Research infrastructure

Relevance relative to the call for proposals

This criterion gives an indication of how well the project satisfies the guidelines and stipulations set out in the call for proposals.

The national importance of the infrastructure

This criterion gives an indication of the function that the infrastructure will play at the national level. The national importance of the infrastructure will be assessed in relation to the following points:

• Whether the infrastructure is of widespread national interest. 
• Whether the infrastructure will be available in only one or a few locations in Norway (as a general rule).
• Whether the infrastructure will lay a foundation for internationally cutting-edge research. 
• Whether the infrastructure will be made accessible to relevant researchers and industries. 
• Whether the infrastructure will promote effective coordination between relevant research groups.
   

Benefit to research of the infrastructure

The benefit to research of the infrastructure is a comprehensive criterion that encompasses both the impact that the establishment of the infrastructure will have on research activities within the relevant subject areas and the significance that the infrastructure will have for the national research community. The benefit to research of the infrastructure will be assessed in relation to the following points: 

• Whether the research groups have documented expertise in the application areas and in national research in the relevant area. 
• Whether the research infrastructure will open up new opportunities for Norwegian research groups compared to existing infrastructure.
• The extent to which the research infrastructure contributes to scientific renewal, increases the scope of research activities, promotes the development of new knowledge, and drives research in areas of major national and/or international significance towards the research front. 
• How the research infrastructure will be operationalised and applied in relation to existing infrastructure.
• The potential to make Norwegian research groups attractive to the best researchers in Norway and abroad.
• The capacity to carry out high-priority research that Norwegian research groups could not otherwise conduct on their own. (This applies to projects that require international cooperation on research infrastructure.)

International cooperation

International cooperation will be assessed in relation to the extent and quality of the international cooperation activities set out for the project.

Scientific and technological solutions

The choice of scientific and technological solutions will be assessed in relation to the following points:

• The feasibility of the project.
• The best available solutions; state-of-the-art.

Relevance and benefit to trade and industry

This criterion gives an indication of the anticipated potential of the expertise/knowledge developed in connection with the project to generate value added in Norwegian trade and industry. The relevance and benefit to trade and industry will be assessed in relation to the following points:

• The need for this expertise among the participants from industry.
• The need for this expertise within Norwegian industry at large.
• The potential of the increased expertise to trigger new growth in Norwegian industry.

Relevance and benefit to society

Evaluation will be focused on the extent to which a project is relevant to society, e.g. by considering its ability to contribute to knowledge/competence that would in the short or long term be of significance to meeting major challenges in the public sector, industry and the civil society, viewed in a regional, national or global context.
 

National cooperation

This criterion will be assessed in relation to the extent to which the project will make use of national research expertise and help to promote national network-building.

Distribution of national research responsibility

This criterion gives an indication of the extent to which the project will contribute to the constructive distribution of tasks and responsibilities at the national level.  

Scientific management of the infrastructure

The plan for management of the infrastructure will be assessed in relation to the following points:

• Whether the applicant institution and project manager/project group have the expertise and resources needed to establish, operate and make optimal use of the research infrastructure.
• Whether the project group has the expertise and resources needed to establish, operate and make optimal use of the research infrastructure.
• The scientific contribution of any partners to enhancing the quality and feasibility of the project.
• Whether the research infrastructure will be organised and administered in a manner that ensures satisfactory accessibility for relevant researchers and industries.
• The data management plan; i.e. plans for storing the data generated, and publishing or making it accessible in other ways.

Administrative leadership and operation of infrastructure

The plan for establishing and operating the infrastructure will be assessed in relation to the following points:

• Plans relating to distribution of tasks and obligations regarding the operation, upgrading and life-cycle of the research infrastructure.
• The funding plan, including any co-funding from the institutions.
• The administrative contribution of any partners to enhancing the quality and feasibility of the project.

Strategic basis and importance

This criterion gives an indication of how the project is incorporated into, and the role it will play, in relation to the project owner’s and partners’ strategic objectives and plans, as well as the relevant research challenges (e.g. subject-specific evaluations, research agendas and technology roadmaps, strategic activities and business plans).

Feasibility

 The feasibility of the project will be assessed in relation to the following points:

• Budget and resource parameters, including financing.
• Plans for project implementation, including milestones and deliverables.

Implementation capacity

This criterion gives an indication of the extent to which the partners, viewed as a whole, are seen as capable of performing the R&D project in an optimal fashion.

The implementation capacity will be assessed in relation to the following points:

• Scientific management.
• Organisation and administrative leadership.
• Constellation of cooperating parties (make-up and competence).

Quality of the application documents

This criterion gives an indication of the extent to which the application documents are satisfactory as a basis for assessing whether a project should be granted funding. The information and plans that have been requested must be clearly described.

Ethical perspectives

The Research Council emphasises the need for projects to maintain high ethical standards and not conflict in any way with the fundamental principles for ethics in research.
More information on ethical perspectives may be found in the guidelines for ethics in research drawn up by the national committees for research ethics and in the Act on Ethics and Integrity in Research.

Environmental impact

The Research Council attaches importance to whether research projects give adequate consideration to any potential impacts (positive or negative) on the natural environment (external environment), when this is relevant. This applies both to the performance of the projects and to the utilisation of the results.

Overall assessment of the referee/panel

The overall assessment of the referee/panel taking into account the criteria which the referee/panel has been asked to assess.