The previous publication applied until 21 December 2011.

Pursuant to Article 28 of the Decision establishing the Public Research Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, nos. 123/03 and 105/10), the Scientific Council of the Slovenian Research Agency adopted the

Methodology for assessing applications to invitations
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GENERAL

B. RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Entry conditions
2. Stage one assessment procedure
3. Stage one reviewers’ assessment
4. Reviewers’ assessment and stage two application selection procedure

C. MENTORS OF YOUNG RESEARCHERS

1. Fields and entry conditions

D. RESEARCH EQUIPMENT

1. Assessment elements

E. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

1. Assessment elements
2. Assessment procedure
3. Classification of applications by category and the norms for calculating the grant

F. ESTABLISHED FOREIGN RESEARCHERS

1. Assessment elements
2. Assessment procedure
3. Duration
4. Eligible cost

G. FOREIGN SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE AND DATABASES

1. Assessment element
2. Classification of applications by group and proposal for a financially assessed application list

H. INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CO-OPERATION

1. Assessment element
2. Framework programmes projects
3. Accepting co-financing under the complementary scheme
4. Accepting co-financing under the leading agency

I. RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

1. General
2. Assessment
3. Assessment elements

J. INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMMES

1. General
2. Forms
3. Processing procedure

K. CENTRAL SPECIALISED INFORMATION CENTRES

1. Assessment elements

L. VALIDITY OF THE METHODOLOGY
 

A. GENERAL

The Methodology for assessing applications for (co)financing research (hereinafter: the Methodology) is based on the provisions of the Research and Development Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, nos. 22/06 – official consolidated text, 61/06-Zdru-1 and -112/07) and on the provisions of the Rules of procedure for (co)financing, assessing and monitoring implementation of research activities (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 4/11) (hereinafter: Rules of Procedure).
The Methodology’s aim is to specify in detail the assessment criteria and indicators, and lay down in greater detail the criteria and procedure for assessing

1. applications concerning research projects, selection of mentors of young researchers, research equipment, scientific meetings, (co)financing established foreign researchers, (co)financing purchase of foreign scientific literature and databases, and (co)financing international scientific co-operation (hereinafter: the Research);
2. reports on research and infrastructure programmes.

The Agency will publish in the SICRIS system data on the researcher stated by the applicant in the application and relating to his or her exceptional scientific achievements, socioeconomic and culturally relevant results and important substantive elements.

The quantitative assessment of a researcher (A score) comprises of four assessment elements of which three measure the researcher’s research excellence, namely published research papers with the emphasis on their quality and the norm number of pure citations (A₁, A₂ and A₄ scores), while the fourth element (A₃ score) measures the researcher’s performance in obtaining project funding other than that from the Agency.

Limit values are:

A₁^limit = 1500

A₂^limit = 600

A₃^limit = 15 FTE of the price category of the C programme from the preceding year

A₄ = 1/2(A"/A1 + A'/A1) + 1/20(NC/NČ),

where N_Č is the number of scientific papers published in the last ten years and NC the number of norm citations of those papers in the last ten years. The limit value of the NC/NČ quotient equals 20. The first part of the formula equals zero for those researchers with A' and A" below 50. The A1 score is used for A1 in the first part of the formula.

A₃ is calculated by adding up all realised funding acquired outside the Agency except the funding from companies. The maximum score is 5. The sum is then topped by the funding obtained from companies and the total score may equal up to 10 points.

The data for calculation of the A₃ score will be obtained directly from research organisations for those researchers who were members of programme groups in December of the preceding year. The research organisations will enter data in the ARRS-RPROG-VPETOST-20xx form and guarantee data accuracy by signature of competent persons. The Agency will obtain data upon the invitation for the researchers not being members of a programme group. The designation “20xx” in names of forms specified in the methodology represent the year of the form's publication.

