Research on the Development in Russia

For this call for proposals, you have to use our new application system. You will find more information here.

In addition to our requirement for who can be the Project Owner, we have requirements for the project manager's competence and for who can be collaborating partners.

For all participating organisations, the following applies:

One and the same actor cannot have two different roles in the project. This means that, for example, a subcontractor cannot simultaneously be the Project Owner or a collaborating partner in the project.

You can apply for funding to cover the actual costs necessary to carry out the project. The Project Owner must obtain information on costs from the collaborating partners in the project. These costs must be entered in the budget under the cost type to which they belong.

We require that you break down the project budget into the following cost types in your application:

• Payroll and indirect expenses, which are costs related to researcher time (including research fellowship positions and the project manager's position) at the research organisations participating in the project. For doctoral scholarships, the support is limited to three full-time equivalents. For postdoctoral fellowships, the support is limited to a minimum of three years and a maximum of four years. See our website about postdoctoral research fellowship positions and doctoral research fellowship positions.
• Other project expenses, which are costs for other activities that are necessary to carry out the project's R&D activities. Any purchases from subcontractors must be entered here. All costs you enter as other project costs must be specified in the application.
• Equipment, which are costs that include operating and depreciation costs for scientific equipment and research infrastructure necessary to carry out the project.

You are not to use the cost type Procurement of R&D services.

You can find more information about how to set up a budget on our website Set up work packages and budget in the new application system (My page).We will publish more information as it becomes available.

The application must be created and submitted via the Research Council's application system.

Please note that you can only submit the application once. If you submit the application and subsequently discover that it still needs to be changed, you must submit a new application and notify us that the original application is to be withdrawn. When you submit the new application, you must fill in the entire application form again.

You must write the application in English.

You should not link to websites in the application. Any links you provide will not be included in the assessment of the application.

The Research Council of Norway may reject applications where the Project Owner or any partner has significantly breached its obligations in other projects funded by the Research Council within the two years prior to the submission of the application.

The application may be rejected if the project manager has been convicted of misconduct by the Joint Integrity Committee or the Investigation Committee in the last two years prior to the submitted application.

The call is available in both Norwegian and English. The text in the Norwegian call for proposals is legally binding.

The panel will assess the application in light of the purpose of the call and the following criteria:

Excellence

• The extent to which the objectives are clear and relevant to the purpose of the call.
• The extent to which the project is ambitious and will challenge the state of the art.
• The extent to which interdisciplinary approaches are adequately addressed.
• The extent to which the gender perspectives in research and/or innovation are adequately addressed.
• The extent to which ethical issues are adequately addressed.
• The extent to which the theoretical approach, research design and choice of methods are credible and suitable.

Impact

• The extent to which the expected impact of the project underpins the purpose of the call.
• The extent to which the results from the project are likely to make significant and important contributions.
• The extent to which the planned results will contribute to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
• The extent to which the plans to achieve the described impact are credible.
• The extent to which the plans and measures for dissemination and exploitation of the results are suitable for maximising the expected impact.
• The extent to which proper practice for open research is integrated, including the sharing and management of the research results.
• Where relevant, the extent to which the plans for cooperation with stakeholders, including citizens, end users and society in general, are suitable.

Implementation

• The extent to which the project participants’ expertise is complementary and that they as a whole have the necessary expertise.
• The extent to which the project manager has relevant expertise and experience.
• The extent to which the allocation of tasks ensures that all project participants have a clearly defined role and adequate resources to fulfil that role.
• The extent to which the plan for the implementation of the work is clear and realistic with defined milestones, work packages and deliverables.
• The extent to which the proposed management structures and governance are appropriate.

Applications that do not satisfy the formal requirements or do not meet the purpose of the call will be rejected. Applications that fall outside the delimitations set out in the call will be rejected without further consideration.

Applications that meet the formal requirements and fall within the scope of the call will be submitted to a panel of at least three panel members for assessment. The panel members make their individual assessments of the application and award a mark per criterion. After they have written the individual assessments, the panel meets for discussion, so that the application receives a joint panel assessment. At the meeting, the panel agrees on a joint panel assessment with grades and written assessments for each of the criteria.

The scale of marks goes from 0 to 5, where 5 is the highest. You can find more information on our information page about Scale of marks and assessment criteria.

Threshold for marks

• We consider applications with an average mark ≥3.0, and no single mark ≤2, to be eligible for funding and will process these further.
• All other applications will be rejected.

Assessment of whether the application satisfies the academic, thematic and/or structural guidelines set out in the call

The administration will assess the extent to which the application meets the requirements and the thematic, academic and/or structural guidelines described in the call.

Portfolio assessment and decisions by the portfolio board

The administration makes a recommendation to the portfolio board. Applications can be recommended for allocation or rejection.

The portfolio board makes the decision on allocation or rejection. The decision is based on a portfolio assessment with the aim of identifying the applications that best meet the objectives, guidelines and priorities of the call as a whole.

Feedback on the application

You will receive feedback in the form of a decision letter. This includes written assessments and grades for each assessment criterion and a written justification for the decision.