PROPOSAL EVALUATION GUIDELINES OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE

Transcription

1 PROPOSAL EVALUATION GUIDELINES OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE

2 Cntent 1. General Infrmatin Funding schemes Review Cde f Ethics Typical cases f cnflict f interest r bias Principles f prpsal evaluatin Evaluatin f the publicatin recrd Evaluatin f the research prject recrd with the Prject Leader acting as Principal Investigatr Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the OPUS funding scheme Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the PRELUDIUM funding scheme Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the SONATA funding scheme Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the SONATA BIS funding scheme Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the MAESTRO funding scheme Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the HARMONIA funding scheme General Infrmatin The selectin f research prpsals fr the evaluatin by specific review panels is cmprised f 25 subject areas (within a given scientific discipline r a grup f disciplines), gruped int the fllwing three units: HS The Arts, Humanities and Scial Sciences (6 subject areas, HS1 HS6); ST Physical Sciences and Engineering (10 subject areas, ST1 ST10); NZ Life Sciences (9 subject areas, NZ1 NZ9). Prpsals submitted in respnse fr the calls fr prpsals annunced within OPUS, PRELUDIUM and SONATA funding schemes are subject t evaluatin by Expert Review Panels appinted fr each call by the Cuncil f the Natinal Science Centre individually fr each f 25 subject areas. Within each subject area, Experts have at their dispsal a fixed funding budget. Prpsals submitted in respnse fr the calls fr prpsals annunced within SONATA BIS, MAESTRO and HARMONIA funding schemes are subject t evaluatin by Expert Review Panels appinted fr each call by the Cuncil f the Natinal Science Centre individually fr each f the units (HS, ST and NZ, respectively) withut further subdivisin int subject areas. All calls fr prpsals annunced by the Natinal Science Centre n the same specific date will be hereinafter referred t as editin. Natinal Science Centre has adpted a tw-stage evaluatin prcess. In the first stage f the evaluatin prcess the prpsals are evaluated by Experts 2

3 gruped in Expert Review Panels appinted fr each call by the Cuncil f the Natinal Science Centre. During a panel meeting each prpsal underges preliminary evaluatin and is either rejected r accepted fr the secnd stage f evaluatin, based n the results f peer review perfrmed earlier by tw members f the expert panel. During the secnd stage f evaluatin the qualified prjects are sent t External Reviewers fr evaluatin. The identities f Experts and External Reviewers are nt disclsed t the Prpsers. The reviews are sent t the Prpsers in an unchanged frm, identical t the riginal review prepared by the experts. Hence, the final review has t meet high standards in terms f the merit, cmpleteness, clarity, unambiguity and the frm Funding schemes OPUS is a general grant scheme. Research prpsals submitted under this scheme may include the purchase r cnstructin f research equipment. PRELUDIUM is a funding scheme intended fr yung researchers wh, by the prpsal submissin deadline, have nt btained a dctral degree. SONATA is a funding scheme addressed t researchers with a dctral degree. Prjects submitted under this funding scheme are expected t create a nvel scientific r academic apprach, methdlgy r research equipment. SONATA BIS is a funding scheme addressed t researchers with a dctral degree btained within the last 10 years prir t the submissin f the prpsal. This funding scheme is designed t supprt researchers aiming t establish a new research team and becme independent research leaders cnducting nvel basic research. MAESTRO is a funding scheme addressed t experienced researchers t cnduct pineering research within individual disciplines as well as acrss different disciplines. Prjects submitted under this funding scheme are expected t create grund breaking results, pssibly leading t discveries. The prpsed research prjects are expected t stimulate further develpments within and acrss the disciplines. HARMONIA is a funding scheme designed t supprt internatinal cllabrative prjects. Each funding scheme is subject t specific evaluatin criteria and has t be evaluated accrding t different rules.. 2. Review Cde f Ethics By agreeing t review a research prpsal submitted within a call fr prpsals annunced by the Natinal Science Centre the External Reviewer undertakes t maintain full cnfidentiality and n t disclse any part f the infrmatin cntained in the prpsal under review, including the names f the Prpsers. The full cnfidentiality f the infrmatin implies that any cntent f the research prpsal cannt be used fr any purpses ther than the review prcess. Withdrawal frm the review prcess des nt release the External Reviewer frm the 3

