Expression of Interest Dutch - Russian Scientific Co-operation Rambler's Top100
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EXPRESSION OF INTEREST DUTCH - RUSSIAN SCIENTIFIC CO-OPERATION

Details of completion & protocol

The Hague, January 2001

1. Background of the Russian - Dutch Scientific co-operation

The Dutch - Russian scientific co-operation programme was established in 1992 shortly after the important political and economic changes in the former Soviet Union. It was recognised by the ministry of Education, Culture and Science and by NWO that a bilateral co-operation programme would have a positive effect both on science in the Russian Federation and in the Netherlands. The programme is executed under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on ministerial level the Netherlands and by the Russian Federation. In January 2001 a new MoU will be signed after the very positive international evaluation of last year which will secure the implementation of the programme for another three years. A so called Mixed Committee will assign the scientific priority areas each year.

The programme, as described in the Memorandum of Understanding, is designed to serve several purposes:

  • establishing structural long term collaborative relationships in the field of science, technology and higher education that are of mutual advantage to both countries;
  • to further the participation of Russian science in relevant international scientific networks and,
  • to help eminent Russian groups continue their research and their existing contacts with Dutch scientists under the very restrictive financial conditions after the fall of the Soviet Union.

This 2001 selection round for the Dutch - Russian programme is limited to joint projects in the following scientific areas (priority areas):

  1. Risk analysis research, including industrial safety
  2. Hydrometeorology and coastal systems, including river systems
  3. Neuropsychological and neurolinguistic research
  4. Multidisciplinary reserach in arts and culture
    • scientific basis for conservation and restauration techniques of paintings
    • scientific disclosure and assessment of collections

2. Application procedure

In this section the application procedure will be explained. We will elaborate on the two forms that are required for a successful application and the way your application is evaluated. Finally, the time schedule for submitting and evaluation will be described.

Typical projects have a duration of two to three years and a budget amounting to some NLG 150 000 ,- to 250 000 ,- for the total duration of the project.

2.1. Expression of Interest and Full research proposal forms

The application procedure for the Russian - Dutch scientific co-operation is divided into two selection rounds.

The first round requires the applying scientists to submit an Expression of Interest. This form and the manual that goes with it can be downloaded from the NWO site or send to you if you do not have a computer at your disposal. An expression of interest is a form containing a number of questions by which you briefly describe the content of your project and why it should be supported by this programme. After you have submitted the EoI, the NWO department of International Relations staff and the RFBR (the Russian sister-organisation of NWO) will evaluate your application. If your application is found to be in accordance with the administrative requirements set up for this programme (see next section), you will be invited for the second round.

The second round requires submitting a full research proposal (FRP). The FRP is a form which contains some of the same questions as in the EoI but has a number of additional questions to give us a better insight into the scientific merits of your project and budget controlling. This FRP will be sent to other scientific peers for evaluation purposes.

2.2. Evaluation procedure

In February of this year, the new scientific priority areas will be announced and during March and April the Russian - Dutch scientific co-operation is open for the submission of the Expression of Interest. You will receive a confirmation of your application by the end of April.
The Expressions of Interest will be evaluated by the staff of the International Relations department of NWO using a set of administrative criteria:

  1. adherence to priority area;
  2. presence of mutual scientific and/or societal relevance;
  3. by preference existence of prior research co-operation;
  4. strong involvement of young scientists;
  5. substantial regional spreading of Russian partners;
  6. formation of networks/future co-operation.

During May the administrative evaluation will be made and you will receive either a letter of rejection or an invitation to submit a full research proposal in order to participate in the second round of the selection. During the months June and July the FRP form can be downloaded from the NWO website
http://www.nwo.nl/nwo/subsidiewijzer/internationalesubsidies/rusland

When you have submitted a FRP you will receive a confirmation of your application by the end of August. During the months of September to December the peer review process will be held. During this period your proposal will be evaluated by two to three scientific referees both in the Netherlands and in the Russian Federation. You will be informed and able to respond to their findings. Finally, in January the successful candidates will be selected based on the input of the peer review process by a NWO committee and you will be notified.

2.3. Time schedule

The time schedule of the aforementioned procedure is shown below:

Stage Fe Ma Ap Ma Ju Ju Au Se Oc No De Ja
Announcement x                      
Application1st   x x                  
Confirmation     x                  
First selection       x                
Application2nd         x x            
Confirmation             x          
Peer review period               x x x x  
Grant allocation                       x

3. Filling out the Expression of Interest form

This section deals with the actual completion of the form and will lead you through each question.

3.1. Word protected forms

Both forms have been made up as so-called protected forms. These forms have been made in WORD 95 and are no different from ordinary WORD documents except for two aspects:

  • you can not change the lay-out of the document
  • text input is restricted to a certain amount of characters and designated sections

You can move around in the document by using the TAB key or the Up-or Down arrow keys and each section that can be filled out will show a black box when you enter it. Then you can start typing. Continue to the next question using the Tab key. After completing the form you can simply save the document and send it as an attachement using e-mail.

