information event: supplementary call for src programme ... · • demand-driven research the...

© ACADEMY OF FINLAND1

Information event:

Supplementary call for SRC Programme

Keys to Sustainable Growth,

Information event 27.2.2018

Photo by Clint Adair on Unsplash


What is strategic research?

Funding principles and the consortium model

How to apply & what’s new

Programme

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After the session, the science advisers will be ready to answers your questions.


PART 1:

WHAT IS STRATEGIC

RESEARCH?


• demand-driven research the Finnish Government decides the themes

• co-creation between researchers and interaction collaborators

• long-term research

• solution-oriented research

• scientifically excellent research

• research with societal relevance and impact

Strategic research

• produces research-based knowledge to solve major societal challenges

• finds solutions to major societal challenges and problems

What is strategic research?


Act on the Academy of Finland, section 5 b(3):

• The SRC selects the projects to be funded based on a review of societal

relevance, impact and research quality.

The projects’ societal relevance and impact as well as scientific quality are

assessed already at the first call stage.

The second call stage includes separate review panels for scientific quality and

societal relevance.

• According to the Act, the SRC must monitor the funded projects and assess their

impact.

• List of impact indicators once a year

• Impact stories twice a year

Strategic research = excellent science, societal

relevance and impact


Annual process for strategic research: broad consultations,

the Government and the SRC

Open

consultation

Foresight

Workshops

Hearings

Strategic

Research

Council

Theme

proposal Government

Theme

decision

Programme

decision

Strategic

Research

Council

Funding

decisions

Strategic

Research

Council

Call


• On 6 Oct 2016, the Government decided the strategic research theme for 2018:

Reform or Wither – Resources and Solutions.

• the theme looks into best ways of supporting change and reform in society and

creating favourable conditions for it

• On 21 Nov 2016, the SRC launched two programmes based on the

Government’s themes:

• Adaptation and Resilience for Sustainable Growth

• Keys to Sustainable Growth

• Supplementary call for SRC Programme Keys to Sustainable Growth

• SRC decision 27 Nov 2017

• Underlying all research projects eligible for funding:

• harnessing scientific knowledge in decision-making

• achieving sustainable societal growth

SRC Programmes in 2018


• Funding period five years in total (3 + 2 yrs)

• The first funding period is 1 Nov 2018–31 Dec 2021.

• The funding budget for the first funding period is 14.5 million euros

• At the end of the first funding period, the consortia will go through an interim

evaluation that will determine the funding for the next period from 1 Jan 2021 to

31 Dec 2023.

• The SRC will most likely provide funding to 3–5 consortia in total.

Supplementary call for SRC Programme Keys to

Sustainable Growth


Start Interim evaluation

Final reporting

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

KEYS TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

SUPPLEMENTARY CALL, KEYS TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

THEME: REFORM OR WITHER – RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS


• For Finnish society to take full advantage of opportunities provided by global

changes, society, communities and individuals will need capacity for renewal.

• Finland’s resources in this renewal are, for instance:

• a stable society

• working institutions

• knowledge and know-how

• research

• data reserves

• civilisation

• ample natural resources

new ways of using resources require both technological capabilities and know-

how and, in particular, desire for change, a reform-oriented culture, a versatile

knowledge base and foresight

SRC Programme Keys to Sustainable Growth (2018,

“GROWTH1”)


• to support and enable the renewal of services and products of Finnish

organisations and companies in ways that support sustainable

development

• to find solutions to how commercial bodies and companies will be better able

to develop and pool their technologies, institutions, resources and assets in new

and sustainable ways

• facilitate broad, multidisciplinary research that addresses sustainable growth by

combining several different dimensions:

• ecological

• societal

• legal

• technological

• ethical

Objectives of supplementary call (“GROWTH2”)


• transformation and development of business ecosystems in change

• infrastructures and an innovation system that support and renew economic

activity

• institutions and policies that support or regulate economic activities

• underlying all research projects:

