Funding Regulations
Funding Regulations for Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant
§ 0 Declaration
The program is designed to offer flexibility for researchers and their projects and ensure a simple application process. The following regulations were developed for this purpose. However, projects that fall partly outside of this scheme might also be funded. In case of foreseeable deviations from the regulations during the application process or during the ongoing project, please contact the research manager.
§1 Purpose of the Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant:
The Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant provides support for members of the Field of Excellence “Dimensions of Europe” to pursue small scale, independent, research projects resulting in e.g. a concrete (part of a) publication that advances the Field of Excellence. This grant exclusively supports self-contained research projects with a clear explorative nature (also in terms of future research plans) and a clear knowledge-gain ambition (scholarly aim and/or research question). The project funding is aimed at supporting the Prinicipal Investigator’s own research. While the research project cannot be outsourced to others (such as MA students), collaborators are invited to participate, contribute, support and advance the PI’s own research. Projects are conducted within the applicant’s existing employment contract at the University of Graz.
The Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant cannot be used to provide additional funding for ongoing projects, nor can it be used to provide in-kind services for other projects. No double funding. No combination with other internal University of Graz funding possible except with Speaker's approval.
§2 Eligibility of applicants:
Any member of the Field of Excellence “Dimensions of Europe” who has an employment contract with the University of Graz for the whole duration of the project is eligible to apply. It is possible to fund a team of researchers with one Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant. One researcher acts as the main applicant.
There are no restrictions in terms of career stages or research areas or type of employment or type of membership in the Field of Excellence.
§3 Framework:
Project duration: Up to 24 months. In extraordinary circumstances, extended durations can be agreed on with justification.
Application deadline: Two Calls per year are planned.
The decision will be announced two months after the deadlines latest.
The project has to start max. 6 months after the positive decision.
§4 Budget and Funding:
Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grants provide max. 5,000 euros per project. A total of 50,000 euros is available for the Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant and its two calls per year. The decision will ensure that all clusters are represented in the funding.
Additional funding may be provided by the Field of Excellence for the Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant Call, if required and approved by the speakers, should more excellent and eligible applications be submitted than budget funds are available for the Call. However, the increase can only take place if sufficient general budget funds are available.
The full amount that is approved will be transferred to the applicant’s department / institute /centre and allocated an “Innenauftragsnummer”. Unused funds will be transferred back to the Field of Excellence after the completion of the Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant project.
Eligible costs:
The grant can be used for all direct project costs (material costs, travel costs, work and service contracts) and, in justified cases, personnel costs for doctoral students at the University of Graz. Any new short-term employment contracts must be advertised publicly, in compliance with the regulations of the University of Graz.
Material costs and work/service contracts include, but are not limited to, costs related to the access to data / research material, conducting and transcribing interviews, interpretation and translation services and rewards to research participants.
Travel costs include, but are not limited to travelling to archives and libraries, fieldwork or conducting interviews. .
Non-eligible costs:
The Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grants do not cover general research assistance, teaching and lecturing activities (such as guest lectures), infrastructure, indirect costs (overhead), conference travel, event organization and publication / dissemination costs.
Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grants do not provide funding for projects funded from another source (double funding).
§5 Application process:
Applications for the Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant have to be sent via email before the deadline to europe(at)uni-graz.at. For the application, please use the provided template including a 1–2-page research proposal (max. 800 words) and a clear budget break down.
After submission, the applications are checked for formalities by the research management. If the formalities are not fulfilled, the project leader will be informed and, if possible, a period for corrections of the application and/or providing additional information will be agreed upon.
The relevant coordinators of the clusters and the speakers of the Field of Excellence will evaluate the proposal after the formal approval and make the decision. The project has to start max. 6 months after the positive decision.
§6 Ethics and Data Protection
The applicants are responsible for obtaining any necessary approvals from the Uni Graz Ethics Committee or Data Protection Officer prior to the submission of the Karl Kaser Explorative Research Grant proposal or during the project.
The applicant and the project team are responsible to comply with regulations from the University of Graz and ensure the high standard of research integrity, ethics and good scientific practice.
§ 7 Report and Announcement
After successful application and positive funding decision the applicant will be asked to provide a project abstract (100-200 words) for publication on the DoE homepage.
The grantees are obliged to submit a short project report, using a template on the DoE homepage, within 2 months from the completion of the project.
Significant deviations from the implementation of the project should be communicated to the research management.