4 duty t maintain the full cnfidentiality with respect t the infrmatin cntained in the reviewed prpsal. The External Reviewer undertakes t review the research prpsal within the specified deadline in rder t maintain the bjectivity and equality f the prpsal evaluatin prcess within a given call fr prpsals. The External Reviewer shall ntify the Natinal Science Centre at the earliest cnvenience abut the inability t meet the specified deadline fr the submissin f the review reprt. The External Reviewer shuld be sensitive t the appearance f a cnflict f interest with respect t the Prpser f the research prpsal under review. The External Reviewer is nt eligible fr the review f a prpsal in case f the Reviewer s individual invlvement in the prpsal. In case f the External Reviewer being a Principal Investigatr, C-Investigatr, r a Supervisr in a research prpsal submitted within the same call fr prpsals, under the same funding scheme, and the same subject area as the prpsal under review the External Reviewer is nt allwed t review the prpsal. The cnflict f interest disclsed by the External Reviewer may nt, in general, lead t the rejectin f the reprt f the External Reviewer. If in dubt, the External Reviewer shuld cntact a relevant Scientific Crdinatr, advising f the cnflict f interest r bias. Hwever, if the External Reviewer is f the pinin that the existing cnflict f interest wuld lead t a biased reprt, the External Reviewer shuld withdraw his reprt uncnditinally Typical cases f cnflict f interest r bias Persnal relatins f the External Reviewer with any Prpser: The External Reviewer is married t, r shares a kinship t the secnd degree with any Prpser; The External Reviewer shares sme legal ties with the Prpser, i.e. has legal custdy r pwer f attrney f any Prpser, The Reviewer has a persnal cnflict f interest with any Prpser. Prfessinal relatins f the External Reviewer with any Prpser: The External Reviewer has wrked in the Prpser s institutin in the perid f three years prir t the deadline fr the submissin f the prpsal; The External Reviewer has acted as a line manager f the Prpser in the perid f three years prir t the deadline fr the submissin f the prpsal. Scientific relatins f the External Reviewer with any Prpser: The External Reviewer is a supervisr/mentr f the Prpser; The External Reviewer has c-authred scientific wrk with the Prpser in the perid f three years prir t the deadline fr the submissin f the prpsal; The External Reviewer has entered direct research cmpetitin with the Prpser. Ecnmic relatins f the External Reviewer with the Prpser: The External Reviewer is capable f directly prfiting frm the reviewed prpsal (either thrugh entering the cmpetitin r thrugh shared prfit frm the prpsal). The abve cases d nt exhaust all pssibilities f the cnflict f interest.. 3. Principles f prpsal evaluatin 4

5 3.1. Evaluatin f the publicatin recrd In the sectin f the prpsal describing the research and publicatin recrd the Prpser shuld list 10 mst imprtant publicatins published in recent years. During the evaluatin f this sectin nly the published wrk shuld be taken int accunt (e. g., ral presentatins r wrk under review cannt be taken int accunt). The failure f the Prpser t list any publicatins is deemed as the lack f relevant publicatin recrd Evaluatin f the research prject recrd with the Prject Leader acting as Principal Investigatr The evaluatin f the track recrd f research prjects with the Prject Leader acting as Principal Investigatr is nt t be perfrmed fr prpsals submitted within the PRELUDIUM funding scheme. The evaluatin f the track recrd f research prjects with the Prject Leader acting as Principal Investigatr shuld be perfrmed nly fr the prject leader f the prpsal under review. Evaluatin f cmpleted research prjects shuld include nly prjects in which the Prject Leader f the prpsal under review was a Principal Investigatr. The prjects in which the Prject Leader f the prpsal under review was an Investigatr, r a C-Investigatr shuld nt be evaluated. Evaluatin f cmpleted research prjects shuld include nly prjects granted funding as a result f an pen cmpetitin at the natinal r internatinal level. The failure f the Prject Leader f the prpsal under review t list any cmpleted research prjects with the Prject Leader acting as Principal Investigatr r publicatins resulting frm such prjects is deemed as lack f relevant prjects and prject related publicatins, respectively. 4. Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the OPUS funding scheme The Prject Leader (Principal Investigatr) can be a researcher at any stage f his/her research career. There are n persnal details f ther investigatrs. In case f the Prject Leader with n prven track recrd f previusly led prjects the scring resulting frm the evaluatin f the prpsal sectin describing research track recrd f the Prject Leader shuld be applied. 5. Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the PRELUDIUM funding scheme Prject Leader (Principal Investigatr) can be any researcher withut the PhD title. The number f team members cannt exceed 3 Prpsers, including n researcher with a degree f habilitatin r a prfessr title acting as the supervisr/mentr f the Prject Leader. The additinal team member acts as C-Investigatr. Neither the review and acceptance f prpsed dctral thesis f the Prject Leader nr the enrlment fr dctral prgram d nt cnstitute a mandatry cnditin fr the prpsal eligibility. The research subject f the prpsal different frm the subject f the dctral 5

