Individual Basic Science & Engineering Research Program (Formerly General Researcher Program) : Second Half of Year 2015

NRF (National Research Foundation of Korea) announces the second round plan for the Individual Basic Sciecne & Engineering Research Program funded by MOE (Ministry of Education) this year as follows:

13. July, 2015

Vice Prime Minister & Minister of Education, Hwang W.Y

Chairman of NRF, Prof. Dr. Jung M.K

□ Objectives

○ This program aims to broadly support individual basic research at the grassroots level in order to expand the infrastructure for transformational research and enhance the national capacity for research.

○ It also creates a stable environment that enables researchers to concentrate on research, leading to promoting creative research.

□ Program Types

○ Individual Basic Science & Engineering Research Program(Second Half of Year) consists of 2 Sub-programs which are “Basic Research” and “Protection Research”.

□ Grant Details

Name of Programs	Type	Field	Target Grantees	Selection Method	Duration	Amount of Funding	New Projects in 2015	Launch of Research
Basic Research	Individual (Research support)	All S&E fields	Researchers prescribed in Article 2 (5) of the Science Promotion Act *	Open calls	3 yrs	About 50 million KRW /yr (Includes indirect costs)	1,758	Second half of year (Nov.1)
Protection Research							3

* S&E research specialists at domestic institutions with the capability to centrally manage research funds, and those not under a period of restriction from participation

※ Funding is Including indirect costs.

- These indirect costs will be automatically added to the total during final selections.

※ When submitting research proposals, expected research costs (direct costs only) can & should be earmarked and applied for up to maximum of 39 million KRW.

□ Basic considerations

○ To select new projects for Basic Research and Protection Research in the second half of the year(launched on Nov. 1)

○ To select projects by open calls in principle, and to secure professionalism, objectivity and fairness through evaluation by experts in relevant fields

※ Some SGER programs are excluded from the selection screening.

□ Application qualification

○ S&E researchers at domestic institutions with the capability to centrally manage research funds and those not under a period of restriction from participation.

○ Each researcher is allowed to apply for one project* out of continuing projects within the Individual Basic Research Program and the MSIP’s Rising Researcher Program (except women scientists) in the second half of the year, respectively. Each researcher is allowed to implement one project* including the MSIP’s Individual Basic Research Program (young, mid-career, and leading researchers)

* However, an exception is made for research projects with a remaining research period of less than ten months(based on the commencement date).

※ The Individual Basic Research Program is exempted from the policy of limiting a researcher to only participate in three projects as a PI and up to five projects as a research participant in order to induce greater focus on research activities.

□ Additional Qualifications

○ Foreign Researchers working at Korean research institutes (mostly at Korean Universities) in Korea who have completed their academic training (must hold a doctorate as a rule) are also eligible to apply for  the Individual Basic Science & Engineering Research Program.

○ Each project should be carried out and controlled by a single principal investigator. Other peer professors or researchers in full-time should not be included in the research team of a project.

* Post-Docs can take part as participating researchers or research assistants.

□ Project and Budget Plan

(Unit : in million KRW)
Division	Basic Research	Protection Research
Number of Projects	1,758	3
Budget	87,942	171

* About 175 Basic Research Program have been allocated for additional support after the first 3 years–support is based on excellent-evaluations.

* Researchers who have completed outstanding research accomplishments during the first 3 year duration may submit a renewal of proposal for an additional 3 years of support.

□ First-time funded projects

○ Evaluation process and method

① Preliminary Review	⇒ ⇒	② Specialty Evaluation	⇒ ⇒	③ PM Consultative Group	⇒ ⇒	④ Overall Evaluation
Review on application qualifications of researchers, etc.		<Basic Research> ②-1) Online (blind) evaluation ②-2) Panel evaluation <Protection Research> ②-3) Discussion evaluation		Establishment of a draft selection plan for new projects		Final deliberation on a draft selection plan for new projects
NRF		NRF		NRF		MOE and NRF

- Specialty evaluation(Basic Research): To conduct an online (blind) evaluation* for each applicant project on an absolute basis, and for the chairperson of the evaluation panel to draw up a panel evaluation report** based on the results

※ Protection Research Program excludes blind evaluation

* Grades A to D given to each project by a panel of more than three online evaluators.

