Casimir

To make jobs in research more attractive, government wishes to increase the mobility of research staff in the public and private sector. Mobility in the form of exchanges of workers between the two sectors is a good way of making research careers more attractive and interesting. It can enable academic researchers to participate in corporate R&D and industry researchers to participate in research at public-sector knowledge institutions.

Exchange projects of this kind give researchers the chance to experience a different professional environment. They broaden the understanding of young researchers and provide a fillip for those at a more advanced stage of their careers. The resulting circulation of knowledge also ensures fuller use of existing research potential and creates stronger networks and closer interaction between parties in the public and private sector.

Who can apply

Each application must be submitted by a trio consisting of a talented graduate or researcher at a knowledge institution or company in the Netherlands (the so-called Casimir candidate, also functioning as secretary), a representative of a company, and a representative of a knowledge institution. No more than one knowledge institution and one company can participate in an application.

See for more details the Casimir programme brochure 2007.

What can be applied for

The programme accepts proposals. These proposals are assessed according to the criteria described in the brochure and the best are approved.

The allocated budget per proposal is 100,000 euro max. and only serves to cover the staff costs of the researcher who is to be exchanged. Other costs are to be carried by the companies and institutions concerned. The total project costs must be twice as high as the staff costs.

When can be applied

Deadline was 4 September 2007.

Criteria

See for more details the Casimir programme brochure 2007.

Procedure

A broadly based selection committee will discuss all applications in a comparative way and prioritise on the basis of the selection criteria.There will be no peer review procedure. The applicants must likely to succeed are invited to an interview in October. On that occasion the Casimir candidate will present his proposal and answer questions. The selection committee finally formulates its final advice to the NWO Governing Board on the basis of the proposals and interviews. The NWO Board takes its final decision in November, after which the outcome is communicated to the applicants.

NWO can award grants that are part of state support only after these have been approved by the European Commission. The Ministry of Education is responsible for presenting the Casimir programme to the European Commission.

Budget

The Casimir programme budget for 2007 is approximately €2,8 million. Our intention is to grant approximately 30 excellent proposals.

Financiers

The Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Deltapunt (the executive body for the Delta Plan for Science and Technology).

Contacts

• Dhr. drs. ing. Nick den Hollander
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 06 38, e-mail: casimir@nwo.nl