Competition of Joint Basic Research Projects ‘International Academic Cooperation of HSE University’

November 18, 2024 — February 3, 2025 

Each HSE University research subdivision may submit no more than one (1) application for the competition.

The HSE University research subdivision:

• must have positive experience of conducting fundamental research at HSE University
• must have existed for at least three years at the time of application
• must have experience undergoing performance evaluations
• must have experience conducting academic research with partners from international universities and research centres, as confirmed by agreements on academic cooperation / agreements on joint grants / joint publications / joint presentations at conferences, etc

• all participating members of the HSE University research subdivision implementing the project must be employed at said subdivision under the terms of a full-time employment contract. Participation in research projects based on a remote employment contract will not be accepted.
• the research team implementing the project must have at least 50% of participants under 39 years of age (at the time of the start of the research project), and at least 30% of participants from among students / HSE University postgraduates out of the total number of employees employed in the research team.
• at least 30% of the research team participants must be employed in the research subdivision at rates financed from the funds of the research project.
• at least 30% of the research team participants must be employed in the research subdivision at rates financed from the funds of the research project.
• the head of the HSE University research subdivision must be employed by the subdivision on a full-time or internal part-time basis; other employees may be employed on a full-time/external or internal part-time basis.
• the head of the HSE University research subdivision shall be responsible for the implementation of the research project.
• the supervisor or researcher assigned the supervisor’s duties shall be responsible for administrative support of the research project.

The academic partner can be a scientific subdivision of international universities and research centres.

• Within seven (7) calendar days after the submission deadline for applications, the centre staff will review the applications for compliance with the formal application requirements. Incomplete or incorrectly completed applications will not be accepted.
• After a technical examination for compliance/non-compliance of the application, participants of the competition will be notified about whether their application has been accepted/not accepted.
• The HSE University rector shall form a competition committee made up of university staff to evaluate applications.
• The members of the committee will read through and acquaint themselves with the content of applications (sets of documents and video presentations of the research project).
• The results of the competition will be determined at a meeting of the committee no later than 30th April 2025 (inclusive).

The following criteria for assessing applications are outlined in p.7 of the Regulations on the Competition for joint fundamental Academic projects under International academic cooperation Programme of HSE University:

Partner:

• Level of Partner
• Partner funding of a research project

Academic achievements and work experience of the HSE University research subdivision:

• Publication activity level
• Work experience
• Experience in conducting joint scientific research

Prospects for joint academic research:

• Relevance and significance of the planned research activities

Involvement of young scholars:

• Participation of undergraduate and postgraduate students in project activities

Proposed performance indicators

Based on the results of the competition, HSE University shall allocate funding to the HSE University research subdivision for implementation of the research project for the period from the date of signing the Agreement on Scientific Cooperation until 31.12.2027. The HSE University research subdivision and the partner's research subdivision shall implement the academic research project until 31.12.2027.

The supported HSE University research subdivision shall prepare and conclude an Agreement on Academic Cooperation (Annex 8) with the partner within 30 working days. The Agreement shall specify the HSE University research subdivision and the partner's research subdivision responsible for the implementation of the research project.

• Based on the results of the competition, HSE University shall allocate funding to the HSE University research subdivision to implement the research project for the period from the date of signing the Agreement on Scientific Cooperation until 31.12.2027, subject to the partner confirming the allocation of funding to the partner's research subdivision.
• The amount of funding from HSE University for each supported project may not exceed:
  • in 2025 - 5 000 000 (five million), with no more than 70% of the requested annual funding to be allocated for the remuneration of the research team, including contributions to extra-budgetary funds, and no less than 30% of the requested annual funding to be allocated for other expenses (incoming and outgoing academic mobility, purchase of equipment, organisation of academic events, conclusion of civil law contracts for the provision of services/performance of work with legal entities and individuals within the framework of a scientific project)
  • in 2026-2027 - 8,000,000 (eight million) roubles per year, with no more than 70% of the requested annual funding to be allocated for the remuneration of the research team, including contributions to extra-budgetary funds, and no less than 30% of the requested annual funding to be allocated for other expenses (incoming and outgoing academic mobility, purchase of equipment, organisation of academic events, conclusion of civil law contracts for the provision of services/performance of work with legal entities and individuals within the framework of a scientific project).
• In their applications, the participants shall independently determine the amount of funding requested, taking into account the limitations set out in the competition regulations.
• The amount of requested funding must be indicated in roubles.
• The amount of funding requested must ensure the fulfilment of the work plan of the joint basic research project as well as fulfilment of any performance indicators.
• Funding shall be allocated for a calendar year. Unspent amounts (balances) of funding cannot be carried over to the next year.

As part of the implementation of the research project, the HSE University research subdivisions together with the partner's research subdivisions shall submit annual reports on research work and a report on the fulfilment of performance indicators within the established deadlines. The fulfilment of performance indicators of the research project shall be confirmed by HSE University regulatory documents.

The progress of implementation of research projects shall be assessed annually at meetings of the HSE University Advanced Academic Research Committee (hereinafter ‘the Committee’) based on a review of reports on research work and the fulfilment of performance indicators.

Based on the results of three years of implementation of research projects, a final expert assessment of their efficiency shall be carried out, taking into account the fulfilment of the approved indicators and the work plan of the joint basic research project.

The results of the expert review shall be considered at a Committee meeting in accordance with the procedure established at HSE University. In the event of a successful expert review, the research project may be extended.