UPDATE 10 APRIL: In a response to numerous requests from the scientific community, the Presidium of the Czech Science Foundation has decided to postpone the deadline for the submission of proposals into tenders already published, due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic situation in the Czech Republic, and the government’s new measures, such as the limited movement of people, and the closure of schools and kindergartens. The tenders already published are now cancelled, and will be launched again. That way, the deadlines will be postponed by 2 weeks, which should help organizations and applicants better deal with this extraordinary situation.
JUST RELEASE: NEW CALLS FOR PROPOSOSAL IN TENDERS FOR 2022
22. 2. 2021
The Czech Science Foundation has published a call for proposals in the categories of Standard Projects, JUNIOR STAR, and POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP, which is a brand new scheme. The deadline for submissions is 8 April 22 April. Results will be announced in November and December this year. At the same time, another tender is open for proposals for International Projects. Projects which win funding after multiple rounds of evaluations will be launched in 2022.
“The POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP is new this year. It gives Czech scientists who received their PhDs not too long ago an opportunity to get experience abroad. The Fellowship also makes it possible for scientists from abroad to come to perform research at a Czech institution. Our goal is to boost the exchange of experience, opinions, and ideas. Something that researchers cannot do without if they want to succeed,” says prof. RNDr. Jaroslav Koča, DrSc., the President of the Czech Science Foundation, and adds: “For the same reason, we are expanding our international cooperation. A substantial part of the expansion took place last year already. And this year, we are pushing forward also – thanks to Weave, a new initiative that we have co-founded – the number of agencies from abroad cooperating with the Czech Science Foundation is going to continue to increase.
Project proposals in the individual categories may be submitted by 8 April 22 April (deadlines may vary for international tenders). After submissions, the project proposals will be evaluated in multiple rounds of a transparent process where international experts are taking part in addition to local scholars recommended by Czech institutions. The JUNIOR STAR proposals are going to be evaluated by international experts only. The experts have been selected Science Connect, an independent agency. “Not a single project is funded without being reviewed by at least one international evaluator; the vast majority even received more than one review from abroad,” adds the Czech Science Foundation President. The winning proposals will be announced in November and December this year.
Standard Projects
Standard Projects are the cornerstone of grant funding for basic research in the Czech Republic – every year since it was established in 1993, the Czech Science Foundation has funded a few hundred of them . Standard Projects are funded to facilitate the best of basic research in all fields of science. Proposals for 3-year projects may be submitted by any researcher or team, regardless of their age or experience.
Tender Document Standard Projects 2022 (English version)
JUNIOR STAR
JUNIOR STAR was introduced last year and was met with tremendous interest. JUNIOR STAR grants are intended for excellent scientists in their early careers (within 8 years of receiving their PhDs) active in all areas of basic research who have published in prestigious international journals before, and have had substantial experience abroad. The 5-year project allows them to receive up to CZK 25 million (€966,000) and gives them an opportunity to attain scientific independence or even start their own research team, which can bring new areas of research into Czech science.
Tender Document JUNIOR STAR 2022 (English version)
POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP
POSTDOC INDVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP (PIF) is the latest type of grant funding, and a call for proposals has been published this year for the first time ever. The Fellowship is targeted at scientists who have completed their PhDs in the last four years. The OUTGOING PIF makes it possible for Czech scientists to perform research at any institution in the world, provided that the Fellow returns to the Czech Republic to spend at least one year at a local institution. The INCOMING PIF enables a scientist from abroad to come to a Czech institution to carry out his or her research.
Tender Document POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP – INCOMING 2022 (English version)
Tender Document POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP – OUTGOING 2022 (English version)
International Projects
Proposals for International Projects may be submitted in tenders published with agencies abroad jointly, on the basis of an agreement between the Czech Science Foundation and the other agencies. Project Proposals are either evaluated by both agencies (bilateral cooperation), or recommended for funding only by one of the agencies, and the other one accepts that recommendation (cooperation based on Lead Agency)
Agencies involved within bilateral cooperation
- Taiwan – Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
- South Korea – National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
- São Paulo, Brazil – São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
No call for proposals has come from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) this year for reasons on its part. New calls are expected to come back next year.
Tender Document International Projects 2022 (English version)
Agencies involved on Lead Agency basis
- Austria – Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
- Germany – German Research Foundation (DFG)
- Poland – National Science Centre (NCN)
- Slovenia – Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS)
- Switzerland – Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
- Luxembourg – National Research Fund (FNR)
LA Terms and Conditions – GACR Lead Agency 2022 (English version)
LA Terms and Conditions – GACR Partner Agency 2022 (English version)
Additional international calls for proposals on the basis of Lead Agency may be published later this year.