If a research organisation playing the role of the distributor of project funds is outside the Agency (grantholder), A3 may include only the funds consumed by it (the share distributed to other project partner will be excluded). The funds from companies taken into account must be generated as cumulative net inflows from a company to the research organisation (RO), meaning that the RO can claim as funds from companies only the difference between revenues and expenses earned in operations with a company in relation to the projects for businesses and other less complex co-operation with companies taken into account for A₃.

The structure for A3 is the following:

Factor 1.5: project for businesses – GOSP.

The funds from companies can only include the funds arising from quality scientific research links of a group/individual with a domestic or foreign company.

The funds must arise from provable scientific research or quality development work aimed at developing and introducing new technologies or other new concepts in a domestic or foreign company. In principle, the projects/funds must be directly linkable to patents or patent applications, quality scientific publications or innovative products/processes/services:

• funds obtained for R&D projects directly from companies;
• licence fees and other funds obtained from selling a technology or patent;
• funds obtained from selling samples, technological demonstrations or specialised unique products/systems directly obtained from scientific research or development work.

The GOSP funds are not taken into account for researchers employed by companies (for all years).

A research organisation shall substantiate by appropriate documents upon a call from the Agency the eligibility for classification of the funds obtained from companies in the GOSP category.

Factor 1: European projects – EU and other international projects – MED;

Factor 0.5: projects for ministries or other bodies of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia – MIN and

other – DRUGO (DRUGO/GOSP and DRUGO/OTHER). The DRUGO/GOSP category includes less complex co-operation with companies and services for which it cannot be unambiguously presented that they arose from significant scientific research and/or innovative activities of a group/individual:

• less complex services related to research and other equipment which may include for example: measurements, calibrations, standard analyses of substances, standard analyses of sample characteristics, standard sample processing etc.
• all studies and analyses not linked by documents to R&D work, court expert opinions, arbitration opinions, training courses etc.
• devising devices or software packages not representing original solutions and not including a scientific research contribution or not contributing to development of a new technology.
• designing unless it contains new approaches and solutions provable by patents or scientific publications.

The DRUGO/GOSP funds are not taken into account for researchers employed by companies.

The structure within GOSP and DRUGO shall be recorded for 2011 and the subsequent years.

The score related to the conditions for a manager of basic and applicative projects in the rules on operation of standing and working bodies for the Research and for all other invitations for which it has not been set out in subsequent sections herein shall equal as follows for all disciplines:

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 1.
 

B. RESEARCH PROJECTS

I. Entry conditions and preliminary selection

The entry conditions are laid down pursuant to the Rules of Procedure. The Methodology applies quantitative scores as entry conditions.

Only those researchers being managers of not more than one research project in one year after conclusion of the invitation (target research programmes (TRP), projects under Article 135 and newly approved projects excluded) can enter the invitation as project managers.

Those researchers who in the invitation to the project call in the last year did not succeed to enter the second stage and even did not score 17 points or more in the first stage are not eligible to enter the invitation.

The A₁, A₂, A₃ and A₄ quantitative scores are determined on the basis of elements set out in the Rules of Procedure.

The applicant can state in exceptional research achievements in Item 15 of the application for the project manager any bibliographical units with a larger number of citations with no full bibliographical record in the WoS, entered in the form: ARRS-ZV-JR-Prijava-20xx-I (hereinafter: the Stage One Application).

If the researchers’ A_i score exceeds the limit value, the applicant can state this fact in exceptional research achievements in Item 15 of the Stage One Application.

The Agency will assess candidates for project managers in the discipline and the field that the applicant stated in Item 7 of the Stage One Application.

The SCA determines the limit value of the sum A1+A2+A3+A4 which the project managers must have for the application for each discipline separately - the values for 2013 are:

Larger basic project:

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 11 – natural and technical sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 10; medical sciences and biotechnology

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 6; social sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 5; humanities

Basic project and larger applicative project:

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 5.5; natural sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 5.0; technical sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 2.5; medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and geology

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 3.5; biotechnology and biology

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 2.0; social sciences and clinical medicine

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 2.5; humanities

Applicative project (including basic project if no more than 10 years have passed since the project manager received the doctoral degree):

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 3.5; natural sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 3,5; technical sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 1.5; medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and geology

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 2.5; biotechnology and biology

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 1.5; social sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 2.0; humanities

Applicative project if no more than 10 years have passed since the project manager received the doctoral degree:

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 3.0; natural sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 3.0; technical sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 1.0; medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and geology

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 2.0; biotechnology and biology

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 1.0; social sciences

A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄ = 1.5; humanities

A third of project team members for basic and applicative projects for all fields must meet the condition: A' exceeds 0.

