Research plan/Structure of research plan

The length of a research plan must not exceed 12 pages (Times New Roman 12 pt or corresponding). The research plan shall include the following information, intended for an international expert for purposes of evaluating the application:

1 Name of principal investigator/responsible leader, title of research project, site of research
(funding for doctoral studies of employed persons: indicate also the name of the employer)

2 Background

• background and significance of the research nationally and internationally as well as previous  research pertaining to the topic, in brief 
• how the project links to other research of the applicant or research team

3 Objectives

• research objectives
• hypotheses
•  justification for how the proposed research ties in with this call and its objectives, if the call has a specific objective (e.g. research programme calls)

4 Research methods and material

• research methods to be used, described so as to explain how they contribute to answering the research questions/confirming hypotheses or support the approach chosen
• research material, including an account of how the research material will be obtained, how it will be used and stored and how its later use will be made possible, and also the rights of ownership and use pertaining to the materials utilised and generated by the project (materials management plan)
• ethical issues, research permits or information on permit applications

5 Implementation

• timetable for research
• justification for the total cost of the project itemised according to type of expenditure indicated on the online application form, including names of persons to be hired for the project, the number of months they will work in the project and their gross monthly salaries with justifications. If the names of the persons to be hired are not yet known, enter N.N.

6 Researchers and research environment

• members of research team, their merits and tasks in the project
• plan for the applicant’s salary during the funding period, if the applicant does not have a permanent employment relationship
• research environment and the support it offers for the project, including equipment
• national and international collaboration and distribution of work relevant to the project: collaboration partners (e.g. a Strategic Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation), form of collaboration, description of how the project benefits from collaboration
• concrete description of any research to be carried out abroad, e.g. how a visit ties in with the research plan; objectives of visit and if the visit is already agreed

7 Researcher training and research career (if the applicant is applying for funding for a research team)

• researcher training, including arrangements for instruction and supervision
• doctoral studies within the team
• promotion of research career and plans for researcher mobility
• promotion of gender equality within the project

8 Expected research results

• expected scientific and societal impact
• possibility for scientific breakthroughs and for increasing the capacity for renewal of science and research
• applicability and feasibility of the research results
• publishing of research results and raising their awareness among possible end-users, scientific community and the general public

The research plan is appended to the application in the online services. Name the attachment file as follows: yoursurname_research plan.

Content updated on 11.12.2009