CLUE+ Connected World Call

Important information

• What are the assessment criteria?

  Applications have to relate to the Connected World theme and engage researchers from at least two different departments and at least one CLUE+ member. Proposals that engage researchers from different faculties are prioritized. All applications will be assessed by the CLUE+ Management Team according to the following criteria:

  • The quality of the researchers;
  • The quality, innovative nature and scientific impact of the applications;
  • Chance of successfully attracting research funding;
  • Knowledge utilization;
  • Societal impact and valorisation;
  • Links to one of the CLUE+ research themes/programmes.
  • Diversity. Society, and with it our university community, is home to a wide variety of genders, sexual orientations, nationalities, cultures, ways of thinking and religions. It is important for the CLUE+ institute to always keep that diversity in mind when organizing (CLUE+) events and activities. For more information about diversity at VU Amsterdam, please visit this website.

• Ad 1. Academic/scientific meetings

  (or parts of /sessions in) like conferences, workshops, lectures (series), colloquia or expert meetings to set up a consortium or network.

  You can apply for funding up to €3.000,-. The (research) activities and initiatives have to relate to the Connected World theme.

  How to apply?
  Applicants must submit the following documents:

  • Cover letter (max. 1 page A4).
  • Detailed budget estimate of max. €3.000,- (e.g. all costs have to be made in 2021). Please also mention in your detailed budget estimate third parties who will co-finance the (research) activity/event.

• Ad 2. Drafting proposals to prepare in larger research calls

  Together with colleagues from other departments/faculties you are invited to write a first draft of a project proposal, which eventually supports an application in a larger call. Such calls can be either programmatic (e.g. H2020, NWA, NWO Large) or individual ones (e.g. NWO Open Competition, NWO Innovation scheme, ERC). The CLUE+ grant, of € 3.000,-, will allow you to fund replacement of education tasks during the time of preparation of the grant application.

  How to apply?
  Applications must contain the following documents:

  • A draft proposal of max. 3 pages. The draft proposal should contain:
    • Central aims and objectives of the project
    • Challenge (scientific/societal)
    • Strategy/methodology
    • Innovativeness
    • Impact (scientific/societal)
    • Identification of future call(s)
    • Required expertise/composition research group
  • In case of replacement funding: Letter of consent from the Head of Department. (When you apply for replacement funding during the time that you are preparing your grant application, a letter of consent is required from your Department Head regarding the time you want to be replaced.)
  • Detailed budget estimate of max. €3.000,-. (i.e. all costs have to be made in 2021).

  (If your budget contains wages paid for employment (for someone else), the amount requested must be checked by the HRM officer (Veronique Bremers: v.a.m.j.bremers@vu.nl) and the Head of Finance (Patricia La Chira Marquina: p.l.lachiramarquina@vu.nl) of FGW, who is the Secretary of CLUE+.)

• Ad 3. CLUE+ Research Assistants

  Talent development is a major aim of CLUE+. In order to enhance this, CLUE+ members are invited to engage talented MA-students in their projects. This grant enables them to hire students as a research assistant. The main criterium is that the assistant helps to bridge research of at least two researchers from different departments.

  The CLUE+ grant of € 3.000,- will allow you to hire an assistant to help you with your research activities.

  How to apply?
  Applications must contain the following documents:

  • A draft proposal of max. 3 pages in which you motivate how and why you need a research assistant.
  • The name of the research assistant.
  • Budget estimate of max. €3.000,-. (i.e. all costs have to be made in 2021).

  (If your budget contains wages paid for employment (for someone else), the amount requested must be checked by the HRM officer (Veronique Bremers: v.a.m.j.bremers@vu.nl) and the Head of Finance (Patricia La Chira Marquina: p.l.lachiramarquina@vu.nl) of FGW, who is the Secretary of CLUE+.)

• Ad 4. Valorisation activities

  CLUE+ offers funding of a max. €2.000,- for valorisation activities, aiming at social or economic impact of your scientific work (e.g. website, public event, training course, citizen workshop).

  How to apply?
  Applicants must submit the following documents:

  • Cover letter (max. 1 page A4).
  • Detailed budget estimate of max. €2.000,- (e.g. all costs have to be made in 2021). Please also mention in your detailed budget estimate third parties who will co-finance the initiative.

• How to report?

  The applicant is required to send a final report and overview of the costs incurred within six weeks after the activity has ended.

  Guidelines final report:
  The final report is in English and consist of max. two A4 pages. In the report you give a short description what you have done with the grant you received from the institute. The final report can be send to the CLUE+ policy officer, Rita van der Schriek-Hermans via e-mail: clue@vu.nl.