The FNR and NWO/ZonMW signed a Statement of Intent on 24 March 2017, in which it was agreed to support bilateral projects between researchers based in Luxembourg and in the Netherlands.
The NWO is the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, while ZonMW is the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development. NWO/ZonMW respectively will always serve as lead agency under this agreement.
Currently, the FNR-NWO/ZonMW cooperation is implemented in the following calls:
- NWO Domain Science (ENW): NWO Open Competition Domain Science – M-1 (ongoing, see NWO website for more info) – find out more
- NWO Domain Science (ENW): NWO Open Competition Domain Science – XL (deadline: pre-proposal 19.9.2023; invited full proposal: 6. June 2024 ) – find out more
- ZonMW Open Competition (deadline for project idea: 18 April 2024 (before 14:00 hours CET); full proposal deadline: 12 September 2024 (before 14:00 hours CET)) – find out more
FUNDING SPECIFICS
ENW-M-1
This Call is open for collaborative research proposals with a question in or overlapping the fields of earth sciences, astronomy, chemistry, computer science, life sciences, physics and mathematics. Proposals can be monodisciplinary, multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary in nature. The collaborating teams are expected to have complementary expertise.
ENW-M-1 allows for the funding for 1 PhD/Postdoc position in the NL and 1 PhD/Postdoc position in LU. The budget restrictions on the Dutch party do not apply for the Luxembourg part. On the LU side (so the part funded by the FNR), you can apply for 1 position (i.e. a PhD or a Postdoc position) and some other related project costs (like some involvement of the PI, consumables, travel etc.) => the general INTER funding guidelines apply.
Does the PI count in the calculation of positions asked for? => No
Will the Luxembourg-based PI be financed by the FNR? => The general INTER funding guidelines apply
ENW XL call
In the NWO Open Competition Domain Science – XL, consortia of researchers can apply for curiosity-driven, fundamental research in the research fields of the NWO Domain Science (NWO-domein Exacte en Natuurwetenschappen (ENW)). Through cooperation consortia create added value compared to separate smaller projects, such as ENW -M grants. The ENW XL-grant gives researchers the opportunity and freedom to start, strengthen or expand excellent, challenging and innovative lines of research.
Collaboration with a research group from Luxembourg is possible by expanding an ENW-XL grant (proposal) with a Luxembourgian component (financed by FNR). The LU component does not count for determining the minimum and maximum budget size on the Dutch side. The Luxembourgian component may amount up to € 750,000. NWO treats and assesses bilateral proposals in the same way as regular ENW-XL grant proposals, as described in the call for proposals.
Luxembourgian researchers involved in an ENW-XL grant proposal must comply to the conditions of the FNR INTER programme (https://www.fnr.lu/funding-instruments/inter/) and are requested to contact the FNR well before the submission deadline.
ZonMw Open Competition
ZonMw funds health research and encourages the use of the knowledge developed to ensure that health and healthcare are improved. Research proposals for free, fundamental research can be submitted to the instrument ZonMw Open Competition. This funding instrument has no thematic limitation and is aimed at research proposals in all scientific disciplines with a research question or problem in (or adjoining) the area of fundamental research into health care and innovation.
Collaboration with a research group from Luxembourg is possible by expanding an ZonMw Open Competition grant (proposal) with a Luxembourgian component (financed by FNR). The LU component does not count for determining the maximum budget size on the Dutch side. However, the Luxembourgian component should not exceed a maximum of €500,000. ZonMw treats and assesses bilateral proposals in the same way as regular Open Competition grant proposals, as described in the call for proposals.
Luxembourgian researchers involved in an ZonMw Open Competition proposal must comply to the conditions of the FNR INTER programme.
The Dutch PI must contact ZonMw (see Annex 1 – module 5b of the Call guidelines) if they are considering to submit a joint ZonMW-FNR application.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
In case ZonMW is the funding body, applications are to be submitted to the respective ZonMW Unit by the main Dutch applicant, via the ZonMW electronic official application system. Please note that the main Dutch applicant is required to contact ZonMw before submitting a joint Dutch-Luxembourg proposal.
In case NWO is the funding body, applications are to be submitted to the involved unit(s) by the main Dutch applicant, via the NWO electronic official application system.
The general INTER funding guidelines apply. All applications must then be submitted to the FNR as an INTER application no more than 7 days after the NWO/ZonMW deadline. This must be done along with the INTER documents, via the FNR Online Grant Management System.
NWO Money-follows-cooperation line
In addition, to the agreement with the FNR where joint collaborative projects are financed by NWO/ZonMW and the FNR, the NWO offers in some calls the possibility of “money-follows-cooperation line”. Here, external research partners can be funded directly by the NWO. As a rule, the foreign partner’s expertise is strongly required in the proposal and is not available within The Netherlands. In calls were the FNR-NWO agreement has been implemented (i.e. ENW-M, ENW-XL, ZonMW Open Competition), Luxembourg researchers cannot profit from this funding mechanism.
For other calls, please check the NWO guidelines and contact the relevant NWO officer well in advance of the call deadline. Luxembourg researchers are not requested to submit an INTER application, if the NWO money-follows-cooperation principle applies.