NWO modifies the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme; more opportunities for multidisciplinary proposals

16 September 2008

NWO has modified the Veni, Vidi and Vici subsidy programmes. From 2009 onwards there will be a greater focus on knowledge utilisation and there will be more opportunities for multidisciplinary proposals. In each category (Veni, Vidi, Vici) separate committees will be installed for assessing multi-disciplinary interdivisional applications. WOTRO will be responsible for organising the evaluation of these interdivisional proposals. Although this new category is open for all fields of research, it nevertheless opens up new opportunities for development oriented research and for career development in that field. WOTRO therefore encourages you to apply.

Furthermore, extra funds will be made available to top researchers, while institutional matching and prior institutional embedding is not required anymore. Below you will find some more details on these changes.

More and larger subsidies

In 2007, the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme was positively evaluated. On that basis, the minister made funds available to continue the programme over a period of several years and to expand it. Thanks to an increase in the annual budget to 150 million euro, NWO will be able to award more poposals and increase the amounts involved. The Veni subsidy will be increased to 250,000 euro (from 208,000 euro). Successful Vidi applicants will receive 800,000 euro instead of 600,000 euro, and the Vici subsidy will rise to 1,500,000 euro from 1,250,000 euro.

More flexibility for lecturers

The restriction for professors will be abolished for Vidi and Vici. Previously, professors were not entitled to apply for Vidi subsidies and they could only apply for a Vici subsidy if they had held a post as professor for less than three years. This restriction for professors will now be abolished.

No advance embedding

From now on very experienced researchers will only have to make agreements with an institute or a university once they have heard that they are to receive a Vici subsidy. Previously, a researcher had to arrange this ‘embedding guarantee’ in advance. This rule had already been abolished for Veni and Vidi.

No institutional contribution

Up until 2008, an institution was required to pay 33 percent of the subsidy and NWO 67 percent. From 2008 onwards, NWO will pay the entire subsidy. The scrapping of this institutional contribution coincides with the transfer of 100 million euro from the universities to NWO.

Knowledge utilisation

Another new aspect is that researchers from all scientific disciplines can indicate the expected impact of their research on society and industry or its social and commercial relevance. Until now this was only possible in the technical sciences. If the researcher chooses not to write this so-called ‘knowledge utilisation section’, or if this section would lead to a less favourable evaluation, only the familiar criteria ‘quality of the researcher’ and ‘quality of the proposal’ will count.

Interdivisional multidisciplinary proposals

There will also be a separate procedure for multidisciplinary interdivisional applications in each category. Scientists who wish to carry out multidisciplinary research that is not confined to one of the NWO Divisions can submit their proposal to special multi-disciplinary interdivisional evaluation committees. WOTRO will be responsible for the secretariat that will handle these proposals and support these committees. Proposals for multidisciplinary research that is within the boundaries of a specific NWO Division, should be submitted to that particular division.

Domain panels

Next year will also see the start of the comparative evaluation of proposals within three ‘science domains’. There will be one panel for the arts, humanities and social sciences, one for natural sciences and one for life sciences. Proposals are first evaluated by a division and subsequently by a domain panel. This new system opens up possibilities for quality assessment between divisions.

Deadlines for subsidy proposals

Deadlines for the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme in 2009 are as follows: Veni: 8 January; Vidi: 3 March; Vici pre-proposal: 31 March; Vici full proposal: 1 September.

Veni, Vidi and Vici

The Innovational Research Incentives Scheme has three types of subsidy for individuals, which target different stages in a researcher’s scientific career: Veni (for those who have recently gained doctorates), Vidi (experienced) and Vici (very experienced). The aim of the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme is to promote innovative scientific research. Talented, creative researchers are given the opportunity to carry out their research and thus to enter or progress through scientific research institutions.

More information
More information is available at the website http://www.nwo.nl/nwohome.nsf/pages/NWOP_5TTCVA_Eng. With our electronic newsletter, the WOTRO Newsflash (please subscribe), we will keep you updated on further developments.