Purpose

The Collaborative Research Grant program fosters international research broadly. Applicants from all schools and disciplines are encouraged to submit funding applications for innovative and sustainable projects built around collaborative research linking faculty from the University of Bonn and HUJI. The research may take place in Germany and/or Israel as long as it is done collaboratively. Scientists from other countries may participate in the project but will not receive funding. The expectation is that these initial projects will lead to or continue long-term collaborations, institutional and research relations, and, generate publications, applications for 3^rd party funding and/or joint supervision of graduate students. Upon completion of the project HUJI and Bonn partners are required to fill out a questionnaire regarding the results.

In 2023, up to two applications will be funded (each with two principal investigators: one from the University of Bonn and one from HUJI) with a project starting date of January 1, 2024. Each application will receive up to EUR10,000 from their respective institution, for a total of up to EUR20,000. These funds must be used for research (broadly defined) and follow the budget guidelines below.
 

Application Eligibility

Principal investigators on a project must be regular, continuing full-time faculty at HUJI. Principal investigators at University of Bonn must have completed a doctorate and be able to show proof of their employment at least until the end of the collaborative research project. Questions about eligibility should be directed to the respective institution.

Mutual external collaborators (including researchers from other universities internationally, or those working in non-academic contexts such as industry or government) cannot lead an application but can be involved in the proposed activities at their own expense, where the benefit of their involvement to the collaboration is justified in the proposal.
 

Key Dates

• Call opens:                           May 22, 2023
• Applications close:               September 28, 2023
• Outcomes announced:       by mid-December, 2023
• Projects start:                     Jan. 1, 2024
• Projects completed:            by December 31, 2025
   

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Adherence to respective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies are an important feature of this program to ensure that all participants can do their best work, thrive and succeed. Applicant teams should consider how they can take meaningful steps in their future collaborations to foster an environment that values, supports and respects a diverse range of views, knowledge and experiences. Applicants should consider DEI as it applies to e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, (dis)ability, and career stages.
 

Guidelines for budgets

Budget proposals should not exceed 20.000 Euros in total, proposals with a smaller budget volume are also encouraged. The maximum allowable expenses for airfares, accommodation and meals/per diems should correspond to the guidelines of the University of Bonn (i.e., NRW Travel Expenses Act (LRKG) for University of Bonn staff; for researchers invited to Bonn, see recommended rates on Bonn’s program website) and HUJI. The financial plans submitted will be reviewed by an independent committee. Any activities not addressed below are  subject to the rules and regulations of the University of Bonn and HUJI.

Allowable expenses:

• travel expenses (e.g., economy airfare, train, local transportation)
• accommodation
• per diems for faculty, post-docs, or full-time enrolled student team members
• no more than 20% of the total award for the costs for hosting a seminar, conference, or workshop (researchers based at other German universities cannot be funded)
• no more than 50% of the total award for consumables (including publication/printing costs) and/or expenses for (part-time) student assistance by full-time enrolled University of Bonn and HUJI students

Non-allowable expenses:

• salaries or salary supplementation
• scholarships for students (tuition support purposes)
• course fees for international students
• honoraria
• computers, including laptops, (excluding access to high-performance computers or other specialised applications that are justified within the project proposal) and basic computing facilities such as printers, word processing and other standard software

 

Duration of Grant

Grants should be spent within the period indicated in the project submission or, at a maximum, within 24 months of receipt of funding.

 

Application Submission

Each proposal must include the following items in the order listed below as ONE single PDF. Proposals will be peer-reviewed by researchers from multiple disciplines and must be written for such an audience. The same proposal and budget for each application must be sent to HUJI and to the University of Bonn:

1. Names, titles, departments and emails of HUJI and University of Bonn applicants
2. Project title and layperson’s abstract of the proposed project (up to 250 words)
3. Names of other HUJI researchers involved, including name, title, department, role in project
4. Names of other University of Bonn researchers involved, including name, title, department, role in project
5. Narrative description of the proposed project for a multi-school, multi-disciplinary audience using the following sub-headings (four-page limit, 12-pt. font, single spaced)
   1. Project objectives
   2. Background and previous work as appropriate
   3. Research approach and methods
   4. Explanation of how you will evaluate the success of your project
   5. Anticipated schedule for completion
   6. Plans for future collaboration/ joint applications
   7. Adherence to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles
6. Budget and budget justification, with one section for HUJI budget and one section for University of Bonn budget, explaining in detail all anticipated expenditures
   1. Description of other funds secured or applied for overlapping projects
7. For HUJI faculty only, brief letter from the primary PI’s Department Chair endorsing the   application
8. Curriculum vitae: 2-page maximum, current, for each PI
9. Curriculum vitae: 1-page maximum, current, for additional team members

