Brain & Cognition - Societal Innovation in Health Care, Education and Social Safety

The programme Brain & Cognition aims to promote research dedicated to societal innovation in health care, education and social safety.

Within this framework, three specific goals are set:

1. Stimulation of excellent interdisciplinary research;
2. Participation of private or public societal partners aimed at structural changes needed in health care, learning and social safety;
3. Societal implementation of results.

Who can apply

Proposals are only expected from persons who have participated in the preproposal phase as a principal applicant (see procedure) and who have received an invitation to elaborate their preproposal. Persons who participated in this stage and after receiving a negative advice are still considering submitting a full proposal, must contact the person stated below. Those who have not participated in the preproposal phase may not submit a proposal.

Senior scientists holding a doctor's degree and employed by a Dutch university or other research institute recognized by NWO (as specified in the 'Regeling subsidieverlening NWO' (2007), available on www.nwo.nl) may apply.

The main applicant will be responsible for both the scientific coherence and results and the reporting of the financial results of the project. All applicants should be listed in the proposal (see 3.4). Please indicate which applicant will be the co-ordinator of the project. If this is not specified, the applicant on top of the list will be considered as main applicant.

At most you can act as applicant twice, but only once as main applicant. This means: (a) you act as main applicant for one proposal and as co-applicant for another proposal or (b) you act as co-applicant for two different proposals.

What can be applied for

PhD student and postdoc positions can be applied for based on a standard remuneration that has been set at € 200,000 either for a PhD student (over 4 years) or a postdoc (over 3 years). This remuneration applies to this programme only.

Consumables, analysis expenses and overhead costs can be funded up to a maximum of € 50,000 per position. Costs of computers, regular software, and other costs that come under the standard facilities of the university or research institute are excluded. You may apply for a total budget with a maximum of € 500,000.

When can be applied

• Closing date for the submission of preliminary proposals was 2 March 2010
• Closing date for the submission of full proposals is 2 September 2010, 12:00 hrs.

Extra Information

Before writing your proposal, you are advised to consult the documents on this page and to discuss with the coordinator of the focus area to which you submitted a preproposal how your proposal fits within the objectives and research questions of the Innovative programme that your proposal falls under. At your request, the coordinator can provide more detailed information about that Innovative programme.

You are also strongly advised to consult the coordinator of the focus area you intend to submit a proposal to to discuss how your application fits the aims and research questions of the Innovative Programmes in this specific focus area. The coordinator will also provide more detailed information on a specific Innovative Programme on request.

Financial or in natura contributions by third parties will add a surplus value to the application, and will, if the application also meets the other evaluation criteria, enhance its priority. Financial contributions are not obligatory for submitting an application; participation of societal partners in the proposed project is obligatory.

Participation of each individual societal partner should be confirmed in a letter of intent, which should be included in the full proposal as an appendix.

Criteria

The evaluation committee evaluates and prioritises the proposals according to the following five criteria:

1. the appropriateness of the proposal to the objectives and research questions of the Innovative programmes;
2. the scientific quality, including the track record of the participants;
3. the interdisciplinary and international scientific collaboration;
4. the value of active participation of third parties (social partners);
5. the societal implementation of the expected results.

Procedure

This call for proposals is formulated by the programme's management team and published on 23 November 2009. The evaluation procedure is split into two stages: a first stage in which preliminary proposals were submitted, and a second stage in which selected applicants are invited to submit a full proposal.

Second stage: Full proposals

Proposals that satisfy the requirements of technical admissibility (see Call and Explanatory Notes) will be processed. These proposals will be submitted to independent external advisers (referees) for evaluation. The referees’ comments will be submitted to the applicants for rebuttal. Based on the criteria, the proposal, the referees’ reports and the rebuttal, the evaluation committee will formulate an advice about the quality and priority of the proposals. The Supervisory Board of NIHC will decide which proposals shall be awarded and rejected.

Committees

The composition of the FES Brain & Cognition supervisory board, management team, and review panel is or will be published on the National Initiative Brain & Cognition website (www.brainandcognition.nl).

Budget

A budget of up to € 5.1 million is available for this Call for Proposals.

This budget is divided in three separate parts which means that for each of the three focus areas a maximum budget of € 1.7 million is available.

Financiers

The programme is funded by the Dutch government through the Fonds Economische Structuurversterking (FES).

Contacts

• Dr. R.P.W. Heinsbroek
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 87, fax: +31 (0)70 381 90 33, e-mail: r.heinsbroek@nwo.nl
• Mw. drs. M. (Mayke) van Gelder
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 03, fax: +32 (0)70 383 28 41, e-mail: m.vangelder@nwo.nl
• Mw. K.P.M. (Karin) Snijders
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 33, fax: +32 (0)70 383 28 41, e-mail: k.snijders@nwo.nl

Documentation for applying electronically