Structure of research plan in applications for project funding

This research plan structure applies to applications in the following funding schemes: Academy Projects, Targeted Academy Projects and Academy Programmes (excl. Academy Programme for Sport Science and Physical Activity).

Submit the research plan as a PDF appendix in the online services on the tab ‘Research plan’. Read the call text carefully and familiarise yourself with the review guidelines and review form before you start writing the research plan.

• The maximum length of the research plan is 12 pages.
• The maximum length of consortium research plans is 15 pages.
• The paper size is A4.
• The font is Calibri/Carlito 12 pt.
• The line spacing is 1.
• The margins are 20 mm.
• The text is left-aligned.
• Do not use paragraph indents.
• The font size in tables and images must be at least 10 pt.
• Use a single-column layout when writing the text.
• The list of references is included in the length of the research plan. The font size in the list is 10 pt.
• All references must be added directly into the text, for example as follows: (author(s), year) or [number]. You must not use footnotes.
• The maximum size of the PDF appendix is 50 MB.

The instructions and structure provided must be followed to ensure the equal treatment of applicants. The application cannot be submitted if the system detects an error in the headings, the page configuration or the structure.

Write the research plan on our template.

• Fill in the sections of the plan where applicable, according to the practices of your own discipline.
• You must not edit or delete the headings in the template. If necessary, you may add subheadings (level 3).
• See the How-to guides for the online services on our website for the technical instructions.

1. Aim and objectives

1.1 Significance of research project in relation to current knowledge, research-based starting points:

• How the project and the methods used are linked to previous international and/or national research (state of the art)
• Research premise, aims and objectives

1.2 Research questions and/or hypotheses:

1.3 Expected research results and their anticipated scientific impact, potential for scientific breakthroughs and for promoting scientific renewal:

• Research impact within the scientific community
• Project’s novelty or added value for science

1.4 Special objective of call (concerns Academy Programmes and other thematic calls)

• Justifications for how the project will address the call objectives and questions.

2. Implementation

2.1 Work plan and schedule:

• Detailed description of the research to be performed, starting from objectives, scientific references and preliminary data (if available)
• Description of research tasks, their implementation and interconnections
• If necessary, description of the responsibilities and management related to these tasks
• Schedule for project implementation, incl. research tasks and work packages, distribution of personnel resources, and project milestones and deliverables

2.2 Research data and material, research methods and research environment:

• Research data to be used, justifications and information on data collection or acquisition, data analyses and use of data, taking into account issues such as intellectual property rights
• Research methods and how they will contribute to answering the research questions or confirming the hypotheses, or how they will support the chosen approach
• Description of local, national and/or international research environment including research infrastructures. Enter the infrastructures to be used also on the tab ‘Affiliations’ in the online services.

2.3 Risk assessment and alternative implementation strategies:

• Critical points for success, probability of risks, means by which risks can be managed, and alternative implementation strategies

2.4 Added value of consortium (if the application is a consortium application):

• Description of the value that working as a consortium will add compared to traditional forms of research collaboration
• Read more in the consortium application guidelines.

3. Applicant, research team and collaborators

3.1 Project personnel and their project-relevant key merits:

• Task and role of principal investigator (applicant) in the project
• Tasks and roles of persons working on the project and their key merits
• Names and/or level of education of the project’s researchers (if known)
• Project’s links to previous research by the PI or the research team, or to some other research
• How researcher training will be organised and how research careers will be promoted (applies to Academy Projects, Targeted Academy Projects and Academy Programmes)

3.2 Collaborators:

• National and international collaborators of key significance to project implementation as well as their roles
• Justifications for the collaborators, description of what is achieved through the collaboration

4. Responsible science

4.1 Research ethics, equality and nondiscrimination, open science and sustainable development:

Research ethics:

• Information on ethical issues (e.g. ethical governance procedures, informed consent, anonymity of subjects and withdrawal from research) that concern the chosen topic, methods and data
• Information on research permits granted or pending
• Read more in the ethical guidelines.

Equality and nondiscrimination:

• Information on how the project will promote equality and nondiscrimination within itself or in society at large
• Read more in the equality and nondiscrimination guidelines.

Open science:

• Publication plan that supports open access (the projects we fund are required to commit to open access publishing)
• Read more in the open science guidelines.
• Brief plan for data management: how the data will be stored during the project, how any legal and ethical issues related to data distribution will be resolved, and where the data will be made available after the end of the project. Funding recipients must submit a full data management plan. The payment of the funding is conditional on the submission of the plan.
• Read the guidelines on the data management plan.

Sustainable development objectives:

• Brief description of how the project can advance one or several goals included in the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.
• Read more in the sustainable development guidelines.
• Read more about Agenda 2030.

5. Societal effects and impact

5.1 Effects and impact beyond academia:

• Brief description of the appeal, utilisation potential and application areas of the research results beyond the scientific community
• For instance, provide a self-assessment of the expected societal impact of the research in the long or short term. Impact beyond academia may come in many different forms depending on the research field and the project. For example, science is a source of wealth and prosperity, but it also improves our understanding of the world and enhances the level of civilisation, supports the development of good practices and informs decision-making.
• Read more about the broader impact of research.

References

• List of all of the sources used in the research plan
• The list of references is included in the length of the research plan.
• The font size in the list is 10 pt. All references must be added directly into the text, for example as follows: (author(s), year) or [number]. You must not use footnotes.