Agreements

SPRINT – 4th Edition 2019 Guidelines for proposals from New Zealand university researchers

FAPESP and Universities New Zealand (UNZ) signed a Cooperation Agreement for Research in May 12, 2017. The agreement aims to implement scientific and technological cooperation between researchers from New Zealand universities, and from the State of São Paulo, Brazil, through the funding of joint research projects.

Under the Agreement Education New Zealand (ENZ) is pleased to announce this Call for Proposals for the exchange of faculty, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers under the terms and conditions of the SPRINT 4 th Edition 2019 (www.fapesp.br/sprint/call42019).

1. Eligibility from New Zealand Universities

1.1. Eligibility to submit proposals within the scope of this Call:

a. Applicants must be employed as an academic staff member in a teaching and research or research only role at a New Zealand university for the duration of the proposed project;

b. Successful applicants agree to the project being profiled by ENZ for future promotion of higher education and cooperation activities in Brazil.

1.2. Eligibility for the exchange activities within the scope of this Call

a. New Zealand applicants must partner with researchers from the State of São Paulo, Brazil, who are currently in receipt of a FAPESP grant within the following FAPESP funding lines: Regular Research Awards, Thematic Projects, Young Investigators, Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (CEPIDs/RIDCs), Public Education Research Program, Research in Public Policies, and Research Partnership for Technological Innovation (PITE). Co-Principal Investigators of ongoing Thematic Projects, CEPIDs/RIDCs and PITEs are also eligible to apply.

b. The participation of PhD students:

(i) Considering the principle of reciprocity, FAPESP exceptionally may either support PhD students from São Paulo state to take part in the scientific missions. In this case, the PhD student(s) must have an ongoing FAPESP scholarship during the planned exchange mission to the partner institution.

Note:

• The proposals must aim to respect the principle of reciprocity with regard to academic qualifications of those who will take part in the exchange activities.

• Eligibility of research partners in the State of São Paulo should observe the items 3.1 and 4.2 of FAPESP call (www.fapesp.br/sprint/call42019).

2. Fields of knowledge

This Call for Proposals invites research proposals in all fields of knowledge.

3. Duration of the project for the exchange of researchers

The maximum duration of each project is up to 24 months.

4. Timeline

Call announced by FAPESP and ENZ

November 05, 2019

Closing date for submission of proposals

January 27, 2020

Successful proposals notified after

April 24, 2020

5. Funding principles

5.1 FAPESP will provide funding of up to the equivalent of NZD 12,500 (twelve thousand and five hundred New Zealand dollars) per proposal and Education New Zealand (ENZ) will provide funding of up to NZD 12,500 (twelve thousand and five hundred New Zealand dollars) per proposal, for the duration of the grant to cover research-related mobility expenses, under the provisions of Clause 5 of the Scientific Cooperation Agreement established by the Parties (https://fapesp.br/11016).

5.2 FAPESP and ENZ will fund a maximum of eight approved proposals subject to the number of meritorious applications.

5.3. FAPESP will provide the selected proposals with funds for travel (air tickets), health insurance, and living allowances for researchers from the State of São Paulo that will visit New Zealand.

5.4. ENZ will provide the selected projects with funds for economy air travel and living expenses associated with the research project while in Brazil (subject to funding limit in 5.1); participants must ensure they are covered by their travel and other relevant insurance policies. Note: funding is available for costs associated with mobility, meetings and small-scale operational costs. Applications that include costs relating to research or overhead costs will not be successful.

6. Proposal characteristics for New Zealand researchers:

6.1. Applicants from New Zealand universities are required to fill out the accompanying application form available by request through e-mail: brazil@enz.govt.nz

6.2. The proposal must be submitted in English and be written jointly by the Principal Investigator (PI) at the New Zealand university and the PI at FAPESP.

