The Strategic Research Council has opened a programme call focused on Water for Welfare, Security and Peace. The call has two stages with a first deadline for letter of intent on 21 March 2024.

The Strategic Research Council funds long-term excellent research that is aimed at finding solutions to the major challenges facing Finnish society. Research under this programme call focuses on water and water resources as a societal issue at both national and global level. Water is an essential element in welfare, security of supply and sustainable development, be it surface water, groundwater, inland waters or oceans.

A multi- and interdisciplinary approach is essential in addressing the ecological, societal, economic, cultural and technological issues related to water security in a systemic way. The topics of individual research projects may relate to issues at national level or issues in a transnational context. The research can focus on issues such as responsible management of water resources, infrastructures or ecosystems, or on strengthening water diplomacy and preventing water-related crises and conflicts. Water technology and digitalisation can offer up new opportunities for water security, water management, livelihoods and business, and support water use that improves biodiversity and carbon neutrality.

The call has two stages. The first stage is open to all eligible applicants. SRC consortia shortlisted in the first call stage will be invited to submit full applications. The SRC decides which consortia are invited.

Read the call text here.

Funding

The funding period is is divided into to two parts (3 + 3 years); the first funding period is 1 Dec 2024–30 Nov 2027, and the second is 1 Dec 2027–30 Nov 2030.

Each project will have a funding budget of 2.75–3 million euros for the first three-year funding period. The funding follows the full cost model and the SRC’s funding contribution comes to 100%. Funding awarded for strategic research can also be used to cover the salaries of consortium PIs and possible coordinators for the entire duration of the funding period. The cost estimates of the projects must be realistic.

The SRC is prepared to fund a total of 9–10 projects under the two programme calls open for application (Water for Welfare, Security and Peace and Democracy for the Future). The total funding budget for the first three years has been set at a total of some 28 million euros. 

Eligibility

Strategic research funding may only be applied for by consortia. A consortium must include at least three organisations and at least three research fields. 

Each consortium must have a PI, WP leaders and an interaction coordinator. In the full application, each subproject must have a named subproject PI at the site of research, who is responsible for the subproject’s use of funding and for submitting the application.

The consortium PI must have a doctoral degree and hold the title of docent or have research experience at the docent level. An SRC consortium must also have an interaction coordinator qualified in their own field.

Application

The letter of intent submitted at the first call stage consists of forms completed in the SARA online services as well as PDF appendices. More information regarding the application parts can be found here.

The deadline for the first stage submission (letter of intent) is 21 March 2024 at 16.15 Finnish time.

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Please contact  research@hanken.fi  as soon as possible if you are interested in this call.