Outstanding scientists from all over the world may apply for grants to carry out innovative research in the TEAM, TEAM-TECH and TEAM-TECH Core Facility competitions conducted by the Foundation for Polish Science, using funds from the Smart Growth Operational Programme. Funding can be obtained by scientific institutions as well as enterprises. The funds offered under current competition total PLN 42 million. The deadline for receipt of applications in the electronic system is 16 January 2017.
The TEAM programme offers grants for international-level breakthrough research conducted by outstanding scientists working in research teams. Scientists with a body of work that is recognized in the world and original scientific achievements may apply. Funding can be obtained for R&D projects that contribute to solving the most important scientific problems on a global scale or responding to important challenges facing contemporary society. The results of the projects should influence the country?s social-economic development and fit within the scope of National Smart Specialisations [NSS]. Participation of a foreign scientific partner in the research is also mandatory.
The TEAM-TECH programme provides financing for R&D projects relating to the development of technologies, creation of products or development of processes of major importance for the economy. The TEAM-TECH Core Facility programme offers funds for creating or expanding research services using the available scientific research equipment. In both cases, the subject of projects submitted for financing should be solutions based on previously gained original scientific knowledge and should fit into NSS. In order to win a grant in these programmes, the applicant must have outstanding research or implementation experience. If the application is to be submitted by a research unit, it is required to collaborate with a business partner.
The TEAM, TEAM-TECH and TEAM-TECH Core Facility programmes offer grants worth up to PLN 3.5 million. Funding is awarded for a period of 3 years (with the possibility of extension for another 2 years). These funds can be allocated, among other things, to salaries, stipends, training and internships under personnel development as well as covering the many other costs connected with R&D work, including tasks that are contracted out (sub-contracting). Applicants ? regardless of nationality ? must have at least a PhD degree. The teams they form may also employ undergraduate students, PhD students and young doctors.
Projects may be carried out not only in research units, but also in enterprises or scientific-industrial consortia (this variant is not possible only in the Core Facility module). This means that the funds can be used also by enterprises that already have R&D departments and enterprises that want to establish such departments. Enterprises can obtain as much as 80% financing of projects based on the rules for granting state aid.
The deadline for receipt of applications in the electronic system is 16 January 2017 at 4 PM local time. The next round of the competition will be announced in April 2017.
By the end of 2019, the Foundation plans to hold a total of 7 competitions apiece in the TEAM, TEAM-TECH and TEAM_TECH Core Facility programmes (including this year?s competitions). Over 100 teams involving over 1,400 young researchers ? undergraduates, graduate students and young PhD holders ? will receive funding.
More information about the TEAM, TEAM-TECH and TEAM-TECH Core Facility programmes, as well as competition documents together with annexes, is available on the web pages of the TEAM, TEAM-TECH, TEAM-TECH Core Facility programmes.
We also encourage you to contact the coordinators of the programmes ? information about the TEAM programme is provided by the Head of the Programme Coordination Section, Beata Frączak, PhD (beata.fraczak@fnp.org.pl, tel. 22 845 95 43); information about the TEAM-TECH and TEAM-TECH Core Facility programmes is provided by the Programme Officer, Dariusz Łukaszewski, Dr.Eng. (dariusz.lukaszewski@fnp.org.pl, tel. 22 311 84 25).
* In exceptional cases, using a preference for NSS, the Foundation may award funding to projects on subjects not mentioned in NSS if they have substantial application potential or could help solve an important socio-economic problem.
