Guidelines for application (the application period is now closed)
Please read the guidelines for application before applying.
The link to the grant application system is at the bottom of the page.
Who can apply for funding?
Funding will be awarded to the academic party, i.e. a university or a research institute, which in turn will employ the postdoc researcher. Tandem funding requires the active commitment and involvement of the industrial partner in defining the research question, in project execution and in shared supervision of the postdoc.
Who is the applicant?
The applicant is the project’s Principal Investigator (PI), a senior-level researcher supervising the funded postdoc at the academic host organization. The postdoc researcher does not necessarily have to be identified at the funding application stage; the postdoc hired with the funds may also be appointed after the application review process.
What outcomes are expected?
The project should be conducted by a postdoc employed by the academic party. However, the project plan should clearly indicate the impacts of the collaboration for both parties and beyond. The project is expected to produce high-class scientific publications and scientific knowledge and/or intellectual property with high-impact future innovation potential.
For what period is project funding provided?
Projects are funded for a total period of 24 months. Postdocs are expected to divide their time equally between the academic and industrial partner. Note that these 12-month periods can be flexibly allocated depending on the project plan.
What is expected from the industrial partner?
The industrial partner is expected to provide working facilities and infrastructure for the postdoc for a 12-month stay. The industrial host will also provide supervision for the postdoc researcher throughout the project.
In the application form, we ask the industrial partner to provide basic information about the industrial host (company) and the supervisor (a short cv is needed as an attachment). In addition, we ask the representative of the industrial host to describe the in-kind contribution to the project and project’s anticipated impact for the company.
What costs are covered and who gets the funding?
Academic partner
Funding for the 24-month project will be awarded to the academic host represented by the Principal Investigator, who will be the postdoc researcher’s academic supervisor. The postdoc will be employed by the academic host. Full costs will be covered for the 12-month period that the postdoc spends in the academic environment. For the other 12 months spent at the industrial host, only the postdoc’s salary and other personnel costs are funded.
Industrial host
The postdoc will work for a total of 12 months with the industrial host. During this time the industrial host will provide the necessary working facilities and infrastructure. The postdoc’s salary and other personnel costs are funded. The project plan should include the industrial partner’s in-kind budget and a description of in-kind contributions.
Example of two-year project costs
- Salary and other direct personnel costs covered for 24 months
- Overheads (based on the academic host’s official overheads covered for 12 months)
- Travel costs (only for the academic 12-month period)
- Materials (only for the academic 12-month period)
- Other costs (only for the academic 12-month period)
How to make an application:
- Funding (24-month grant) for a postdoc researcher (less than 10 years since doctorate).
- The application is completed via the FRIF online application system by the postdoc researcher’s academic supervisor, who represents the research organization.
- It’s not necessary to name the postdoc researcher at the application stage.
- The research project is a joint venture between the academic and the industrial partner, bringing benefits to both sides.
- The academic partner (including the postdoc researcher, if known) and the industrial partner jointly prepare and attach to the application a project plan and an assessment of the project’s anticipated impact.
- The application process is started by the academic supervisor. Once the academic partner’s information has been completed and submitted, the industrial partner will receive an invitation to complete their own section.
- When both sections have been completed, the application will be forwarded for processing by FRIF and outside review.
- The Board of the Finnish Research Impact Foundation will make its funding decisions based on the reviews and inform applicants of its decisions.
- The first projects will start up in autumn 2020.
The project plan and assessment of impact
The project plan (max 10 pages with references, use PDF as file format) should include the following information in the indicated order:
- Title of proposal
- Objectives and ambition (clearly describe the benefits to both the academic and industrial partners)
- Concept and methodology
- Implementation: project work plan with deliverables and milestones
- List of participants and their relevant merits
- Project budget
- Ethics and security: Does the project require a permit from the research site and/or an ethics committee?
- Publication of the results
See instructions for writing an impact assessment here →
How to apply?
The application is completed and submitted online. You can access the application form here. You will first need to register on the online application system. The application should be submitted by the project’s Principal Investigator (PI) during the application period. No paper copies are accepted.
When will the applicants be informed of the decisions?
Tandem Industry Academy call’s funding decisions will be published on 3 Aug 2020. All applicants will be informed of the Foundation’s decision by email.
When can projects be started?
The earliest start date for projects is in the fall of 2020.
Apply here
Open grant application system →