(Basic and applicative) project managers can also apply with a lower overall score A1+A2+A3+A4 if they prove their excellence with achievements within A" (A">0).

All project managers apart from postdoctoral projects shall meet the condition of A'>0. An additional condition for managers of larger basic projects is A">0.

Applicative project managers shall meet the condition of A3>0.1.

The condition specified in the previous paragraph hereunder shall apply neither to postdoctoral projects nor to applicative project managers obtaining a doctoral degree less than 10 years ago.

Funding of applicative research shall be set in the budget by discipline. The share of funding earmarked for interdisciplinary research by discipline shall be set by an invitation. An application for interdisciplinary research shall be made to the underlying discipline and field and state the additional discipline and field included in the entered interdisciplinary research project.

The Agency shall publish annually in advance the data on capacity by field: a list of projects in progress and projects due for completion in the following year broken-down by field.

The preliminary selection is made based on the highest score of the sum: A1+A2+A3+A4 by research field

II. Stage one assessment procedure

The reviewers assess entries based on the application on the ARRS-JR-Prijava-20xx-I form. Each application is assessed by at least two foreign reviewers.

The reviewers assess individual assessment elements by filling in the assessment sheets:

• Form: ARRS-RPROJ-OL-TUJ-…/20xx).

Numerical scores by element (criteria and indicators) are entered on the assessment sheet.

The working body divides applications for assessment into groups of not more than 10 applications. If the proposals for a research field number more than 10, the working body will divide them into subfields or integrated substantive sets assessed by the same reviewers.

Members of the scientific council of the discipline (SCD) examine project applications and if they find an entry classified into an inappropriate field, they will propose to the working body to reclassify it to an appropriate field with the grounds taking into account primarily the OECD (SCI and SSCI) fields of publications of the project manager and the contents of the application. If a member of the SCD is at the same time an applicant, another researcher put forward by the chair of the SCD shall propose any reclassification.

When appointing reviewers for interdisciplinary research, the working body shall take into account that the reviewers cover the main fields of the interdisciplinary research related to the project’s contents specified in Item 7.2 of the Stage One Application.

III. Stage one reviewers’ assessment

The reviewers’ assessments of the project manager comprise five individual scores based on the criteria and indicators specified in Table B below. Unless the table specifies otherwise, then:

• the project manager is assessed in stage one
• the entire project team is assessed in stage two
• only the researcher is assessed in postdoctoral projects

The reviewers’ assessments of the project manager (B assessment) comprise five individual scores (B1+B2+B3+B4+B5) based on the criteria specified in Table B below.

The B assessment is obtained by the sum of individual scores with the maximum score of 25:

B = B1+B2+B3+B4+B5

The B assessment uses the average score of reviewers.

In humanities, the reviewer also takes into account the relevant achievements of the project manager in the segment of culture in the B4 assessment.

No project with the score B = B₁ + B₂ + B₃ + B₄ + B₅ of less than 15 shall enter stage two of the invitation.

The reviewers are informed on the threshold when they receive the application.

The reviewers can use the indicators of quantitative research activity of a project team manager as assistance in their assessment (scores: A₁, ratios A"/A₁ and A'/A₁, A₂ , A₃ and A₄).

If the assessment has several descriptions, as many indicators as possible shall be met. As many indicators as possible shall be met for Criterion 1 (research excellence of the researcher or the research team) whereas only the description printed in bold shall apply to humanities. If the met condition is related to A' or A", the score shall not be below the minimum.

