Strategic Research Council updates guidelines concerning the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic affects not only research work and researcher mobility but also how research funding is applied for and how the funding is used. It also affects decisions to extend funding periods, among other things. The pandemic continues to have a wide-ranging and long-term impact on the activities of projects funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC).

The Academy of Finland recently updated its guidelines on the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic (press release 24 March 2021). Contrary to the Academy’s guidelines, the Strategic Research Council has outlined the following: Projects whose funding period ends no later than 31 December 2022 may apply for an extension (provided that the project has not already been granted an extension due to the Covid-19 pandemic).

The SRC is currently charting the need for extension of eligible projects. Based on the needs, the SRC will decide the method for applying for extensions. A programme-level extension of the funding period, i.e. one that concerns all consortia of a given programme, may be appropriate when taking into account the effects of the current exceptional circumstances in particular on the interaction activities of SRC consortia.

Once the needs have been charted, the eligible projects will be informed separately of the practical guidelines for extending the funding period.