6.3. One copy of the research project shall be sent to FAPESP, following the guidelines published on their website and an identical copy, along with the filled application form to the email brazil@enz.govt.nz

6.4. The research proposal/project is to have a maximum of five (5) pages of scientific content and must include the following:

a. A substantive description of the exchange activities, emphasising their relevance. The proposal must state clearly how the exchange activities to be carried out by each team will contribute to the ongoing research project funded by FAPESP and to the research being carried by the partner researcher in New Zealand;

b. Detailed schedule of the exchange missions to be carried out by the partner team at the São Paulo institution and the São Paulo team at the New Zealand university;

c. Performance indicators for the planned activities, indicating the expected results;

d. A description of each candidate’s contribution to the mission, explaining their expertise to carry out the foreseen activities;

e. Foreseen actions that will add to the impact of the exchange for the New Zealand university and for the Host Institution in the State of São Paulo, e.g. by means of seminars, short courses etc.;

f. Description of how the Principal Investigators in São Paulo and in New Zealand intend to prepare a joint research project, resulting from the exchange activities developed from the proposal submitted in this Call, to be submitted to research funding agencies accessible in their regions in order to create a medium-long-term collaboration (up to one page).

6.5. CV Summaries of the PIs on both sides (New Zealand and Brazilian) and of any other named New Zealand researchers are also to be attached with the application.

6.6. Letter of Agreement of the Host Institution in the State of São Paulo to which the PI from São Paulo is affiliated. The same document is required by FAPESP in item 6.2.3 at www.fapesp.br/sprint/call42019. The Letter of Agreement may be delivered after the notification of results of this call for proposals and before the grant agreement is signed .

7. Assessment and Selection Criteria

7.1. The exchange activities to be carried out by the researchers from São Paulo must be thematically related to the ongoing research project funded by FAPESP (refer to 1.2).

7.2. Only proposals selected by both ENZ and FAPESP will be funded.

7.3. Proposals that do not comply with the terms of this Call will not qualify for review.

7.4. ENZ and FAPESP will select the proposals according to their own procedures.

7.5. From the New Zealand side, projects will be assessed for the merit and relevance of the project, the capability of the named researchers, the capacity of the proposed project to leverage further researcher funding, and the strategic aims of ENZ.

8. Submission of proposals to UNZ

8.1. Applications from New Zealand universities must be made on the required form and comply with the guidelines for New Zealand applicants.

8.2. To be successful, New Zealand applicants must ensure that their Brazilian collaborators also submit a corresponding application with the same title and content to FAPESP by to 27 January 2020.

8.3. The research proposal component of the application, as detailed in 6.3, must be identical in content in both the New Zealand and Brazilian submissions; one being a copy of another.

8.4. Forms should be submitted electronically. Late applications will not be accepted for assessment.

9. Selection Process

A review panel comprising representatives from ENZ, UNZ, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) will evaluate applications on the basis of how the proposed activities align with the following criteria:

Criteria

Weighting

1

The degree to which funding will contribute to the establishment and/or further development of the academic relationship between New Zealand and São Paulo.

/20

2

The benefits that will result from the proposed activities including:

The advancement of the joint research objectives of the São Paulo /New Zealand relationship.

· Longer term benefits that are likely to result from the proposed activities – what is the nature and scale of future opportunities associated with the development of the relationship?

· Education and research outcomes through knowledge and information exchange, professional development, and opportunities for student and staff mobility between New Zealand and São Paulo.

/10

/10

/10

3

The extent to which the proposed activities facilitates interaction between New Zealand and São Paulo academics and researchers.

/20

4

A robust, thorough and well thought out proposal is
necessary alongside a detailed outline of costings and
outcomes

/20

5

The degree to which all due diligence of the proposed
activity has been completed

/10

Total

/100

Please note:

Funding is available for costs associated with mobility, meetings and small-scale operational costs. Applications that include costs relating to research or overhead costs will not be successful.

9.1. FAPESP will undertake an extensive peer review and ranking of the applications and inform ENZ of their proposed list of projects to be funded.

9.2. ENZ and FAPESP will then compare lists and select finalists together

9.3. ENZ will notify the respective New Zealand PI of the successful projects.

9.4. Successful and unsuccessful applications will be notified by ENZ of the outcomes of the selection process by email. Results will also be announced on the FAPESP and ENZ websites.

10. Result of the analysis

The results will be announced on FAPESP (www.fapesp.br) and by ENZ via email and by means of a communication to the interested PIs.

11. Contract for selected projects by ENZ

Selected proposals will be the object of a grant contract (FAPESP) to be signed by the PI and a representative of the higher education and research institution to which he/she is affiliated.

12. Grant cancellation

FAPESP or ENZ may cancel funding if, during the grant timeframe, a significant event justifies its cancellation in the assessment of the Joint Steering Committee, without prejudice of any other appropriate actions.

13. Information about this Call at ENZ All questions related to this Call for Proposals must be directed to brazil@enz.govt.nz.