Table B: Evaluating applications of research projects in evaluation phases one and two

IV. Assessment  by reviewers’ and stage II of the application selection

The Agency calls upon the applicants included in stage two of the project selection (A category) to submit the supplemented application entering the research project by using the form ARRS-ZV-JR-Prijava-20xx-II (hereinafter: the Stage Two Application).

The applications are assessed by three foreign reviewers. In interdisciplinary research, two reviewers come from the underlying discipline and field and one reviewer from the additional discipline and field included in the entered interdisciplinary research project. Each reviewer assesses several projects and substantiates the assessments. The average score given by the three reviewers is taken into account in the assessment procedure.

The reviewer’s B assessment consists of the same elements as in the first stage, except that the project’s contents are supplemented and extended, namely:

B = B1+B2+B3+B4+B5

The project assessment B comprises the average score given by the three reviewers.

The panel may exclude one assessment and apply the average score given by the remaining two reviewers.

The minimum average score (threshold) to be achieved by a research project is B1+ B2 + B3 + B4 +B5 = 15. The reviewers are informed on the threshold when they receive the application.

At least 10% of postdoctoral projects shall be selected within each discipline. At least 40% of technical sciences projects, at least 30% of biotechnology projects, at least 20% of medical sciences and social sciences projects, at least 15% of natural sciences projects and at least 10% of humanities projects shall be applicative ones. At least 40% of the selected projects shall have younger researchers in charge (up to 10 active years after obtaining a doctoral degree).

Each project shall have the small project (€ 50,000) field filled in. Such projects are usually assigned to applications near the bottom of the approved applications list.

Panel members include the selected foreign reviewers not evaluating applications in the relevant invitation.
 

C. MENTORS OF YOUNG RESEARCHERS

I.  Fields and entry conditions

Members of the SCD examine mentor applications and if they find an entry classified into an inappropriate field, they will propose to the working body to reclassify it to an appropriate field with the grounds taking into account primarily the OECD (SCI and SSCI) fields of publications of the mentor candidate and the contents of the application. If a member of the SCD is at the same time a mentor candidate, another researcher put forward by the chair of the SCD shall propose any reclassification.

The system management subfield is treated as a research field on account of its peculiarities. The expert body shall pay special attention to that field.

A candidate for mentor shall meet the conditions in accordance with the rules on criteria for project managers and Section B herein except for the condition that an applicative project manager shall have the A₃ score higher than 0.1. Candidates for mentors shall fulfil the condition for project managers:

• if reaching the limit value of the sum of quantitative scores for an applicative project manager; in the case of a younger mentor the condition shall be met if reaching the limit value for an applicative project manager applying to project managers who received their doctoral degree less than 10 years ago; and
• A' exceeds 0.

A candidate for mentor shall in accordance with the fifth indent of Article 95 of the Rules of Procedure achieve the minimum score based on quantitative scores:

• A₁+A₂+A₄ = 5,0; natural sciences and technical sciences
• A₁+A2+A₄ = 3,0; medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, geology, biotechnology, biology, social sciences and humanities The following limit values apply to younger mentors:
• A₁+A₂+A₄ = 4,5; natural sciences and technical sciences
• A₁+A₂+A₄ = 2,5; medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, geology, biotechnology, biology, social sciences and humanities

A" exceeding 0 is a sufficient condition for all categories.

The Agency applies scores of the entered candidates (A₁+A₂+A₃+A₄) in the procedure for classifying mentors.
 

D. RESEARCH EQUIPMENT

I. Assessment elements

The expert body shall score applications for research equipment based on the assessment elements set out below.

Table D: Assessment of applications for co-financing acquisition of research equipment

 
E. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

I. Assessment elements

The scores are determined based on the criteria specified in Table D. The Agency will enter the scores for indicators 1.1, 1.2, 4.7, 4.9 and 4.10 on special forms.

TABLE E: Evaluating applications for scientific meetings

II. Assessment procedure

Before the assessment, the working body may classify the application to a discipline other than stated in the application if it deems such classification more appropriate.