• harnessing scientific knowledge in decision-making

• achieving sustainable societal growth

GROWTH2 research themes


• addresses enabling sustainable growth by means of economic activity

• creates new combinations of expertise in consortia and non-traditional forms

of collaboration between disciplines

• in particular, the SRC is seeking slightly rarer discipline combinations

• creates new research-based knowledge and solutions for the development of

products and services amid changes in consumption and manufacturing

systems

• identifies opportunities for sustainable growth

• analyses preconditions of and obstacles to renewal

• enables the development of products and services that contribute to sustainable

growth

SRC’s framework for research objectives and impact

of GROWTH2


A. What transformation in society and business creates opportunities for the

promotion of Finnish commercial services or industrial manufacturing? Why and

how does the utilisation of that transformation offer significant benefits to Finnish

society in keeping with the principles of sustainable development? How will the

knowledge generated and the solutions created support decision-making?

B. What challenges do companies and commercial bodies face in terms of achieving

sustainable growth? How will the proposed measures and solutions affect the

development of institutions and regulations that support and control the activities

of commercial actors?

C. How does the proposed consortium composition best combine scientific quality,

societal impact and know-how to achieve the solutions?

Programme questions:

Basis of achieving impact


D. What research is needed? How does the consortium justify its methodological

decisions?

E. How will the chosen multidisciplinary approach contribute to renewing previous

research in both a Finnish and international context?


Basis of research choices


Basis of interaction choices

F. With whom, why and how will the consortium engage in the most impactful

collaboration to seek out solutions based on scientific knowledge?

G. How will the interaction partners benefit from the collaboration? What innovations

or innovation-supporting structures will the consortium’s activities advance?


PART 2:

FUNDING PRINCIPLES AND

THE CONSORTIUM MODEL


• As a rule, SRC funding calls follow the same terms and conditions as those

applied in other Academy calls. To support the aims of the funding scheme,

however, the SRC has defined a few exceptions.

• Learn more about the exceptions:

• In this presentation

• SRC funding principles (PDF, in Finnish)

• Call text (PDF)

• Website: www.strategicresearch.fi

General SRC funding principles

http://www.aka.fi/globalassets/33stn/strategisen-tutkimuksen-neuvoston-rahoitusperiaatteet-11-12-2017.pdf

http://www.aka.fi/globalassets/10rahoitus/hakuilmoitukset/stn_hakuilmoitus_kestava_kasvu_2018_en.pdf

http://www.strategicresearch.fi/


• SRC funding is granted for research and related interaction activities.

• The funding contribution comes to 100%, following the full cost model.

Organisations need not contribute to the funding with their own percentage.

• Examples of eligible costs:

• salaries of consortium PIs, WP leaders, subproject PIs, coordinators and research

teams

• research costs: e.g. research and publication costs, mobility costs

• interaction costs (incl. outsourced services)

• auditing costs

• The SRC does not fund economic activity.

What does the funding cover?


• The funding may only be applied for by SRC consortia, which are structurally

different from consortia funded under the Academy Project and Academy

Programme schemes.

• In SRC calls, consortia applying for funding must include at least

• three subprojects

• two organisations

• three research fields (according the Academy of Finland classification)

• No limit to the maximum number of subprojects, organisations or disciplines

• practical limits set by programme funding and duration

• Consortium compositions cannot be changed after the call deadline has expired.

Supplementing consortium composition between 1st and 2nd call stage is only

possible for reasons based on the review statement.

Only consortia may apply


• SRC consortia involve at least

three subprojects and two

organisations

• Research and interaction

carried out as work packages

• Consortium budget and funding

implemented by subproject

• An organisation may contain

several sites of research

• A subproject is made up of

researchers from a single site

of research.

• WPs may be carried out by

people from more than one site

of research

• Not all subprojects need to lead

a WP


• The aim of the consortium structure is to add value to the work of individual WPs

• WPs are distributed equally and appropriately; the research must not rely too

heavily on only one subproject, and the work must not be divided into separate,

unconnected wholes.

