Complaints procedures and the Appeals Committee

Complaints procedures

A party whose grant application has been rejected and who contends that a procedural error or misuse of authority has occurred during the submission or processing of an application for R&D funding is entitled to submit a complaint. Complaints may only be put forth by the Project Owner. Complaints in relation to the exercise of academic or expert discretion are not permitted. 

Complaints shall be submitted in writing, and shall clearly state the reasons why the complaint is being lodged.The deadline for submitting a formal complaint is three weeks after notification of the rejection of a grant application. An exception to this rule is the deadline for submitting a complaint relating to the rejection of a request for an extended deadline for electronic submission of a grant application. This deadline has been set at one week from the time that notification of the decision has reached the relevant party. If there are bank or national holidays taking place within this period, this deadline shall be set to incorporate five working days.

Special complaints procedures have been established for the SkatteFUNN Tax Incentive Scheme. Please contact the SkatteFUNN secretariat for information on these procedures. Se www.skattefunn.no  (In Norwegian only).

Administrative procedures in connection with complaints

Complaints are to be sent to the Research Council of Norway. If the Research Council amends its decision, the complainant will be duly notified of the new conclusion. However, if the Research Council chooses to uphold its original ruling, the matter will be submitted to the Research Council Appeals Committee accompanied by a letter specifying the reasons why the body has not accepted the complaint.

A copy of this letter will be forwarded to the complainant, who then has three weeks to submit comments. After the three weeks are up, the Appeals Committee will review the case. With regard to complaints relating to the rejection of a request for an extended deadline for electronic submission of a grant application, complainants have one week to submit comments. If there are bank or national holidays taking place within this period, this deadline shall be set to incorporate five working days.

If the committee finds that an error that invalidates the decision has taken place, the decision will be revoked and the matter will be returned to the Research Council for a new assessment. 

Members of the Appeals Committee

• Aanund Hylland, Professor, University of Oslo (chair),
• Kirsten Sandberg, Professor, University of Oslo, (member),
• Susann Funderud Skogvang, Associate Professor, University of Tromsø (member),
• Odd P. Torset, Regional Manager (retired), Det Norske Veritas DNV – (member)

The Appeals Committee is authorised by the Executive Board as the final administrative appeal body within the Research Council of Norway.