6 thesis is allwed. Only tw frms can be submitted in prpsal sectin describing the research track recrd f the Prpsers: ne f the Prject Leader and ne fr the Supervisr/Mentr f the Prject Leader. 6. Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the SONATA funding scheme An eligible Prject Leader (Principal Investigatr) is a researcher starting his/her persnal career wh has btained a PhD title within 7 years prir t the deadline fr the submissin f prpsals (the current calendar year plus 7 previus full calendar years). In additin t the Prject Leader, n mre than ne Prpser hlding a habilitatin degree r the title f prfessr is allwed frm an institutin ther than the hst institutin (a different faculty in case f a university hsting the prject, and a different institute in case f the prject hsted by the Plish Academy f Sciences). In prpsal sectin describing the research track recrd f the Prpsers nly ne frm can be submitted describing the research track recrd f the Prject Leader. In case f the Prject Leader with n prven track recrd f previusly led prjects the scring frm the prpsal sectin describing research track recrd f the Prject Leader shuld be applied. 7. Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the SONATA BIS funding scheme An eligible Prject Leader (Principal Investigatr) is a persn starting his/her research career with a dctral degree btained frm 2 t 12 years prir t the submissin f the prpsal. In additin t the Prject Leader, the team cannt cnsist f researchers hlding a habilitatin degree r the title f prfessr. In prpsal sectin describing the research track recrd f the Prpsers nly ne frm can be submitted describing the research track recrd f the Prject Leader. In case f the Prject Leader with n prven track recrd f previusly led prjects the scring frm the prpsal sectin describing research track recrd f the Prject Leader shuld be applied. 8. Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the MAESTRO funding scheme The Prject Leader (Principal Investigatr) is a persn fulfilling the legal definitin f an experienced researcher. In case f prpsals submitted within disciplines gruped in the Science and Technlgy and Life Sciences Unit, the experienced researcher is deemed a persn wh, within the last 10 years prir t the submissin f the prpsal (the current calendar year plus 10 previus full calendar years): published at least five publicatins in renwned Plish and/r Internatinal scientific jurnals; led at least tw research prjects granted funding as result f natinal r internatinal cmpetitin; fulfilled at least ne f the fllwing criteria: 6

7 was a member f a scientific cmmittee f at least ne renwned internatinal cnference; published at least ne research mngraph; presented unique research wrk at renwned internatinal cnferences; was awarded an internatinal research prize r award; has been a member f renwned research scieties; published an imprtant nvel high impact research result. In case f prpsals submitted within disciplines gruped in the Arts, Humanities and Scial Sciences unit, the experienced researcher is deemed a persn wh authred genuine artistic internatinally renwned wrk r artistic wrk with high impact n Plish culture. The experienced researcher is expected t have taken active part in the rganizatin f internatinal exhibitins, festivals, artistic events including fine arts, music, theatre and film. In prpsal sectin describing the research track recrd f the Prpsers nly ne frm can be submitted describing the research track recrd f the Prject Leader. 9. Guidelines fr evaluatin f prpsals submitted under the HARMONIA funding scheme Prject Leader (Principal Investigatr) can be a persn at any stage f the research career. The fllwing prpsals submitted under the HARMONIA funding scheme are deemed eligible: A. Prjects submitted within the existing framewrk f direct internatinal cllabratin f the Prject Leader with a partner r partners frm freign research institutins; B. Prjects submitted within the existing framewrk f bilateral cllabratin; C. Prjects submitted within the existing framewrk f multilateral cllabratin; D. Prjects submitted by Plish research teams invlving the use f internatinal large scale facilities. The evaluatin f the research track recrd invlves specifically: In case A, B and C the evaluatin f the research track recrd f the Prject Leader and the research track recrd f the Leading Internatinal Partner. The research track recrd f ther Prpsers is nt evaluated. In case D the evaluatin f the research track recrd f the Prject Leader and the research track recrd resulting frm the pre-existing internatinal cllabratin. In case f n pre-existing internatinal cllabratin the scring frm the research track recrd f the Prject Leader shuld be applied. In case f the Prject Leader with n prven track recrd f previusly led prjects the scring frm the prpsal sectin describing research track recrd f the Prject Leader shuld be applied. 7