• The research and interaction is carried out as work packages.

• A subproject consists of the personnel at a specific site of research who

participate in the consortium.

• An organisation may contain several sites of research.

• The SRC recommends that interaction activities are presented as a separate WP,

whose leader is responsible for the consortium’s interaction activities.

• The consortium’s management and coordination may also be divided into a WP.

Basis for forming a consortium


• The project parties may be Finnish and foreign research organisations.

• Strategic research funding may also be granted to non-research

organisations. Funding is not granted to support economic activity.

REQUIREMENTS

• SRC consortium PIs, vice PIs and WP leaders must have earned a doctoral

degree, and they must at least be researchers with the qualifications of a docent.

• Subproject PIs, too, must have a doctoral degree, and they must work in the

consortium.

• The persons responsible for interaction WPs must have equivalent qualifications

in their own field.

Who can apply?


• PIs and vice PIs of SRC consortia cannot be granted funding in other SRC-

funded consortia.

• the same person can be the PI of only one SRC consortium and they cannot act

as WP leaders in other applications.

• If a person has been entered as a consortium PI or WP leader in more than

one application, that person will be removed from all applications before the

review starts.

• Consortium PIs of SRC consortia that started in 2016 may apply for funding

in this call.

• Directors or team leaders of the Academy of Finland’s Centres of Excellence

cannot act as PIs or vice PIs for SRC consortia.

• Persons who are currently funded by the SRC will not be granted overlapping

SRC funding for the same purpose.

Restrictions


• The Academy of Finland allocates the funding to the researcher’s host

organisation. After the call has closed, the Academy will request the commitment

by the site of research from the person indicated in the application.

• Persons hired with Academy funding must be in an employment relationship to

the organisation receiving the funding.

• The funding is primarily intended for the salaries of researchers with

doctoral degrees.

General funding principles


PART 3:

HOW TO APPLY &

WHAT’S NEW


1 Developing the research ideaGETTING READY

1.1 Consider the factors cutting across the theme

1) Harnessing scientific knowledge in decision-making

2) Achieving sustainable societal growth

1.2 Read the programme description, especially

the programme questions A-E

1.3 Take a multidisciplinary approach

1.4 Consider research ethics, equality aspects and

good scientific practice


2 Forming an SRC consortiumGETTING READY

2.1 Find out who can apply for SRC funding

2.2 Consider the minimum requirements for

consortia

2.3 Form subprojects

2.4 Create work packages (incl. interaction and

management); consortium PI makes sure WP

leaders are eligible

2.5 Plan the overall project funding budget


3 BudgetSUBMITTING LETTER OF INTENT

3.1 Consider the general funding conditions

3.2 Plan the budget for the first three-year term

3.3 Consider the salary costs at the sites of

research

3.4 Find out the full cost model coefficients at the

sites of research


3 BudgetSUBMITTING LETTER OF INTENT

Start Interim evaluation Final reporting

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Overall funding for project

1st funding period(open for application)

Two-thirdsof the overall funding

2nd funding period(applied for separately)

One-thirdof the overall funding


4 Research and interaction planSUBMITTING LETTER OF INTENT

4.1 Max. length six pages (incl. bibliography; no

cover page needed)

4.2 Follow the page structure provided

4.3 Do not change the headings

4.4 Consider A) the programme questions and

B) the review questions


4 Research and interaction planSUBMITTING LETTER OF INTENT

Project title (ABBREVIATION)

Name and site of research of consortium PI

Name and site of research of vice PI

Names and sites of research of work package leaders

Sites of research that do not have a work package leader

Person in charge of interaction

1. Central idea of the project and objective for societal impact (2

pages, programme questions A–C)

2. Research implementation (approx. 2 pages in total, programme

questions D–E)

3. Interaction (1 page, programme questions F–G)

4. Scientific accomplishments and competence of the consortium as

well as key literature or bibliography (1 page)

No more than six pages!


