Innovational Research Incentives Scheme

The Innovational Research Incentives Scheme has been set up in 2000 by NWO, KNAW and the universities jointly. The aim is to promote innovation in the academic research field. The scheme is directed at providing encouragement for individual researchers and gives talented, creative researchers the opportunity to conduct their own research programme independently and promote talented researchers to enter and remain committed to the scientific profession.

Who can apply

Excellent researchers (m/f) who are among the best 10 to 20 per cent of their age group.

Researchers from abroad may apply

What can be applied for

• Veni for researchers who have recently taken their PhD, to allow them to continue to develop their ideas; a maximum of 250,000 euro.
• Vidi for researchers who want to develop their own innovative line of research and appoint one or more researchers; a maximum of 800,000 euro.
• Vici open for applications for senior researchers to build their own research group; a maximum of 1,500,000 euro.

When can be applied

In 2010, there will be one application round for each of the subsidy categories Veni, Vidi and Vici:

• Closing date for submitting Veni applications was 7 January 2010
• Closing date for submitting Vidi applications was 11 February 2010
• Closing date for submitting Vici pre-proposals was 30 March 2010
• Closing date for submitting Vici full proposals based on the pre-proposals is 31 August 2010

In 2011, there will be one application round as well:

• Closing date for submitting Veni applications was 6 January 2011
• Closing date for submitting Vidi applications was 4 October 2011
• Closing date for submitting Vici pre-proposals was 31 March 2011
• Closing date for submitting Vici full proposals based on the pre-proposals is 30 August 2011

Extra Information

For further information on previous awards, the VI association etc., please check out the programme website.

Limited submission possibilities for Veni and Vidi: With effect from 2011 a new submission condition applies to applicants. For the Veni and Vidi rounds, researchers may only submit a proposal on two occasions. Only applicants who had already submitted a proposal twice before 2011 may make a third submission via a transitional arrangement. For Vici, researchers may submit a proposal on three occasions.

New deadline Vidi: The deadline for the Vidi round in 2011 is 4 October. With this change the deadline is shifted from February to October. For applicants who fall outside of the submission conditions as a result of this shift in deadline, a transitional arrangement applies: applicants who gained their doctorates between 1 January 2003 and 4 October 2003 can submit a Vidi proposal. Researchers who do not need to make use of the transitional arrangement fall within the standard conditions of the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme.

Aspasia: Starting in 2005, the new-style Aspasia programme is to be linked to the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (Vernieuwingsimpuls). Aspasia subsidies will be awarded to university Executive Boards that promote female recipients of Vidi and Vici grants to associate professor (UHD) or full professor (hoogleraar) level within a year of the award of grant. The specific conditions under which subsidies will be awarded to Executive Boards are published on the Aspasia page. There is no need for applicants for Vidi and Vici grants to express an interest in Aspasia. NWO will itself approach those who are successful in the relevant selection rounds.

Criteria

Full information about the target groups, procedures and guidelines can be found in the brochure Innovational Research Incentives Scheme ('Vernieuwingsimpuls') 2010. An English version will follow soon.

Procedure

Applications can only be submitted electronically via NWO's Iris system. The forms can be downloaded two months before the deadline from the website and be submitted electronically. More information about the procedure can be found in the brochure and the instructions on the website.

Applications for the Division for Medical Sciences must be submitted through ZonMw's ProjectNet. These applications are not to be submitted through Iris.

Budget

Awarding of 150 million euro for the Veni, Vidi and Vici grants on a yearly basis.

Financiers

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) via NWO.

Contacts

• Coördinator Vernieuwingsimpuls
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 40, e-mail: vi@nwo.nl