The objective of the fund is to encourage and facilitate an increased number of high-quality applications for externally funded research projects, as well as to enhance the capacity and quality of research conducted by HiMolde's own staff.
The University College Board decides, during the budget review, the maximum amount that the research fund can distribute throughout the corresponding calendar year.
The research fund has, subject to sufficient funding, up to four application deadlines per year: February 1st, May 1st, September 1st, and November 1st. Applications should be submitted to the Vice Rector for Research.
Applications are evaluated by the Research Committee at the first committee meeting following each application deadline. An application that does not meet the allocation criteria may be rejected by the Research Committee. The committee may decide to award support to projects requesting an amount under NOK 250,000. For larger projects, the committee may recommend to the University College Board to support the application. Decisions in the Research Committee are made by simple majority vote if a vote is required.
The criteria for awarding support are
1. Supported projects must either
- Facilitate applications for external funding (the application must specify the source of funding targeted), or
- Enhance the capacity and quality of research work conducted by the university's own staff.
2. Support can be granted for
- Purchase of fixed or permanent facilities and infrastructure necessary for performing research, such as equipment or laboratory capacity,
- Purchase of special services that fulfill the fund's purpose, such as transcription of interviews and proofreading,
- Purchase of data, software, or the execution of surveys,
- Purchase of research services from external research institutions when strictly necessary for project implementation, such as to secure access to proprietary data,
- Engagement of students in research activities, such as paying for scientific assistants,
- Travel, accommodation, and hospitality expenses in accordance with the rules in the State Personnel Handbook ("Statens personalhåndbok") and necessary for achieving the project's main objectives (see point 1).
3. Support for activities that are covered by point 1 but not mentioned under point 2 must be justified.
4. The applicant must demonstrate that alternative sources of funding have been adequately considered.
5. The application must use the project description template developed for the research fund, and the project description must be reviewed by the dean of one of the faculties at HiMolde before submission.
Applications that do not meet the criteria are normally rejected. For projects that are granted support, it is expected that the project leader ensures that the project is made visible on HiMolde's webpages for research projects. At the conclusion of the project, a final report must be submitted to the Vice Rector for Research.
This is a translation of the guidelines written in Norwegian. The English version is provided for information purposes only, and in the case of any inconsistency, the Norwegian version shall prevail.