The reviewer assesses the application on the basis of the application form: ARRS-ZS-01-20xx. The reviewers assess individual assessment elements by filling in the assessment sheet; form: ARRS-ZS-02-20xx, containing numerical scores by element.

III. Classification of applications by category and the norms for calculating the grant

After the scoring, the expert body determines four categories: I, II, III and IV. The meetings classified into the first three categories are co-financed. The meetings classified into the fourth category are not co-financed. A meeting is classified into a category based on the sum of scores, separately by discipline.

NORMS FOR CALCULATING THE GRANT (D_ZS11*)

The calculation of funds for co-financing the cost of organisation of scientific meetings shall take into account the number of participants (D₁), the number of speakers (D₂), the number of days (D₃), the number of foreign invited lecturers (D₄), and the administration depending on the number of speakers (D₅) as well as the following financially evaluated elements:

DZS = (D1 * D6) + (D2 * D7) + (D1 * D3 * D8) + (D4 * D3 * D9) + D5

category I receives 100% of the calculated grant

category II receives 75% of the calculated grant

The percentage for Category III is set by a calculation

Category IV receives no co-financing

The percentages depend on the amount of funding earmarked for the programme. The percentage is set annually with regard to the earmarked funds.

An abstract of presentations shall be printed before the meeting.

The co-financing programme can only include meetings for which the applicants submit sufficient data (e.g. names and topics or envisaged programmes of invited lecturers) and state exact objectives of the scientific meeting.

The cost of preparations taking place one year before the meeting shall be covered for large scientific meetings (over 350 participants).

The Agency shall co-finance the entire cost for a maximum of 3 days. The Agency shall co-finance all accommodation costs to a maximum of 10 invited foreign lecturers or 5% of active participants (invited foreign lecturers and speakers) at a meeting.

The Agency co-finances meetings for which at least 10 or 20 speakers are scheduled for daily, and two or more day meetings, respectively.

The Agency shall co-finance the additional amount per speaker for a maximum of 100 speakers.

If the calculated grant exceeds the amount applied for, the amount applied for shall be used.
 

F. PROMINENT FOREIGN RESEARCHERS

I. Assessment elements

The assessment of an application for co-financing international scientific co-operation (hereinafter: the Application) consists of individual scores by reviewers.

The assessment elements for the reviewers’ assessment are specified in Table F.

Table F: Evaluating prominent foreign researchers

* The adding together of points by set is made or verified by the person at the Agency responsible for the invitation. If the sum of points of an indicator (1.6, 1.4 or 1.5) exceeds the maximum possible score, the maximum possible score of an indicator shall apply. If the number of points in a row exceeds the maximum possible score in that row, the maximum possible score shall apply.

II. Assessment procedure

Each application is assessed by one or two reviewers. The reviewer assesses the application on the basis of the application form: ARRS-TURAZ-01-20xx. The reviewers assess individual assessment elements by filling in the assessment sheet containing numerical scores by individual element (indicator).

After the scoring and the received reviewers’ assessment, the expert body examines the assessment and may call upon the reviewers to provide additional substantiations for the evaluation.

III. Duration

As a rule, the Agency co-finances participation of foreign researchers for a period of three months.

IV. Eligible cost

The Agency provides funding for payment of research work of foreign researchers in the Republic of Slovenia cost of travel from the country of residence of the foreign researcher to the Republic of Slovenia and back cost of accommodation in the Republic of Slovenia

The Agency funds payment of work of foreign researchers by applying the A price category of research hours.
 

