Large-scale research infrastructure
Second call for large-scale research infrastructure (2009 - 2010)
- Opened: 2 April 2009
- Final submission date: 1 October 2009
- Results of the first call for large-scale research infrastructure
- Call and selection procedure (English) (PDF document, 283 KB)
- Application form (English) (Word-document, 289 KB)
Applications have to be submitted in English.
Budget
For this call for large –scale research infrastructure, the budgets for 2009 en 2010 have been combined. This implies an overall budget of EUR 10,000,000 with an unaltered policy.
Large-scale research infrastructure
Large-scale research infrastructure (Hercules 3 initiatives) is defined as research infrastructure with a total financing cost of at least EUR 1,500,000 (including the non-refundable portion of VAT). Total financing cost involves all subsidisable costs requested in the proposal.
The ‘artificial upgrading’ of a proposal to a large-scale Hercules 3 application by joining together several instruments which have little or no structural cohesion is to be avoided. An application may propose the purchase of several instruments but these must form a whole and it must be demonstrated that the proposed research programme or programmes cannot be carried out if one of them is not available.
Subsidy applicants
Applications can be made by a research group or research groups at a Flemish university, a Flemish university college, a strategic research centre (IBBT, IMEC, VIB, VITO), an institution for post-initial education (Institute of Tropical Medicine, Vlerick Leuven Ghent Management School, University Antwerp Business School), a partnership agreement between the above bodies or a partnership agreement between at least one of the aforementioned bodies and one or more third parties.
The term third party carries a broad definition and is not limited to companies and research centres based in Flanders. In the context of the Hercules Regulatory Decree, federal scientific and cultural institutions are viewed as third parties.
Third parties, in the first instance companies, can make use of infrastructure provided they make a financially assessable contribution. In other words, third parties cannot receive subsidies under the Hercules Initiative.
Public entities which depend on or were set up by, or (partially) funded by the Flemish Government, other Belgian authorities, foreign authorities and international or supranational organisations, may act as third parties.
Academic hospitals that have a legal personality may not submit applications, but may act as third parties.
In order to encourage cooperation with Flemish business and industry, the Hercules Foundation gave business federations information on the call and provide the names of contacts in each of the associations.
Application form
In order to qualify for Hercules financing, an organisation must compile a complete dossier. In so doing it must make use of the relevant application form available.
Language
The application must be submitted in English. This is due to the fact that most of the applications’ scientific assessors are international experts. However, call and application forms are available both in English and in Dutch.
Submission
Under the call for large-scale research infrastructure, five copies of the application on paper, accompanied by a CD-ROM containing the electronic version of the application, must be submitted by hand delivery to the Hercules Foundation, Koloniënstraat 56, 1000 Brussels.
Applications must be received by 5 pm Thursday, 1 October 2009 at the latest.
Applications submitted by e-mail, post or fax will not be accepted.
Further information
Further information can be obtained from the Hercules Foundation:
- either by e-mail at the following address: info@herculesstichting.be;
- or by telephone on weekdays between 9 am and 5 pm on ++32(0)22129404, and before or after these hours on ++32(0)478887102.
Indicative time schedule for evaluation and decision making
The following indicative time schedule applies to the second call for large-scale research infrastructure:
- issuing of call to submit applications: April 2, 2009;
- end of call: October 1, 2009;
- opportunity to respond to referee reports: December 2009
(in an indicative manner); - hearings are set up in February 2010;
- decision of the Hercules Foundation ‘s Board of Directors: end of March 2010.