Open Research Area in Europe for the Social Sciences

In order to strengthen European co-operation in the field of the social sciences, ANR, DFG, ESRC and NWO have launched a common call for proposals to fund the best joint research projects in the social sciences.

The scheme will provide for the funding of integrated projects by researchers coming from more than one of the four participating countries in any combination of two or more countries, except French-German bilateral proposals. The partner funding agencies will conduct a co-ordinated peer review and a single common selection process. Funding will be distributed among the national agencies according to the place of work of the researchers, and according to the funding rules of each agency.

Who can apply

Applicants for the Dutch project must be professors or researchers who have obtained their doctorate and who are attached to a Dutch university or research institute recognised by NWO or the KNAW.

Researchers from abroad may apply

What can be applied for

Proposals may be for projects with a minimum duration of two years and a maximum of three years. Applicants for the Dutch project can apply for a three-year full-time postdoc or PhD position. The total budget requested for the Dutch project may not be higher than € 250,000. Material costs up to the sum of € 50,000 can be applied for. These costs should be justified on the application form. An integrated proposal can only include one Dutch project (research group based in The Netherlands).

When can be applied

• Closing date for submitting proposals is 30 September 2011, 12:00 hrs

Criteria

Within the framework of this call, the disciplinary coverage may vary according to the involvement of the national agencies.

The proposed research must fall within the remit of the domain of the social sciences. This domain is defined in the NWO social sciences list of expertise codes (see Documentation).

Applicants who are uncertain of whether their proposal would be eligible should contact the relevant national agencies for clarification.

Procedure

Applications should be submitted to DFG. Please see www.dfg.de/ora. Once decisions have been agreed in 2012, all successful Dutch applicants will need to submit their application to NWO through Iris.

For project proposals under consideration, the procedure to be followed is itemised below. For more information, please see the call for proposals.

• Proposals will be assessed by external expert reviewers
• Assessment and funding recommendations by joint international panel
• Funding decisions by the national agencies ANR, DFG, ESRC and NWO

Financiers

L'Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), NWO Division for the Social Sciences

Contacts

• Ms dr C. Hillebrink
  phone: +31 (0)70 349 43 11, e-mail: c.hillebrink@nwo.nl
• Mw. J. de Graaff
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 47, fax: +31 (0)70 383 28 41, e-mail: j.degraaff@nwo.nl