Applicants should start preparing their applications well ahead of the closing date to provide time for an endorsement letter from the HUJI PI’s Department Chair. Completed applications should be submitted via email to Alma Lessing (International Office, HUJI) at almal@savion.huji.ac.il and via the University of Bonn’s online form and must be received by both universities by September 28, 2023 (5pm IDT, 4pm CET).

Applications will be reviewed and scored by multi-disciplinary, multi-school faculty selection committees at HUJI and at the University of Bonn. Final selections will be reviewed by the Vice-President for International Affairs at HUJI and the Vice Rector for International Affairs at the University of Bonn.

 

Ranking Criteria & Scoring

The Selection Committees will assess, comment on and score each application, based on the criteria below. Applicants must outline the aims, methods and expected outcomes of the project and should ensure that they address all criteria. Applications that include activities involving students and/or encourage broad collaborations across schools, disciplines, and units are encouraged but not required.

The Review Committee will evaluate each application on the following criteria:

• Academic quality and impact: the academic quality of the proposed work, the likelihood of it gaining wide recognition and/or having a high impact when completed. If appropriate, the ability to cut across disciplines, and/or include students
• Innovation: the extent to which the project will contribute to novel thinking and creative outcomes
• Research Outcomes and Sustainability: the likelihood that the project will lead to long-term research relationships and generate ongoing collaboration. Expected outcomes may include, among other possibilities: publications, grant proposals, clinical interventions, technological innovations, exhibitions, performances, enhanced networks and research-based seminar/conference/workshops
• Partnership & Strategic Relevance: how the partnership will contribute to promoting and consolidating the relationship between HUJI and the University of Bonn. How the research will be shared with broader academic communities at each institution and contribute to realising university strategies.

 

Results

Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application by mid-December 2023. Successful applicants will receive a joint letter of confirmation from both institutions as well as an Acceptance of Award letter that must be signed and returned by the due date to the International Office at HUJI and the International Office at the University of Bonn.

 

Payment

Successful applicants will be awarded up to 10,000 Euros by their own institution for a total of up to 20,000 Euros. Awardees will be responsible for managing project funds and for facilitating the sharing of funds with team members where required. Upon submitting complete award agreement documents, successful applicants will be able to receive the funds within one month. HUJI awardees are responsible for liaising directly with the Authority for R&D (HUJI) regarding the receipt of funds.

 

Change of Investigator

If circumstances change – for example, the principal investigator or a team member leaves the project – awardees must provide notification to the International Office at HUJI and the International Office at University of Bonn. All changes must be approved in writing.

 

Extensions

Under exceptional circumstances, no-cost extensions will be approved for a maximum period of 6 months. Applicants seeking an extension must submit a written request at least one month before the end of the grant, along with a revised budget and timeline of activities to the International Office at HUJI and the International Office at the University of Bonn for approval prior to expiry of the grant. All extensions must be approved in writing.

 

Publications

Any publications (e.g., abstracts, articles, books) or dissemination (e.g., public presentations) arising from activities supported by this Collaborative Research Grant should acknowledge financial assistance received from HUJI and the University of Bonn. Copies of publications or presentations or notification of presentations should be submitted to the International Office at the University of Bonn and HUJI. The name for the said acknowledgment is “Collaborative Research Grant funding provided by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Bonn.”

 

Forfeiture of grants

Grants not spent by the project end date will be transferred back either to HUJI or the University of Bonn as applicable so that unspent balances can be re-allocated.

 

Financial and Reporting Obligations

Recipients will be required to submit a final report within one month of completion of the project. The report should include an outline of the outcomes of the project, an indication of the project’s possible continuation, a summary of lessons learned in undertaking the project and a detailed accounting of funds as required by University policy. University of Bonn recipients who fail to submit a final report may be excluded from future internationalization funding schemes.

 

Further information

HUJI

Alma Lessing, International Partnerships & Development, International Office

almal@savion.huji.ac.il

University of Bonn

Dr. Christian Klöckner, Partnerships and International Researchers, International Office

c.kloeckner@uni-bonn.de.