**  Panel evaluation reports should stipulate the priority of research fields in terms of funding, research funds by project, and appropriateness of research period.

- PM consultation: To identify a draft preliminary plan for the selection of new projects through consultation among PMs of each field based on the panel evaluation report

- Overall evaluation: To review objections to preliminary results of the selection process, perform the overall evaluation and announce final selection results

○ Evaluation criteria

- Creativity and pioneering nature of research objectives, research content and methods, utilization and expected effects, etc.

□ Proposal Submission

○ The on-line submission processing procedure consists of three steps as depicted below;

<First-step : check applicant’s personal information>

○ Update previously registered applicant’s personal information at http://www.kri.go.kr if necessary before applying.

* If you do not have a Researcher ID No., first register your personal information & receive a new Researcher ID No. at the above site.

<Second-step : choose sub-program & research field>

○ First, log-in at http://ernd.nrf.re.kr to initiate application procedures and then select one of 2 sub-programs and research areas to be evaluated.

○ Mark the correct answers in the checklists (Qualifications)

○ Specify a detailed breakdown of entire anticipated research costs by items such as personnel expenses, equipment & material costs, activity costs, operating expenses and allowances, etc. (exclusive of indirect costs)

○ Check the list of Top-5 outstanding research achievements for the last 5 years. (i.e. research papers or patents)

○ Check the list of most recent on-going and concluded National R&D projects as of 1 November 2015.

<Final-step : upload file>

○ Upload ① file containing the research proposal (detailed research plan), ②  file containing summaries of each Top 5 outstanding research achievements for the last 5 years, ③ file the copy of each Top 5 outstanding research achievements for the last 5 years, ④ file containing reference of research proposal(only who submit the proposal for Basic Research program)

※ Researcher, who plans to submit the proposal for Basic Research program, should not write personal information on the proposal & summaries of each Top 5 outstanding research achievements for the last 5 years

□ Submission deadline

○ Proposal should be submitted to NRF between 09:00, 5 August and 18:00 (Korean local time), 12 August 2015 through NRF’s on-line electronic R&D management system. (http://ernd.nrf.re.kr)

□ Special note

○ These on-line submission procedures may take more time than originally anticipated. Therefore, any researchers who wish to apply for R&D grants are cordially asked to complete the first-step no later than 18:00, 10 August 2015 (two days prior to deadline) and to complete the second and final step no later than 18:00, 11 August 2015, one day prior to the deadline date (18:00, 12 August 2015).

○ During the final day, connecting to or working on the site may be delayed and even impossible due to network overloads.

□ Schedule

○ Appraisal : between August & October 2015

○ Preliminary selection : around Mid-October 2015

○ Final selection : around End-Ocotober 2015

○ Commencement : from 1 November 2015

□ Further inquires

○ General inquires : Tel (042-869-6062 ~ 6064)/e-mail (kjh84@nrf.re.kr)

○ Computing & on-line submission system inquires : Tel (1544-6118)

○ Specific inquires (for research areas)

- Natural sciences : Tel (042-869-6522)

- Life sciences : Tel (042-869-6532)

- Medical sciences : Tel (042-869-6055)

- Engineering sciences : Tel (042-869-6546)

- ICT and Convergence research : Tel (042-869-6574)

□ For foreign researchers

○ All forms, formats, and relevant instructions(only in Korean) for submitting research proposals can be downloaded from the bulletin board of NRF’s homepage (http://www.nrf.re.kr)

○ Foreign researchers may partially write research plans in English, but should fill in all the other format areas in Korean. Also, proposals should be submitted through NRF’s on-line electronic R&D management system(http://ernd.nrf.re.kr) which is also available only in Korean.

○ NRF cordially recommends that foreign researchers receive help from Korean professors or students in order to better understand all Korean-language specific procedures and information.