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Gravitation

With Gravitation, the government encourages excellent research in the Netherlands. The programme is for scientific consortia that have the potential to rank among the world's best in their field. The programme is a form of direct government research funding. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has asked NWO to realise a selection procedure for Gravitation.

  • Purpose and objectives

    Gravitation is intended for consortia of scientists who conduct innovative and influential research within their professional discipline. The purpose is to encourage research programmes to achieve international breakthroughs.
    The consortia also make a substantial contribution to the training of talented researchers.

  • Budget and lead time

    The fifth funding round for Gravitation closed in January 2021. The sixth round will take place in 2023. A seventh round is planned for 2025/2026.

    The Gravitation programme is financed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science with a structural annual sum of approximately 57 million euros. For the 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2021 funding rounds, budgets of 167, 153, 113, 115 and 143 million euros were available respectively, for obligations of up to ten years' duration. For the sixth and seventh rounds, the budget has been estimated at 143 million euros for the time being.

  • Partners

    At the request of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, NWO selects the consortia with excellent research programmes since 2012. Researchers from one or several universities and/or research institutions work together intensively in such consortia, with funding for personnel and equipment for up to ten years.

  • Committees

    2021-2022

    Prof. Aafke Hulk (voorzitter)
    French Linguistics
    University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

    Prof. Nishi Chaturvedi
    Clinical Epidemiology
    University College London (United States of America)

    Prof. Edward Curry
    Informatics, autonomic computing
    Insight Centre for Data Analytics (Ireland)

    Prof. Kirsten Drotner
    Media studies
    University of Southern Denmark (Denmark)

    Prof. Orla Freely
    Electronic engineering
    University College Dublin, (Ireland)

    Prof. Rüdiger Klein
    Neurobiology
    MPI for Neurobiology (Finland)

    Prof. John Kuriyan
    Biochemistry
    University of Berkeley (United States of America)

    Prof. Linda Partridge
    Genetics, aging research
    University College London (England)

    Prof. Lynn Russell
    Atmospheric chemistry
    Scripps Institute, San Diego (United States of America)

    Prof. Sean Ryder
    English language and literature
    National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland)

    Prof. Catherine Schenk
    Economic and Social History
    University of Oxford (England)

    Prof. Oren Scherman
    Chemistry
    University of Cambridge (England)

    Prof. Alexander Schluger
    Condensed matter and materials physics
    University College London (England)

    Prof. Michael Smith
    Sociology
    McGill University (Canada)

    Prof. Jeroen van den Bergh
    Environmental and resource economics
    Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)

    Prof. Gunnar von Heijne
    Biochemistry
    Stockholm University (Sweden)

    Prof. Johan Wagemans
    Experimental psychology
    University of Leuven (Belgium)

    Prof. Shearer West
    Art history
    University of Nottingham (England)

    Prof. Ana Zenclussen
    Environmental immunology
    Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research (Germany)