. Design Sciences
3. Energy
4. Environment
5. IT
6. Life Sciences
7. Material Sciences
1.3. Eligible Applicants
NRF and ETHZ invite Korean and Swiss researchers to submit proposals for
cooperative research projects in the research areas described above.
All applicants must meet their respective national eligibility rules for research grant
application.
- Swiss applicants should be faculty members at a Swiss University, University of
Applied Sciences or principal investigators at a Swiss Research Institute.
- Korean applicants should be employed by Korean institutions, which meet the
requirement stipulated in Korean R&D regulations. The Republic of Korea has specified
institutions eligible to conduct government-funded research projects in Article 7 of the
Technology Development Promotion Act. Domestic and foreign research institutes that
have research staff and facilities that meets the standards set in related laws-e.g.
research institutes established according to a specific law, corporate research institutes,
universities, state and public research institutes, and medical corporations-are qualified
to perform research projects. Principal Investigators (PI) are researchers who are
appointed by the head of the research institute. This position is limited to those who
have research experience in their areas of specialty and are competent in conducting
research.
Projects submitted by researchers who have already on-going cooperative research
activities with their Korean or Swiss counterparts are highly welcome to reinforce and
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strengthen already initiated cooperation efforts.
1.4. Project Duration
This program is focusing on establishing and strengthening networking between
Korean and Swiss researchers and thus the support period is limited to maximum 1
year or the duration of the proposed exchange (see funding instruments below).
2. Financial Support
This program is designed primarily to support expenses related to the exchange of
researchers between Korea and Switzerland with the precondition that the main
research infrastructure is already ensured for each research group. The following
funding instruments will be available to support individual projects:
-
Seed funding for joint workshops and meetings covering travel and
organisational expenses
-
Support of short-term stays in the partner laboratory/country for PhD students
and postdoctoral fellows covering travel and additional living expenses
-
Support for faculty exchange covering travel and visiting expenses
NRF supports expenses for researchers from Korea, and ETHZ supports expenses for
researchers from Switzerland.
2.1. Budget
2.1.1 ETHZ/SER
Each project will typically be supported with amounts up to CHF 18’000 from the Swiss
side considering the budget requested by the Swiss Principal Investigator.
Due to budget limitations of this program, amounts may be adjusted each year.
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2.1.2 NRF/MEST
Each project will typically be supported with amounts up to KRW 20 Million considering
the budget requested by the Korean Principal Investigator.
Due to budget limitations of this program, amounts may be adjusted each year.
2.1.3 Total Budget
The total expected number of projects to be annually funded will thus be approximately
10. More projects can be funded if the budgets presented are below the maximum
amount.
2.1.4 Funded expenses
The aim of this program is to foster scientific and cultural exchange between Korean
and Swiss researchers. Funding will therefore be provided in support of the
collaboration vectors and should be declared within one of the following categories:

International Travel expenses (incurred by the lab sending a researcher)

Domestic travel expenses (incurred by the lab sending a researcher)

Additional living allowance (incurred by the lab sending a researcher)

Additional expenses on consumables (incurred by the host lab)

