PROFI funding instrument revamped – call text out now

The Academy of Finland has published the call text for the sixth round of PROFI funding, the funding scheme to strengthen university research profiles. PROFI 6 covers the years 2021–2026. PROFI applications can be submitted in the Academy’s online services starting on 7 May 2020 . The call closes on 16 June at 16.15 (Finnish time).

The application consists of forms completed in the Academy’s online services. Applicants can familiarise themselves with the new forms in advance.

What’s new?

The PROFI funding instrument has been revamped in cooperation with universities and taking into account the results of two evaluation reports (evaluation 1, evaluation 2, in Finnish).

The overall objective has remained: to support and speed up the strategic profiling of Finnish universities in order to improve the quality of research.

The Academy will organise an information session about PROFI 6 on 28 January 2020. There will be a live webcast from the event between 11.00 and 12.00. The session materials will be posted on the Academy website after the event.

Key changes:

• The structure of the application has been simplified based on feedback from applicants and reviewers.
• The funding period has been extended to six years to better support long-term development of the research.
• The Academy has introduced an opportunity to offer rebuttal to expert panel’s statement.
• The Academy has simplified the application process:
• call open every two years – a total of 100 million euros in funding to be allocated
• obligatory annual instalments in cost estimate removed
• simplified description of collaboration and distribution of work