Open Programme

The Open Programme of the Division for Earth and Life Sciences offers financial support across the full range of Dutch research in the earth and life sciences.

Who can apply

Professors and (senior) lecturers or researchers with a comparable position who are working within the earth and life sciences and who are employed by a Dutch university or a research institute recognised by NWO.

What can be applied for

A grant can be requested to cover all reasonable, non-infrastructural costs that must be made for the research, such as the appointment of personnel (PhD or postdoc), material facilities (equipment, consumables, travel costs, etc.) and fieldwork. Each cost category should be explained separately. A grant cannot be requested for permanent members of staff, student assistants, analysts/technicians, overheads, general laboratory equipment, maintenance and insurance costs, visiting congresses and costs of publications.

When can be applied

Applications can be submitted the whole year round.

Criteria

The selection criteria are: the originality and innovative quality of the propsed research, the scientific merits of the proposal, and the scientific quality of the group. The Division Board of Earth and Life Sciences reserves the right to include policy and financial considerations in their decision-making. In case two or more applications receive an equal review, the Board will determine priority by vote.

Procedure

The procedure conforms to the points of departure of NWO's Governing Board concerning the granting of subsidies in Open Competition. A decision on granting will be made 7 to 9 months after submitting the application, depending on the date of meeting by the Division Board.

Committees

ALW works with one or two committees (more or less in parallel) in the Open Programme, dependent on the application pressure. If the applications can be viewed by two committees then these have distinct focus areas: 'Geosphere and biosphere' and 'From molecule to organism’. The specifications for these focus areas can be found in the Open Programme guidelines.

Budget

Around 8 million euro per year. Around 25 percent of the applications submitted through the Open Programme of the Division for Earth and Life Sciences are granted.

Financiers

NWO Division for the Earth and Life Sciences.

Contacts

• Mw. Dr. B. Pauw
  phone: 070-344 07 34, e-mail: b.pauw@nwo.nl
• Mr. dr M.R. de Jonge
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 06 28, e-mail: mr.dejonge@nwo.nl

Documentation for applying electronically