Review panels and experts
Application review in panels
The Research Council’s officials organise the review of applications and assemble the panels based on the call, the panel topics and the applications submitted to the call.
In the winter call, Academy Project applicants and Academy Research Fellowship applicants choose the panel for their applications from a set of panels announced in advance.
To ensure a responsible and informed review process, we ask reviewers about their possible disqualifications. In the scientific reviews, we ask about their expertise in the topics of the applications to be reviewed.
We ask the reviewers to go through all the applications to be discussed in the panel, with the exception of the applications that they are disqualified to review. If a reviewer is disqualified with regard to an application, they will not participate in its review.
We ask at least two experts to prepare a review for each application before the panel meeting. To further support the expertise of the panel, reviews may also be sought from experts who will not participate in the panel meeting.
Based on the ratings in the reviews, applications can be selected to go forward to the actual panel meeting in a two-step review process. The threshold rating for the panel review may vary depending on the funding scheme. In a single-stage review, all applications will be panel-reviewed.
The panel meetings are organised primarily as online meetings. At the meeting, the reviewers discuss the applications, prepare review reports based on the discussion and the pre-panel comments, and give the applications panel ratings. Finally, the panel ranks the top-rated applications (excl. applications for strategic research funding).
The Research Council of Finland’s officials participate in the work of the panels by assisting the reviewers. Our officials also make sure that all applicants are treated equally and with the same criteria.
Reviewers are asked for their consent to taking on the assignment in advance, and they will be familiarised with and committed to the Research Council’s principles of responsible evaluation.