3.2. The questions

This section goes into the questions on the Expression of Interest (EoI) form.

3.2.1 question 1

With this question you are asked to assign your project to one of the scientific priority areas. Projects that can not be assigned to these areas are not eligible for participation. You can select a priority area by clicking on the box and you will see a dropdown menu appear. From this menu you can select the appropriate scientific field by clicking on it.

After having selected your scientific field you can enter into the next question by pressing the TAB key or the Arrow-Down key.

We are aware of the fact that some projects may be of a multi-disciplinary nature and that it is sometimes more appropriate to assign the project to two priority areas. In this case, we ask you to assign the project to the priority area that fits your project the best or to submit your project also under the other relevant priority areas.

3.2.2 question 2

Here you can insert the title of your project under which it will be registered. There is a maximum input on this field of 200 characters, about 30 words. So be sure to choose a brief and clear title for your project. Use the TAB or Arrow key to continue.

3.2.3 question 3 to 4

For communications purposes, please give the names of two principal participators who will represent the Dutch and Russian research group. All letters or correspondence in the framework of the Dutch - Russian scientific co-operation will be directed to the Dutch principal scientist. Please add all the necessary address information. You can move around the various fields by using the TAB or Arrow keys.

3.2.4 question 5

Question nr. 5 asks for the duration and starting-date of your project. The maximum duration for a project in this framework is 36 months. The NWO support can not start before the grants have been awarded (January 2002).

3.2.5 question 6

In question nr. 6 you are asked to give a short summary on the project. There is a maximum input on this field of 3200 characters, about 400 words. If you reach the maximum, you will not be able to add characters or you are about to type outside the area of the box and the input will not be printed. So please use the space inside the field box efficiently.

3.2.6 question 7

In question nr. 7 you are asked to give evidence of the serious involvement of young scientists into the project (see also question nr. 10). This is one of the administrative requirements for the Dutch - Russian scientific co-operation. There is a maximum input on this field of about 150 words, so please phrase carefully.

3.2.7 question 8

Question nr. 8 deals with the formation of networks or the development of relations between Russian and Dutch scientific institutions or scientists. Please describe in less than 150 words how your project will contribute to this.

3.2.8 question 9

One of the administrative criteria is that the project is by preference a continuation of an existing scientific co-operation. Please describe in this section, if any, how the previous co-operation took form and mention some recent results.

3.2.9 question 10

Question nr. 10 was put into this form to yield insight into the allocation of a grant by the applicants. This table is divided into 4 different cost types:

  1. Travel and subsistence. Here you can specify the amount of the grant that will be spend on travel and subsistence in the framework of the project. Specify for Russian and Dutch group.
  2. Personnel costs. Please indicate here the amount of salaris suppletions and individual grants that are to be declared. Salary costs for or appointments of Dutch participants cannot be subsidised from this grant. Specify for Russian and Dutch group.
  3. Equipment and consumables. Please specify how much of the grant will be spent on equipment and consumables in the framework of the project. The Dutch partner is eligible for support for the purchase of small equipment and consumables if these are essential for the execution of the project. Specify for Russian and Dutch group.
  4. Young scientists. In this programme, the involvement of younger scientists (< 35 jrs.) is greatly valued. In particular these younger scientists should be given opportunities to participate in the cooperation and get training abroad. Please specify the part of the grant that will be allocated specifically for younger scientists (both Russian and Dutch).

Please fill in the fields of the table (just numbers please) while taking the following into consideration:

  • Awarded grants vary from 150 000 ,- NLG to a maximum of 250 000 ,- NLG
  • At least 15 percent of the grant should be allocated for young scientists
  • 70 percent of the grant should be allocated for the Russian group
  • no personnel costs can be declared on behalf of the Dutch group
  • Per Russian participating institute one group leader and up to two key researchers may receive salary suppletions. A group leader may receive a max. grant of NGL. 500 ,- per month, a key researcher NGL. 250 ,- per month.

You can move around in the table using the TAB or Up-Down arrow keys.

3.2.10 question 11

Question 11 enables you to add any information that you feel is relevant for the evaluation of you project. Please take into account that a maximum of about 300 words was put on this field.

3.3. Submitting the Expression of Interest

Submitting the Expression of Interest should take place prior to 30 th of April, 2001 and consists of two actions:

  1. Please send the EoI as a WORD attachement to NWO and to the RFBR (Russian counterpart of NWO):
    NWO: bochove@nwo.nl
    RFBR: kovalev@rfbr.ru (word95 format please)
  2. Please sign the front-page of the Expression of Interest (both the Dutch and Russian leader) and send it to:
    Ms. Jacintha van Bochove, NWO International Relations
    P.O. Box 93138
    2509 AC The Hague, The Netherlands
    Tel: + 31 70 3440730
    Fax: + 31 70 3472623


   
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