Organisation expense for meetings
2.2 Details of Support
2.2.1 Governance in Switzerland
Swiss applicants have to respect the laws of Switzerland and guidelines for grant
applications of their respective institutions.
2.2.2 Governance in Korea
Korean applicants have to respect the laws and regulations of Korea as well as
contracts that will be concluded between the applicants and MEST/NRF.
2.2.3 Contracts between Researchers
If a contract between Korean and Swiss researchers for cooperative research is
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necessary for implementing actual research cooperation between researchers, such a
contract should be concluded between the Korean institutions and the Swiss
institutions. In the event that intellectual property rights arise from the program, the
researchers involved will follow their own rules according to Art. 2.2.1 and 2.2.2. In the
case that the intellectual property is owned jointly as such, but not limited to a
protectable invention, software or biological material, the co-owning institutions shall
conclude an inter-institutional agreement. In such an agreement the questions of
ownership of the relevant intellectual property, coordination and financing of protection
and exploitation as well as the distribution of any revenues shall be addressed.
Any concluded agreements should be reported in the proposals.
3. Application Procedures
3.1 Application Details
The Korean and Swiss Principal Investigators shall jointly write a proposal and submit it
to their respective program office, NRF for Korean Principal Investigators and ETHZ for
Swiss Principal Investigators. The proposal shall be written in English and include the
following:
a) Title of the research project and proposed exchanges/meetings to be supported.
b) Short description of the joint research project including scientific relevance,
benefits of cooperation, expected outcome and relevance for society and
industry. (not exceeding 5 pages)
c) Description of the proposed and to be supported meetings or exchanges, its
relation to the current research activities and expected added value for the
cooperative research project (not exceeding 3 pages).
d) CVs of Korean and Swiss Principal Investigators as well as students and
fellows to be involved in the proposed exchange. Bibliography including the
most important publications of the last 5 years.
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e) Requested budget items for the proposed exchanges or meetings separately
presented for the Korean and Swiss side of the project.
f)
Signatures of both Principal Investigators and representatives of their
respective organizations.
Application forms are attached with this call and additional forms will be available for
download on NRF and ETHZ websites. (The form is to be determined.)
3.2 Submission of Application Forms for Korean and Swiss Applicants
The 2010 Call will be launched on August 4 and close on September 30, 2010
● Korean applicants shall send their application forms to NRF (contact below)
Ms. Bokyung Park
International Cooperation Team, Center for International Affairs
National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
25 Heolleung-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-748, Rep. of Korea
Tel.+82-2-3460-5725
bok07@nrf.go.kr
● Swiss applicants shall send their application forms to ETHZ (contact below)
Dr. Rahel Byland
International institutional Affairs
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)
Rämistrasse 101
8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Tel.+41 44 632 84 65
rahel.byland@sl.ethz.ch
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4. Evaluation of Project Proposals
4.1 Evaluation Procedure
The process of scientific evaluation will be managed independently by each country.
Only proposals submitted to both NRF and ETHZ will be considered for evaluation.
Based on their respective evaluation results, the two countries will finalize the selection
jointly.
4.1.1. Evaluation in Switzerland
Applications submitted to ETHZ will be evaluated by an ad hoc committee of faculty
from Swiss Universities consisting of experts in the respective scientific or
technological fields. Decisions will be made based on the scientific evaluation and
funds available.
4.1.2. Evaluation in Korea
Applications submitted to NRF will be evaluated by peer review panels consisting of
experts in the respective scientific or technological fields. Decisions will be made based
on the scientific evaluation and funds available.
4.1.3. Final Selection
Once the independent evaluation by each country is finished, the two program offices
in Korea and Switzerland respectively will select proposals to be supported by the
program together based on their respective scientific evaluation and budget availability.
4.2. Evaluation Criteria
・ Scientific quality and innovativeness of the joint research plan
・ Conformity with program aims and designated research fields
・ Feasibility and appropriateness of joint research
・ Added value to be expected from collaboration and exchange
・ Competence and expertise of the Korean and Swiss scientist teams
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4.3 Announcement of Decision
Decisions will be communicated in written to Swiss applicants by the program office at
ETHZ. Korean applicants will be informed about decisions by NRF. NRF and ETHZ will
ensure that approximately equal amounts of funds are granted by both countries.
Dates of Decision (Award or Declination):
Call 2010: November 2010
5. Responsibilities of Principal Investigators of Approved
Proposals
After the proposal has been approved, principal investigators and their organizations
shall observe the following when utilizing supported expenses:
-
Expenses have to be in line with the budget items specified in the application.
-
Principal investigators shall submit scientific and financial reports to their
respective program office, NRF or ETHZ, after completing exchanges or
meetings.
With regard to budget spending and scientific & financial reports, Korean Principal
Investigators and their organizations shall conform to the contract concluded with
MEST/NRF.
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6. Contact Information
▶ Korean applicants should contact the following for further information:
Ms. Bokyung Park
International Cooperation Team, Center for International Affairs
National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
25 Heolleung-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-748, Rep. of Korea
Tel.+82-2-3460-5725
bok07@nrf.go.kr
▶ Swiss applicants should contact the following for further information and submitting
applications:
Dr. Rahel Byland
International institutional Affairs
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)
Rämistrasse 101
8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Tel.+41 44 632 84 65
rahel.byland@sl.ethz.ch
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