1. The role of the National Science Centre in financial support of research The role of the National Science Centre in financial support of research Prof. Michał Karoński Ph. D. Chairman of the Council of the National Science Centre

2. 2 National Science Centre The National Science Centre (NCN) is a government executive agency set up to fund basic research. Basic research is original experimental or theoretical research work that strives to expand knowledge of the fundamentals of phenomena and observable facts. It is not intended to have any direct practical application or use.

3. 3 The structure of research funding in Poland Strategic & executive level MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND HIGHER EDUCATION (MNiSW) Executive agency level MINISTRY’S PROGRAMMES AND AWARDS BASIC RESEARCHAPPLIED RESEARCH NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Budget 2014: PLN 885 M (€ 209.5 M) Budget 2014: PLN 5.3 bln (€ 1.3 bln) National budget for research 2014: PLN 6.5 bln (€1.6 bln)

4. 4 National Science Centre’s aims and mission  Financing the best projects in the area of basic research  Supporting researchers starting their career in research  Supporting researchers wanting to establish new research teams, including interdisciplinary endeavours capable of competing on the global stage  Creating new employment opportunities in research projects  Inspiring international cooperation in research Improving the quality of research in Poland by means of a competition-based system of funding opportunities, furthering the advancement of Polish research on the international arena

5. 5 National Science Centre’s funding schemes PRELUDIUMETIUDA SONATA SONATA BIS FUGA MAESTROSYMFONIA OPUSHARMONIATANGO PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS POST-DOC RESEARCHERS ADVANCED RESEARCHERS OPEN TO ALL RESEARCHERS Starting grants for researchers without doctorate Doctoral scholarships for PhD candidates with a commenced registration and conferment procedure for a doctoral degree For emerging researchers with up to 5 years since the award of PhD For researchers with a PhD obtained between 2 and 12 years prior to submitting the proposal Postdoctoral internships for researchers with a PhD obtained within 5 years prior to submitting the proposal For advanced researchers conducting pioneering research For eminent researchers running cross-domain projects General grants for a wide range of researchers at every stage of their research career For researchers wanting to carry out projects in international cooperation For researchers wanting to apply the results of basic research

6. 6 NCN Panels 25 Panels, covering all fields of science, are divided into the following three thematic groups of disciplines: HS: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences ST: Physical Sciences and Engineering NZ: Life Sciences

7. 7 Proposal Evaluation Process

8. 8

9. 9 Selected statistics (2014)  12 announced calls PRELUDIUM, SONATA, OPUS (2 times per year) SONATA BIS, HARMONIA, MAESTRO, SYMFONIA (1 every year) FUGA, ETIUDA (1 every year)  12 concluded calls  11 432 proposals  1804 proposals qualified for funding  760,3 mln zł grants  16 % success rate  95 Expert Teams  1308 members of the Expert Teams  6482 external reviewers, including 4035 foreign reviewers

10. 10 Selected statistics (2014) Number of proposals submitted and grants awarded in calls concluded in 2014 by research domain, including success rate. 15% 16% 17% 10%  pro proposals submitted  pro proposals approved for funding

11. 11 Life Sciences – NCN subject areas NZ 1 Molecular and structural biology and biochemistry NZ 2 Genetics, genomics NZ 3 Cellular and developmental biology NZ 4 Biology of tissues, organs and organisms NZ 5 Human and animal noninfectious diseases NZ 6 Human and animal immunology and infection NZ 7 Public health NZ 8 Evolutionary and environmental biology NZ 9 Applied life sciences and biotechnology

12. 12 Life Sciences - selected statistics (2014) 12  proposals: 3428  proposals qualified for funding: 533  success rate : 15,5 %  grants: 275 mln zł Number of proposals submitted and grants awarded in calls concluded in 2014 by Life Sciences subjec areas:  pro proposals submitted  pro proposals approved for funding

13. 13 International Cooperation  BEETHOVEN (2014) NCN and Deutsche Forschunsgemeinschaft DFG are launching first joint call for proposals in order to fund the best joint research projects in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.  POLONEZ Marie Sklodowska - Curie Actions (2015-2017) A funding programme addressed to incoming researchers who may apply for 12-24 month fellowships in host institutions in Poland.  Planned Quant-ERA (ERA-NET COFUND on Quantum Technologies)

14. 14 HS:  HERA (Humanities in the European Research Area)  NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe)  SMART URBAN FUTURES (Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe) ST:  CHIST-ERA (European Coordinated Research on Long-term Challenges in Information and Communication Sciences & Technologies)  M-era. Net 2 (ERA-NET programmes on materials science and engineering, for the benefit of the European industry and society) NZ:  Infect-ERA (ERA-NET on human infectious diseases)  BiodivERsA (Consolidating the European Research Area on biodiversity and ecosystem services)  JPI HDHL (Joint Programming Initiative – A healthy Diet for a Healthy Life)  JPI AMR (Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance) International Cooperation

15. 15 www.ncn.gov.pl More information available at: Thank you for your attention!