Innovational Research Incentives Scheme

The Innovational Research Incentives Scheme has been set up in 2000 by NWO, KNAW and the universities jointly. The aim is to promote innovation in the academic research field.

The scheme is directed at providing encouragement for individual researchers and gives talented, creative researchers the opportunity to conduct their own research programme independently and promote talented researchers to enter and remain committed to the scientific profession.

Who can apply

Excellent researchers (m/f) who are among the best 10 to 20 per cent of their age group.

Researchers from abroad may apply

What can be applied for

• Veni for researchers who have recently taken their PhD, to allow them to continue to develop their ideas; a maximum of 250,000 euro.
• Vidi for researchers who want to develop their own innovative line of research and appoint one or more researchers; a maximum of 800,000 euro.
• Vici for senior researchers to build their own research group; a maximum of 1,500,000 euro.

When can be applied

In 2012, there will be one application round for each of the subsidy categories Veni, Vidi and Vici:

• Closing date for submitting Veni applications was 5 January 2012
• Closing date for submitting Vidi applications is 2 October 2012
• Closing date for submitting Vici pre-proposals was 29 March 2012
• Closing date for submitting Vici full proposals based on the pre-proposals is 28 August 2012

Extra Information

For further information on previous awards, the VI association etc., please check out the programme website.

Adjustment extension clause: from 1 August 2011, the extension clause for researchers with an clinical specialization is expanded. The full list of courses for which extension can be requested, can be found here.

Limited submission possibilities for Veni and Vidi: With effect from 2011 a new submission condition applies to applicants. For the Veni and Vidi rounds, researchers may only submit a proposal on two occasions. Only applicants who had already submitted a proposal twice before 2011 may make a third submission via a transitional arrangement. For Vici, researchers may submit a proposal on three occasions.

Knowlegde utilisation: As of 2012 all applicants also have to fill out the paragraph on knowledge utilisation. All applications under the Incentives Scheme will from now on be judged on the basis of the criteria quality of the researcher and quality of the project proposal, and on the knowledge utilisation paragraph. Complete information concerning this criterion can be found in the brochure; you can find additional general information and information specifically aimed at the NWO divisions regarding knowledge utilisation at the bottom of this website.

Aspasia: Starting in 2005, the new-style Aspasia programme is to be linked to the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (Vernieuwingsimpuls). Aspasia subsidies will be awarded to university Executive Boards that promote female recipients of Vidi and Vici grants to associate professor (UHD) or full professor (hoogleraar) level within a year of the award of grant. The specific conditions under which subsidies will be awarded to Executive Boards are published on the Aspasia page. There is no need for applicants for Vidi and Vici grants to express an interest in Aspasia. NWO will itself approach those who are successful in the relevant selection rounds.

Criteria

Full information about the target groups, procedures and guidelines can be found in the brochure Innovational Research Incentives Scheme 2012.

Procedure

Applications can only be submitted electronically via NWO's Iris system. The forms can be downloaded two months before the deadline from the website and be submitted electronically. More information about the procedure can be found in the brochure and the instructions on the website.

Veni and Vidi applications for the Division for Medical Sciences must be submitted through ZonMw's ProjectNet. Vici applications for the Division for Medical Sciences are to be submitted through Iris.

Committees

Divisional assessment committees are installed Veni, Vidi and Vici rounds respectively.

Budget

The total budget of the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme for 2012 is 150 million euro.

Financiers

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) via NWO.

Contacts

• Secretariaat Vernieuwingsimpuls
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 40, e-mail: vi@nwo.nl