What’s new and FAQ: FIRI Roadmap Call 2020

Call texts

The call texts have been published as web pages. We have tailored the calls texts for each call to improve usability. Each call text now includes a section called ‘Application parts and guidelines’, which contains instructions on what information the applicant should enter in the online services (SARA). We have also made it easier for you to find the application guidelines by compiling an A–Z index of the guidelines. You can browse the guidelines at any time. The sites of research also have their own guidelines.

How the action plan is linked to the Strategy for National Research Infrastructures in Finland 2020–2030.

The FIRI roadmap call to be opened in April 2020 is based on the Strategy for National Research Infrastructures in Finland 2020–2030. Applicants are requested to submit an action plan that takes into account the development areas of research infrastructure activities set out in the strategy. The new areas concern, for example, ownership and know-how, responsibility, sustainable development, dynamism and long-term perspectives. Additionally, the data management guidelines have been revised in collaboration with the Finnish DMP Tuuli Office.

FAQ: How to fill in the online application

Which web browsers are supported?

The supported web browsers and their versions are Internet Explorer 9 or newer, Firefox 45 or newer and Safari 9 or newer.

Who is the applicant, who issues the commitment?

In the FIRI roadmap call, the host organisation of the research infrastructure is the applicant and the commitment issuer. For technical reasons, the same person cannot submit the application and issue the commitment of the site of research. The applicant must be the rector/vice rector or director general of the research organisation. The commitment issuer must be a person of corresponding level.

Normally, the person drafting a roadmap application must be the research organisation’s rector/vice rector, director general or a person of an equivalent level.

The Academy is responding to the challenges arising from changes in the operating environment by making it possible for a person who does not belong to the organisation’s senior management to submit the roadmap application. The application may be started and submitted by a person approved by the host organisation of the research infrastructure. The applicant is still a research organisation.

The commitment issuer must still be the research organisation’s rector/vice rector, director general or a person of an equivalent level.

What is the font size, margin and line spacing of the action plan in the PDF version of the research plan?

The font size is 12 pt, the margin is 20 mm (left and right) and the line spacing is 1.15.

“The recommended length for an action plan is 20 pages. If the specific nature of the research infrastructure requires a longer description, the action plan may be up to 30 pages, including the bibliography.” What does ‘specific nature’ mean?

The recommended length of the action plan is 20 pages. This is to ensure that the information is presented as concisely as possible to facilitate the review. In some cases, 20 pages may not be enough for research infrastructures that comprise several components, such as Biocenter Finland and INAR RI. In these special cases, the action plan may be up to 30 pages long, if absolutely necessary.

Is the bibliography counted in the maximum number of pages of the action plan?

The bibliography (max. 2 pages) is not included in the length.

Why can’t I enter the organisation of my collaborator? Why can’t I enter the email address of my collaborator?

The organisation is entered as follows: Begin by typing part of the organisation’s name in the organisation field and choose the organisation from the list. If you can’t find the organisation, write ’other organisation’ in the field and choose that on the list. Enter the organisation’s name in the field ‘Organisation, if other’.

Entering an email address: Check your address for any extra spaces before or after. You can also enter the email address in the field.

Why can’t I edit the application? Why aren’t the application fields active?

Check if you have authorised another person to edit your application. Go to the tab ‘Authorisation’. You can delete the authorisation by clicking on the minus sign. Only one person at a time can have the authorisation to edit.

Why can’t I edit the application tagged as complete by a consortium party, although the call is still open?

The consortium PI can open a consortium party’s completed application for supplementary additions on the tab ‘My applications’ > ‘Incomplete’.

What is the maximum number of a consortium’s most important publications?

A: The whole consortium may have no more than 20 most important publications. The parties can agree on if all 20 publications are entered in the consortium PI’s application or if each party enters their own publications (must agree on how many each enters).

Why can’t I log in?

If you have not logged out of the online services when you finish your session, you might not be able to access the system login page. You should clear your browsing history (cache). Restart or change your browser.

Remember to log out each time you stop using the system. If you have more than one session open simultaneously in the same web browser, you will have to close the browser as you log out.

Questions specific to FIRI roadmap call

Can I participate in the roadmap call, even though I’m participating in another call, such as the Centre of Excellence call?

As far as research infrastructures are concerned, there are no restrictions on application and participation. On the contrary, it’s good that experts’ expertise is utilised as widely as possible.

The research infrastructure activities, roadmap and funding calls differ from most Academy activities; for example, a research organisation always submits the application and is the applicant. Research organisations may submit more than one application per call. The research organisation is also usually asked to prioritise its own applications at some stage of the application process. Therefore, the role of persons involved in the activities of the research infrastructure is emphasised specifically in terms of the expertise and special skills they provide, and they are not considered as ‘applicants’ in the normal sense.

Therefore, the answer to the question is yes, the same person may be involved in more than one FIRI roadmap application.

What is meant by the infrastructure’s national and/or international functions?

By this we mean that a research infrastructure may be involved in national activities in different ways, such as via different organisations or themes. Nationally operating entities may also be linked to international research infrastructures. Of course, not all research infrastructures have separate functional entities.

Will organisations need to append prioritisation lists to the application?

No, not at this stage. The commitment of organisations to the research infrastructure in questions will be ensured in two ways at the application stage:

The applicant is the host organisation of the research infrastructure or a consortium of hosts. The research organisation’s rector, vice rector, director general or research director begins filling in the application in the online services. They will also submit the application.
The host organisation of the research infrastructure is the commitment issuer of the site of research. The commitment issuer must be a person of corresponding level.

At the final call stage, the statements on the best applications based on the review will be sent to the applicants (research organisations) concerned. This will support the host organisations in preparing their prioritisations. The organisations shall submit their final prioritisation lists to the Academy of Finland by the end of September 2020. The exact date will be confirmed later.