swedish research council formas the swedish research council for environment, agricultural sciences...

Swedish Research Council Formas

The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning

Kristina Laurell KTH, March 24th 2014


Formas

One of three governmental research councils

Formas’ mission

”is to promote and support basic research and need-driven research in the areas Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning. The research that is funded should be of the highest scientific quality and relevance to the areas of responsibility of the Council. Formas may also support activities related to development to a limited extent”

According to the Government’s instructions Regulation (2009:1024)


Formas – the mission

- Distribute funds to research within Formas’ areas of responsibility

- Support interdisciplinary research

- Evaluate research and development

- Identify research needs

- Initiate and support national and international cooperation

- Communicate research and research results

- Make research results useful

- Promote sustainable development in society

According to the Government’s instructions Regulation (2009:1024)


Funding of Formas

Total budget ~1.2 billion (1,2 miljarder) SEK per year

Positive trend of Formas’ budget since 2001

Budget from two ministries:

Ministry of the Environment (55%)

Ministry of Rural Affairs (45%)


Three research areas

Environment and Nature

Agriculture, Animals and Food

Spatial and urban planning, Building


International activity

To promote contacts, import new knowledge, new ideas

and experiences and to bring about greater Swedish

participation in international research collaboration (e.g.

ERA-net, ERA-net+, Article 185, TFI and JPI:s)


Research Communication

To spread and communicate

research and research results

in the areas of Formas

responsibility

Formas fokuserar EXTRACT Conferences and Workshops


Formas’ different funding instruments Annual open call ~ 40% (2014)

bottom-up (R&D projects, R& D young research leaders, mobility starting grants)

Targeted calls – 31% (2014)programs, strategic, international cooperation – areas with identified research needs

Grants that can be applied for twice a year – 3% (2014)conferences and workshops, information projects

Urgent grants – 2% (2014)

Co-financed research – 7% (2013)(Skogforsk, SLF, JTI, IVL and others)


Formas annual open call 2014

Three subcalls

Research & Development projects (2013: 848 applications, 82 granted money (10%))

Research & Development projects for young research leaders (2013: 411 applications, 25 granted money (6%))

Mobility starting grants for young researchers (2013: 89 applications, 14 granted money (14%))


Formas annual open call 2014

News this year:

Up to 50% of full time salary in the call for Research and Development grants (per application)

Young research leaders up to 100% of full time salary

PhD-students and postdocs 100% of a full time salary

Maximum 150% total salary costs for the project leaders, co-applicants and other staff (i.e. PhD-students, post-docs, technical staff)


Annual open call 2014

Identical applications to several subcalls is NOT allowed

Main applicant one ongoing project grant from any of Formas’ annual open calls ( rejection before evaluation)

A new application may be submitted the year the disbursement for the old project ends

It is the timeframe in the contract deciding when a project is ongoing. Prolongation of a project (förlängd dispositiontid) does not affect the timeframe.


Annual open call 2014

Transition rule 2014

A project leader with two project grants from previous annual open calls with one project ending 2014 may submit a new project application. Funds can however only be sought for the years that persists in the other ongoing project grants.

Project 1 -------|-----------------------------|

2014 new application

Project 2 -------------------------------------|

2016


Eligibility criteria and co-applicants

Doctoral degree

Swedish university or research institute

No age limit, must however have a position at a university

International collaboration

Industrial partners


Grants for young research leaders

PhD within 2 to 8 years (i.e. 1 January 2006 at the earliest, and 31 December 2012 at the latest)

Three consecutive years

The receiver of the grant must be the project leader

Same criteria and instructions for applications for grants for research projects except for 100% salary


Mobility starting grants

PhD max 3 years - January 1stst 2011 at the earliest and October 1st 2014 at the latest

Home university - employment at a Swedish university/research institute for the full time period

Host university

Grant for 24 - 48 months

Visit can be divided into several periods (min length 3 months)

Appendix G: The candidate for the grant must be the main applicant


Formas’ Review Process

In the annual open call ~1 300 applications per year

Evaluation in Review panels – ranking of top projects

Scientific quality and Societal value

Final decision is always made by Formas’ Scientific Council


Evaluation Panels in the annual open call

Climate change

The natural environment

Use of natural resources

Resource efficient products and processes

Environment pollution

Food and animal welfare

Urban and rural development

The built environment


Formas’ Review Panels

15-20 members in each panel

Majority of active researchers minimum qualifications equivalent to associate professor

Minority users of the research in societydocumented research experience

Maximum 4 years

Equal gender distribution


What is assessed?

Scientific quality

Research question

Method and performance

Scientific competence

For Mobility starting grants also strength and competitiveness of the research environments at the host- and home institutions will be assessed.

Societal value

Societal value of research question

Communications with stakeholders / end users

.

Detailed information in Formas Handbook 2014


Important dates

Last day for applications: April 2nd 2014

Decisions are made: 7th November 2014

Funding starts: January 2015

You should start your granted post during 2015


Further information

Formas’ Handbook 2014 - www.formas.se

Telephone information service:

08-775 40 05, 28 March - 2 April

Any of the research officers at Formas. E-mail and telephone numbers on www.formas.se


Questions?Good luck with your applications!

swedish research council formas the swedish research council for environment, agricultural sciences...

Documents

driven research

basic research

research areas environment

research results useful

cofinanced research

formas areas of responsibility

r d young research leaders

development grants