5 Other required appendicesSUBMITTING LETTER OF INTENT

5.1 CV for consortium PI (no more than 4 pages)

5.2 List of consortium PI’s 10 most important

publications

5.3 CVs for WP leaders (no more than 1 page each)

5.4 Lists of WP leaders’ ten most important

publications

CVs according to guidelines of Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity


6 Commitment by site of researchSUBMITTING LETTER OF INTENT

6.1 Consider the funding conditions

6.2 Request a commitment from the site of

research (only applies to consortium PI)


7 Online servicesSUBMITTING LETTER OF INTENT

7.1 Consortium PI’s details

7.2 Basic details

7.3 Abstract

7.4 Work package leaders

7.5 Budget (as a total sum)

7.6 Appendices

Draft the application as an individual application, not as a consortium application.The consortium PI is responsible for drafting and submitting the application.


8 Review panel (1st stage)REVIEWING LETTER OF INTENT

8.1 Assesses the project’s compatibility with the

programme, societal relevance and impact and

scientific quality

8.2. Composed of both Finnish and foreign experts

in various scientific disciplines,

multidisciplinary approaches and research

relevance

8.3 Read the review questions carefully!


8 What’s new – rating scale

issues a written review report on each application,

based on preliminary review statements and the

discussions in the panel; uses the review scales for

both societal relevance and scientific quality, but does

not give an overall rating

divides the letters of intent into three categories (A–C)

according to how strongly it recommends that the

application be invited to the second stage

REVIEWING LETTER OF INTENT


9 Process after 1st stage panelSECOND STAGE

9.1 Based on the panel’s review reports and at its own

discretion the SRC will decide on 18 June 2018 (TBC)

which projects are invited to the second stage

9.2 The names and project titles of successful applicants

will be posted on the Academy of Finland’s website

9.3 The deadline for full applications is 29 August 2018

at 16.15 local Finnish time

9.4 See the application guidelines in the call text

9.5 The SRC will decide in late 2018 which projects will

be added to the programme


9Consortia that pass the first call stage can be called to be

interviewed by the SRC

how the consortium has addressed the programme description, the

programme questions and priorities

how the consortium supports the Academy of Finland’s science policy

objectives, especially the promotion of gender equality

interviewees may also be asked to provide additional information on

issues that have emerged during the review process

Objective: provide the SRC with further details on the

application and increase the transparency of decision-

makings

SECOND STAGE

WHAT’S NEW – INTERVIEWS


9 WHAT’S NEW: PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY AND SUPPORTING WOMEN’S RESEARCH CAREERS

SECOND STAGE

The SRC now wants to promote equality already when

assembling consortia and multidisciplinary discipline

combinations:

(see funding call’s section 3.1.): The consortia should work

towards a balanced gender composition.

Full application:

”[…] justifications for gender imbalance (if necessary), and

means to promote gender equality”


• Read the call text carefully!

• Keep in mind the objectives of strategic research funding

• The competition is stiff: spend enough time and resources on preparing the

application

• Keys to success:

✓ A societally relevant research topic

✓ Answer the programme questions!

✓ A good consortium, the right partners, a new configuration

✓ A multidisciplinary research approach

✓ A good interaction plan

Submit the application by 25 April 2018 at 16.15 local Finnish time!

How to write a good application


a concrete objective and a vision in support of sustainable societal growth

a research-based plan to implement them

an impactful interaction plan

A good application from the SRC’s view

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Applicants should present


Ask our science advisers


• Science Adviser Joona Lehtomäki, tel. +358 295 335 121

• Science Adviser Milja Saari, tel. +358 295 335 123

• Science Adviser Jyrki Hakapää, tel. +358 295 335 020

• Emails: [email protected]

• Website: www.aka.fi/src

• Open LinkedIn group for strategic research funding: Groups Strategisen

tutkimuksen neuvosto

• The discussion continues on Twitter: #strateginentutkimus (#strategicresearch)

Contacts and more info

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.aka.fi/src

information event: supplementary call for src programme ... · • demand-driven research the...

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