G. FOREIGN SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE AND DATABASES

I. Assessment elements

Availability is measured by the number of users, terms and conditions of access and use by all users in the Republic of Slovenia. The frequency of use is measured by the number of loans and uses of periodicals, and by the number of uses of databases (sessions/searches) in the previous year. Continuity of subscriptions is measured by the period of subscriptions and disposal with a fund or by access to data in databases, and assumes improved user services. Staff qualifications (librarians and IT experts) for co-operating with the users is proven by more complex levels of preparing material for the users and by the corresponding staff composition of the applicant. Quality and significance are measured for scientific journals with an impact factor for the field (for SCIE and SSCI, ERIH, and ACHI). If the journal is included in several fields, the classification with the highest score will apply (data from the latest JCR). The calculation is made on the basis of the average for all journals proposed for co-financing by the applicant. The price and the coordination of purchase are taken into account in the assessment of alignment of the proposed scope of activities with the planned budget and providing for rational use of funds.

The assessment elements are specified in Table G.

Table G: Assessment for individual assessment elements

II. Classification of applications by group and proposal for a financially evaluated application list

The applications are assessed by the expert body for foreign scientific literature and databases by science field based on the application for co-financing purchase of international periodicals, databases and the cost of a consortium for electronic access to full text of the contents (form: ARRS-RI-TL-01-20xx) on the assessment sheet (ARRS-RI-TL-03-20xx).

The chair of the expert body shall assess the applications entailing a conflict of interest. The journals within a consortium ordered and paid by an individual library are a part of regular financing and are evaluated on the basis of the scores specified above with 2 points added for each 10% of purchases. The journals available in electronic form within consortiums and not being a condition for a consortium are not evaluated.
 

H. INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CO-OPERATION

I. Elements of assessing and forming the proposal of priority lists of assessed applications

International scientific co-operation is assessed on the basis of the application form for co-financing international scientific co-operation. The expert committee with three members appointed by the director of the Agency for each invitation shall determine the compliance of project proposals with priorities (priority fields) of the invitation by marking each project proposal with “YES” (hereinafter: the Compliant Applications) or ”NO”(hereinafter: the Non-compliant Applications).

The assessment of an application for co-financing international scientific co-operation (hereinafter: the application) is the score A1 – SICRIS (COBISS) points (accounted points) for published research papers in 5 years (0-5 points), for the project manager, determined on the basis of elements specified in Section B herein. The latest published values from the SICRIS website shall be used.

The expert committee classifies applications to the priority list of applications based on the collected points in descending order, separately for the Compliant and the Non-compliant Applications.

II. Framework programmes projects

The Agency shall pay a once-off financial contribution of € 2,500 for the application cost for a project entered in invitations within the EU framework programmes, which the European Commission found to be formally complete and submitted it for review, to the Slovenian organisation applying the project as the coordinator in an international consortium (i.e. at least three different research organisations from at least three different EU Member States or associated countries) and € 1,000 to the Slovenian organisation participating in the project as a partner institution in an international consortium or applying the project independently if the invitation is made to individual applicants as well. The applicants achieving a half or less of the maximum score in a review procedure shall not be entitled to the contribution.

III. Accepting co-financing under the complementary scheme

The Agency shall co-finance, by taking into account the budget constraints,applicants from Slovenia carrying out the project in Slovenia but not exceeding the scope set out in the table below.

The applicant shall enclose, in addition to evidence on achieved success on the international invitation, an application for an adapted project which takes into account, in terms of objectives and the scope of work, the composition of the adapted project team, the duration of the adapted project and the amount of available funding. If the international project was entered by an international consortium, the application for an adapted project shall include statements of the consortium members on the possibilities and scope of participation in the adapted project.

The expert body for assessing adapted projects appointed by the SCA shall assess whether the adapted project provides for realisation of the main objectives of the international project and propose to the Scientific Council of the Agency the amount and duration of co-financing.

The director of the Agency shall issue, upon a proposal from the SCA, an individual decision determining the amount and duration of co-financing. Co-financing shall be made within one year following adoption of the individual decision. The Agency will conclude a contract with the applicant specifying in detail the mode of project financing and implementation and determining the category of the research hour price. The contract shall be based on the template published in each annual invitation for proposals for (co)financing research projects.

IV. Accepting co-financing under the leading agency

If an application for a scientific research project with participation of a Slovenian researcher is proposed for co-financing on an invitation made by the Austrian Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF), the Agency may accept co-financing the Slovenian part in the amount proposed by the SCA and adopted by the director in accordance with the funding earmarked in the Agency's budget.

