The third Strategic Research (SRC) call: letter of intent submission latest 11.1.2017

The call for letter of intents will open 1.12.2016 and end 11.1.2017.

The new SRC programmes are

1. Changing society and active citizenship (Muuttuvat hallinnan tavat ja aktiivinen kansalaisuus )
2. Adaptation and resilience for sustainable growth (Sopeutuminen kestävän kasvun edellytyksenä)
3. Keys to sustainable growth (Kestävän kasvun avaimet)

Common crosscutting priority areas for all programmes are: exploiting information in decision-making and achieving sustainable growth in society.

In the SRC call, a consortium can apply for funding if it includes minimum three subprojects, it consists of a minimum two organisations and it involves at least three fields of science.
   

Letter of intent

• The Letter of intent should be submitted as single applicant, not as a consortium application. The consortium PI is responsible for submitting the letter of intent to the Academy's online services, on behalf of the whole consortium.
• The cost estimate is submitted only as a single number for the whole consortium (see below for more detail).
• Appendices to letter of intent
  • Research and interaction plan (the maximum length of a letter of intent is six pages and it shall be structured according to the instructions given by the SRC)
  • Curricula vitae and lists of publications of the consortium PI
  • Curricula vitae and lists of publications of the Work Package leaders
                

Costs and funding

• The funding is granted according to full cost model and the Academy´s funding share is 100 %.
• The project costs for the whole consortium are neither declared by partner nor by cost category, but entered as a yearly lump sum under "Other costs" in the application form. All other cost lines shall be left empty.
• Funding is primarily granted to cover salaries of researchers with a doctoral degree and other costs.
• The programmes cover also the salaries of the consortium PI and eventually of a project coordinator.
                

Funding periods are programme-specific

• Changing Society and Active Citizenship programme
  • The projects will run for four years, 1.9.2017 - 31.8.2021. The funding will be granted in a single section.
  • The research and interaction plan should cover the entire four-year funding period.
  • The programme will provide funding to 2–4 consortia and it is estimated that the funding will amount to 2-5 M€ per consortium.
• Adaptation and resilience for sustainable growth and Keys to sustainable growth programmes
  • The projects will run for six years, 1.1.2018 - 31.12.2023. The funding will be granted in two section (3 years + possible 3 year after midterm evaluation).
  • The research and interaction plan should cover the entire six-year funding period.
  • The programmes will provide funding to 12–18 consortia in total and it is estimated that the funding will amount to 2-4 M€ per consortium for the first three-year funding period.
                       

Call restrictions

• • Consortium PI
    • An applicant can be the consortium PI only in one consortium.
    • The consortium PI cannot be also a Work Package leader.
    • A consortium PI that received funding from the SRC’s 2015 or 2016 calls is not eligible to apply for funding in this call
    • Directors of Academy of Finland’s Centres of Excellence cannot act as SRC consortium PIs.
  • Work Package leader
    • A person can act as WP leader only in one application in each SRC programme.

Evaluation and decisions

According to preliminary information, the decisions regarding which applicants will be invited to submit a full application will be made on 13.3.2017. The deadline of the full applications is 26.4.2017 and the decisions on the funded consortia is planned for autumn 2017.
              

More information

• Info event 29.11.2016 at 8.30-12.00 in Helsinki (Academy of Finland, Hakaniemenranta 6). You can also participate in the event remotely: www.aka.fi/stn-info2016.
• More information is available from the call for applications (only in Finnish, Academy of Finland webpages and Inside.
• Help and advice for preparing the applications by contacting the research liaison officer or grant writer of your school.

You can find the information on the funded SRC consortia here.