Frequently asked questions
The call text says that Fellowships will not be granted to persons holding a permanent and senior research position (e.g. professor, assistant/associate professor, research director) or a comparable position. What does this mean?
It means just that, a person who holds a permanent and senior research position. Temporary tenure-track assistant/associate professors or temporary professors are eligible to apply if they meet the other criteria. University lecturers, senior researchers in non-leading positions (erikoistutkija), etc. are also eligible, as we do not count these positions as leading research positions. Heading a research team does not affect your eligibility. The restriction is based on the objective of the Academy Research Fellowships funding scheme: advancing the researcher’s career towards leading research positions. If you have already reached such a position, you are no longer part of the target group for this call.
If the applicant does not apply for funding for their own salary, with what proportion must they commit to the proposed research?
The total cost estimate need not include the applicant’s own salary if the salary is arranged in some other way. However, the applicant must be able to fully commit to the research described in the research plan. The applicant shall describe their tasks and roles in the project under item 3.1 of the research plan.
Should I apply for an Academy Research Fellowship or Academy Project Funding?
You can choose which funding to apply for; the Academy has no specific recommendation as to which scheme is better for you. In principle, Academy Research Fellowships are intended to support the researcher’s personal career development. The goal is to support the researcher in making significant career progress towards the most demanding research positions, even without being paid own salary from the project. The merits and increasing qualifications described in the application play a key role in this. In the Academy Research Fellowships scheme, the focus of the review is on the applicant’s merits and qualifications, while in Academy Project funding the focus is on scientific quality and novelty. High quality is of course a focus in both schemes.
Should the four months of other work mentioned in the call text be described in the application?
No, because it will not affect the review. When receiving the funding, the site of research commits to organising the work. We hope that the Academy Research Fellow and the organisation will agree on the work in a way that benefits everyone.
Should persons recruited to the project have obtained a doctorate or can they be doctoral candidates?
A doctoral degree is not a requirement. The funding is applied for based on the needs of the research as justified in the application. The Academy Research Fellow cost estimate may include salary costs of persons whose work directly concerns the implementation of the research plan.
Can I apply for an Academy Research Fellowship to more than one site of research?
The funding is granted to a single site, but you may have an employment relationship to more than one organisation. The site of research, i.e. the recipient of the funding, must ensure that the combined proportions of the different organisations constitute a full-time employment and salary.
According to the call text, the cost estimate may include salaries for up to two persons. What does this mean?
The cost estimate may include up to 46 months of the Academy Research Fellow’s own salary. In addition, the cost estimate may include a maximum of 48 months of salary for other persons. If the Academy Research Fellow applicant does not apply for funding for their own salary, a total of 96 months of salaries for other persons may be included in the cost estimate. The restriction on salary months is a means to prevent excessive budgets in a situation where we do not set a ceiling in euros.
