DEAR APPLICANTS,
We kindly bring to your attention that the APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN AMENDED.
The call for proposals for the HUN-REN Welcome Home and Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme, along with its associated annexes, has been amended.
The parts of the call for proposals affected by the modification are as follows:
- The title of the call for proposals has changed from ELKH Welcome Home and Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme to HUN-REN Welcome Home and Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme.
- As of September 1, 2023, the name of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network Secretariat (abbreviated as ELKH Secretariat) has been changed to the Hungarian Research Network (hereinafter: HUN-REN) Secretariat (hereinafter: HUN-REN Secretariat) based on Article 63 of Act XLI of 2023 on the amendment of certain acts needed for the advancement of the economic utilization of innovative and scientific outputs.
- In accordance with the call for proposals, during the evaluation process of applications, the HUN-REN Scientific Council - with the involvement of the International Cabinet and the Network Development Department - shall inform the HUN-REN Secretariat Governing Board about the results of the evaluation and make proposal for funding decisions. Subsequently, the evaluation of applications shall continue in an unchanged manner.
The amendment to the call for proposals shall enter into force on September 1, 2023.
The amendment to the call for proposals - except for the name change - must also be applied to applications submitted prior to its entry into force.
According to the amended call for proposals, for applications submitted by September 15, 2023, it shall not be considered a formal rejection reason if the provided application does not use the email address or code specified in the amended call for proposals, or if it does not make use of the attachments specified in the amended call for proposals. Applications submitted in this manner may be subject to professional evaluation if they meet the other criteria specified in the amended call for proposals.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS for the HUN-REN Welcome Home and Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme (CODE NUMBER: HUN-REN-HAZAHIVO-2023)
The Hungarian Research Network Secretariat (hereinafter: HUN-REN Secretariat or Granting organisation) is announcing a call for proposals entitled HUN-REN Welcome Home and Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme (hereinafter: Call for Proposals or Call).
OBJECTIVE OF THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The objective of the Call for Proposals is to develop the HUN-REN research network on its path to scientific excellence and to achieve further international success by attracting internationally recognised Hungarian researchers working abroad and by employing foreign researchers (hereinafter: Researcher) at the research sites of HUN-REN (including the Office for Supported Research Groups, hereinafter collectively referred to as: HUN-REN Research Site).
The Call for Proposals is aimed at employing at HUN-REN Research Sites such Hungarian or foreign Researchers working abroad who possess the motivation and past scientific results to enable them to set up a research group during the project period that is competitive at international level.
The Call is open to all scientific disciplines covered by HUN-REN – mathematics and life sciences, as well as humanities and social sciences – without any restrictions on subject areas.
AVAILABLE FUNDS
The total available budget for the year 2023 is HUF 150,000,000.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applications may be submitted in response to this Call for Proposals by HUN-REN Research Sites independently as legal persons, provided that they meet the criteria for application (hereinafter: Applicant or Applicant Institution).
An Applicant Institution with up to 150 researchers is eligible to submit one application, while institutions with more than 150 researchers are eligible to submit two applications.
In its application, the Applicant Institution may propose to employ a Researcher who
- is, at the time of submission of the application, employed as a researcher at a place of work outside Hungary by a research organisation (university, research institute, company or other organisation) based outside of Hungary, regardless of their nationality and place of residence, or their employment contract was terminated less than six months prior to the submission of the application;
and - has demonstrated scientific excellence in the given scientific discipline in the form of significant international research results, grant awards or publications;
and - agrees to set up a new independent research group or be appointed as the leader of an existing research group at the Applicant Institution during the project period;
and - agrees to reside in Hungary throughout the implementation period of the project and enter into an employment contract or other work-related relationship with the Applicant Institution.
Furthermore, by submitting the application, the Applicant and the Researcher agree to fulfil at least one of the following criteria during the project period:
- the Researcher or a member of the research group led by the Researcher will apply for a Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant, Advanced Grant or Synergy Grant funded by the European Research Council (ERC), with the Applicant as the host institution;
or - the Researcher will submit an application with at least the same budget as the amount of the grant awarded under this grant scheme (as a coordinator or a participant) in response to a call for proposals under the EU Framework Programme for Research or any other research programme organised by the European Commission, other than those referred to above;
or - the Researcher’s collaboration with companies or other organisations for research and development purposes results in additional third-party funding for the Applicant Institution (other than through grants) for at least the same amount as the grant awarded under this grant scheme.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES UNDER THE PROJECT
Eligible activities for the purposes of this Call for Proposals include:
- employment of the Researcher by the Applicant Institution for the purpose of achieving the scientific objectives formulated in the application;
- employment of additional researchers by the Applicant for the purpose of achieving the scientific objectives formulated in the application;
- research and development activities carried out for the purpose of achieving the scientific objectives formulated in the application;
- procurement of materials, equipment and intangible assets for the purpose of achieving the scientific objectives formulated in the application;
- use of third-party services for the purpose of achieving the scientific objectives formulated in the application (e.g. conducting external studies and field experiments, software development, analytics services, disseminating and publishing scientific results, etc.).
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD
The maximum period available for carrying out the activities specified in the application is 60 months.
FORM AND AMOUNT OF THE GRANT
As part of this grant scheme, non-repayable grants of up to HUF 200 million per project for a maximum duration of 60 months (i.e. up to HUF 40 million per year on average) may be applied for.
The minimum grant intensity is 50%.
The grant takes the form of a non-repayable grant, the amount of which may not exceed 50% of all eligible costs and may not be higher than HUF 200 million, and the amount of the grant and its ratio to own funds may be increased by fulfilling any of the conditions specified in the call for proposals.
Receiving a grant requires the availability of own funds.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION
Applications in response to the Call for Proposals may be submitted from the date when the Call for Proposals is published until 4:00 p.m. on 15 September 2023.
Applications must be submitted in the Hungarian or English language by electronic means in PDF format and accompanied by a digital signature using the application form made available by the Granting organisation and enclosed with this Call to the Granting organisation’s email address at @email.
OTHER INFORMATION ON THE GRANT SCHEME
Questions regarding this Call can be sent to the following email address: @email.
The entire Call for Proposals can be downloaded in PDF format here.
ANNEXES