Call for Applied Research opens in April 2016.

Updated regulations are available on the following link (Government regulation N85, amendments in regulation N137 dated 24.03.2016)

The call aims at supporting development of applied and technological research, selecting and funding applied research projects through transparent call procedures.

Special focus is on innovative research, which results in high quality products demanded on local and international markets and solutions to practical problems created during the new technology development processes.

It is of utmost importance to identify proposals with the potential of commercialization: those who may result in creating a prototype, developing advanced programs, equipment, medical products, construction materials and the related technology. 

Applied research call 2016 is open is various scientific fields:

1. a) Natural Sciences;
2. b) Engineering and Technology;
3. c) Medical Sciences;
4. d) Agricultural Sciences;
5. e) Humanities (Interdisciplinary projects only);
6. f) Social Sciences (Interdisciplinary projects only).

 

The foundation will only consider institutional grant proposals.

Eligibility:

• Leading and/or co-participating organizations – Legal Entities of Public Law, established in accordance to the Georgian legislation, non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities registered in Georgia, aiming at developing scientific research; the higher educational institutions;
• Key personnel – Master’s students, PhD students, applicants having Master’s degree or PhD or an equivalent degree;
• Support personnel – persons employed under the project, supporting key personnel in dealing with technical issues;

Proposed project should be led by a Principal Investigator (PI) – key personnel of the project, citizen of Georgia with PhD or an equivalent degree. PI coordinates the project implementation and all the related research. She/he is responsible for the project’s scientific outcomes, as well as the administration and reporting.   

Proposed project should involve a coordinator – individual from the key personnel, involved in the project administration processes, responsible for the project management and organizational issues.

 

Proposed project should involve a young researcher (s):

• Having PhD or an equivalent degree, with maximum 7 years of experience since completion of PhD.
• PhD Student, Master’s student or an applicant with MA degree under the age of 35.

 

The project may involve a Consultant – a foreign citizen, who is not key personnel, but can be a support personnel of the project, or her/his service fee must be included in ‘product and service costs’ of the project.

Please be advised that a person regarded as ’Key Personnel’ cannot simultaneously participate in more than 2 funded projects as part of Applied Research Call, Basic Research Call and a Collaborative Research Project Call (compatriots call).

Principal Investigator (PI) - cannot simultaneously lead more than one funded project as part of Applied Research Call, Basic Research Call and a Collaborative Research Project Call (compatriots call).

Proposed project go through a two-phase evaluation:

The first phase – outsourcing proposed projects’ evaluation to the international independent experts. Therefore, project proposals and relevant documentation must be submitted in two languages – Georgian and English. English version of the proposals are sent to the international experts for evaluation. Applicants (PI and the leading institution) are responsible for the quality of English translation.

Applicant must provide the following translated documents in English:

1. Application form/ Project’s cover page;
2. Project proposal;
3. Project summary;
4. Project budget;
5. Project implementation timeframe;
6. CVs of key personnel and a foreign partner/Consultant of the project (if applicable);
7. Summary of the previously funded, completed scientific project.

It is NOT mandatory to translate the following documents:

1. Registration certificate of the leading organization;
2. Regulations of the leading organization;
3. Registration certificate of co-participating organization;
4. Regulation of co-participating organization;
5. Documents proving academic degrees of the key personnel;
6. Letter of approval of co-funding by individual or legal entity, and related legal documents.

Projects selected at the first phase of the evaluation process pass through the second phase evaluation. The projects are presented to the special evaluation committee. The evaluation committee members are representatives of the following institutions/units: Research and Innovation Committee established by regulation N32 on ‘Establishment of Research and Innovation Committee and approval of its regulations’ dated February 3, 2015. The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA), National Intellectual Property Center (Sakpatenti), representatives of business and local field experts.

Overall evaluation scores are calculated based on the evaluation received from the independent international experts, and the scores by the project evaluation committee.  

The project evaluation criteria for the first and the second phases of evaluation:

Principal Investigator of the project must submit electronic versions of the following documents (preliminary forms):

1. Application form /Project cover page
2. Project proposal
3. CVs of key personnel of the project and a foreign partner/Consultant of the project (If applicable)
4. Project budget
5. Project implementation timeframe
6. Project summary/Abstract (maximum 250 words in English, maximum 350 words in Georgian)
7. Summary of the previously funded scientific project of the principal investigator completed over  3 years by (maximum 400 words in English, maximum 600 words in Georgian)
8. Documents showing academic degrees of the key personnel
9. The legal documents of leading organization (statute, registration certificate, bank details)
10. The legal documents of co-participating organization (statute, registration certificate, bank details)
11. Letter of approval of co-funding by individual or legal entity (registration certificate, bank details). If co-funding organization or individual is a citizen of a foreign country, he/she must present the notary certified Georgian translation of the documents.  

The Call administration schedule:

• Call Announcement: 31/03/2016
• Call Opening: April
• Info days: April, May (dates will be announced once the call opens)
• The deadline for submitting questions online: May
• Date of opening  electronic registration: May
• Deadline of submitting electronic proposals: May
• The deadline for submitting proposals (hard copy) at the foundation office: May
• Technical expertise: June
• The first phase of evaluation –  evaluation by independent international experts: June, July, August
• The second phase of evaluation – presentations of the projects passed through the second phase evaluation, evaluation made by the committee: September 
• Announcement of the call results: September.

Applied Research Call 2016 coordinators:

• Khatia Ananiashvili     ananiashvili@rustaveli.org.ge
• Davit Chichua            chichua@rustaveli.org.ge
• Lasha Kelikhashvili     kelikhashvili@rustaveli.org.ge
• Giorgi Khishtovani      khishtovani@rustaveli.org.ge

Please consider, that the foundation will publish project submission forms (project proposal, budget, project implementation schedule, CV template, project summary and previous grant summary) on SRNSF website in April, on the date of call opening.

Candidates must prepare the projects in accordance to the forms specified on the date of the call opening!

The foundation will publish the detailed instructions for project registration and answers to the frequently asked questions on SRNSF website once the call is open.