The maximum amount of co-financing is € 100,000 for a period of not more than three years (a maximum of € 300,000) or 1700 annual research hours (1 FTE) of the B price category, for a period of not more than two years for a postdoctoral project. The annual and the total amount of co-financing of the Austrian part of the project by the FWF shall exceed the amount for the Slovenian part.
 

I. RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

I. General

The persons carrying out research programmes shall submit the following upon a call from the Agency: the application form – form ARRS-RPROG-JP-PRIJAVA/20xx and the report on the results of the research programme for the preceding period – form ARRS-RPROG-VP/20xx. If a new research programme is entered, only the application form – form ARRS-RPROG-JP-PRIJAVA/20xx shall be submitted.

II Assessment

The expert body for each field shall select two reviewers from the list of foreign reviewers prepared by the Agency. The reviewers shall be researchers in the field of work of the assessed research programmes.

The reviewers give their assessments on assessment sheets. The reviewers may provide brief grounds in writing for their assessment or comments to individual assessment elements in their assessment.

The Agency shall prepare application material, quantitative data on the work of the programming group and the assessment sheet form for members of working bodies for each programme due for completion in the following year and quantitative data on the work performed by the programming group so far for the programmes in the same field not due for completion in the following year.

In the case of a new programme, the results of members entering the research programme will be used for the criteria of research excellence of the researcher or the research team and the socioeconomic or cultural relevance of research results of the researcher or the research team.

III Assessment elements

The programme manager shall meet the conditions for a basic project manager (the fulfilment of the conditions shall be checked at the beginning of the financing of the programme):

A1+A2+A4 = 3.5; natural sciences

A1+A2+A4 = 2.5; technical sciences

A1+A2+A4 = 1.5; medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and geology

A1+A2+A4 = 2.5; biotechnology and biology

A1+A2+A4 = 1.5; social sciences

A1+A2+A4 = 2.0; humanities

and

A1+A2+A3+A4 = 5.5; natural sciences

A1+A2+A3+A4 = 5.0; technical sciences and A3 (GOSP) = 0.2

A1+A2+A3+A4 = 2.5; medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and geology

A1+A2+A3+A4 = 3.5; biotechnology and biology

A1+A2+A3+A4 = 2.0; social sciences and clinical medicine

A1+A2+A3+A4 = 2.5; humanities

A1+A2+A3+A4 = 4.5; interdisciplinary

A research programme manager shall meet the following condition for all disciplines: A' exceeds 0.

Rule for the year 2012: A third of programme team members together with research programme manager (technicians and young researchers not included) shall meet the following condition for all disciplines: A' exceeds 0. The fulfilment of the condition is checked for all programme teams at the reviewing of research programme year reports for the year 2011. In the case the conditions are not met also the next year then according to the Article 71. of the Rules on the Procedures of the (co)financing and Monitoring of Research Activities Implementation financing of the programme can be reduced or terminated.

Rule for the year 2013: A half of programme team members together with research programme manager (technicians and young researchers not included) shall meet the following condition for all disciplines: A' exceeds 25 (or A" exceeds 0). The fulfilment of the condition is checked for all programme teams at the reviewing of research programme year reports for the year 2011. In the case the conditions are not met also the next year then according to the Article 71. of the Rules on the Procedures of the (co)financing and Monitoring of Research Activities Implementation financing of the programme can be reduced or terminated.

Rule for the year 2014: A two thirds of programme team members together with research programme manager (technicians and young researchers not included) shall meet the following condition for all disciplines: A' exceeds 25 (or A" exceeds 0). The fulfilment of the condition is checked for all programme teams at the reviewing of research programme year reports for the year 2011. In the case the conditions are not met also the next year then according to the Article 71. of the Rules on the Procedures of the (co)financing and Monitoring of Research Activities Implementation financing of the programme can be reduced or terminated.

The assessment elements are specified in Table I.

Table I: Assessment of research programmes

The result of the work of the expert body is a draft priority list of applications including the proposed financing amount and the duration of the research programme (3-6 years or discontinuing). As a rule, the amount of financing for positively assessed programmes remains the same.

The Agency shall prepare a new call for those research organisations with more than one research programme of which one was discontinued and a new one not accepted for financing.

The research organisations referred to in the previous paragraph hereunder may enter a new programme to the call or propose an increase to an existing programme. Researchers from discontinued programmes meeting the conditions for a head of a research programme may be allocated by research hours to the entered programmes, subject to the approval of the researcher and the head of the research programme.

If a research programme received a negative assessment and the programme was the only one of the research organisation, such an organisation would lose funding.
 

J. INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMMES

I. General

The Agency monitors and oversees implementation of infrastructure programmes on the basis of annual reports and reports prepared one year before expiry of the contract, which contain quality indicators of the infrastructure programme, as well as on the basis of financial reports on purpose use of funds in accordance with the contracts.

II Forms

The PRI or the CRI shall submit reports on forms prescribed by the Director of the Agency. The Agency shall publish annual report forms on its website. The forms comprise:

• a substantive annual report on the results of the infrastructure programme in the preceding year;
• the annual work programme of the infrastructure programme (hereinafter: the IP) for the current year; and
• the annual financial report on implementation of the infrastructure activity in the preceding and the budget for the current year.

III Processing procedure

1. The annual reports and work plans of infrastructure activity are discussed by the Scientific Research Council for Interdisciplinary Research (hereinafter: the SCD). The SCD shall give a substantive assessment of implementation of infrastructure activity in the RO, specifying whether the amount of co-financing eligible costs of the IP (direct costs of material and costs of services, and depreciation and amortisation cost) for individual RO is appropriate or perhaps too low or too high (up to half a page per RO).
2. The expert committee of the Agency prepares an overview of the following based on annual reports and work plans of infrastructure activity:
   • financial realisation of costs of material and intangibles and depreciation and amortisation cost of the IP; and
   • the needs for co-financing eligible costs of infrastructure activity in the current year; and
   • drafting a proposal for the amount of co-financing of eligible costs of the IP for individual research organisations (hereinafter: the RO) for the current year.
3. The SCA discusses and adopts the proposal for the amount of co-financing of eligible costs of the AWP for individual research organisations for the current year. The decision of the SCA shall be based on the assessment by the SCD and the proposals from the expert committee.
4. The Agency shall on the basis of the proposal from the SCA inform the RO on the amount of co-financing eligible costs of implementing the IP for individual RO and call upon the RO to provide to the Agency a feedback information on internal distribution of funds between organisational units (hereinafter: the OU) in the current year based on the evaluation procedure for implementation of the infrastructure activity in the RO if the IP is implemented by several internal OU.
5. The assessment procedure for the infrastructure activity of the RO as the basis for distribution by OU comprises the following elements:
   • the RO establishes an expert committee (hereinafter: the committee) for evaluating implementation of the IP by OU in the preceding year;
   • the committee proposes internal distribution of the allocated funding for co-financing eligible costs of the IP among OU based on a review of the annual report on implementation of the infrastructure activity in the preceding year and the substantive plan and budget for the current year;
   • based on the proposal from the committee, the head of the IP, in agreement with the legal representative of the RO, submits the proposal for the distribution of funds among OU to the Agency. The proposal is signed by the head of the IP and the legal representative of the RO;
   • the RO encloses the submitted proposal with a report of the expert committee on the performed evaluation procedure for the IP as the basis for the distribution among OU.
      

K. CENTRAL SPECIALISED INFORMATION CENTRES

I. Assessment elements

The assessment elements are specified in Table K.

 
L. ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE METHODOLOGY

The Methodology shall enter into force on the day following its publication on the Agency’s website.

 
Prof. Dr. Vito Turk
Chair of the Scientific Council of the Agency

 
Number: 6319-1/2013-2
Date: 18.3.2013 and 17.7.2013