UiT Talent call: Innovation grant for master and PhD students
Much of the research that are carried out in connection with master's/PhD work has an innovation potential that can be followed up by providing additional resources. UiT's innovation grants will give the candidate time and opportunity to develop the idea further into a potential innovation. The innovation grant will be important for increasing UiT's innovation and entrepreneurship activity, as well as educating students who contribute to innovation and entrepreneurship. The scheme can also be used to strengthen R&D cooperation with private business and the public sector. The innovation grant should not be seen as an extension of master's/PhD work, but something that comes in addition to this. The research group is responsible for following up the candidate during the project period. Two scholarships are awarded per year.
Call 2024
The application deadline for 2024 is 19th of April 2024. If you have any questions, these can be addressed to Inger Lin U. Ræder, Office for Research and Innovation, SeFI.
For 2024, funding totaling NOK 1 000 000 will be allocated to two grants of up to NOK 500,000 in total (up to 6 months' salary) from central level associated with follow-up of innovation and commercialization work. The faculty/department contributes with coverage of other costs, including laboratories/office space to the candidate.
The scholarship
- The grant from the strategic fund of up to NOK 500 000 in total will be used to finance up to 6 months' salary for PhD/master’s candidates who have an idea they wish to further develop into a potential innovation.
- The application type is open for funding of various types of innovation (product innovation, process innovation, service innovation, social innovation). This must be ticked in the application template. For product innovations (and possibly process innovations), the application type is open to early-phase projects (Proof-of-concept) before submission of DOFI (Disclosure of invention). There is, however, an expectation that a DOFI can be submitted during the grant period for this type of innovation.
- It is assumed that the faculty/department contributes by covering all other costs and provide laboratories and office space for the candidate.
- It is assumed that the research group contributes with own time to assist the candidate during the project period.
- When an innovation grant is granted, the applicant will be employed at the department at UiT where the research group belongs. The current rules for IPR are the same as for academic staff at UiT.
- The application template must be used, and the application must be submitted via Nettskjema.
- The projects must start during 2024.
Criteria
- The candidate must be affiliated with a department at UiT. For master's level, the candidate must have submitted their master's thesis by 31st of May 2024 or have completed their education up to 12 months before the application deadline. For PhD level, the candidate must be studying at the start of the scholarship.
- The idea must be based on research conducted at UiT and must have innovation potential. It is an advantage if the need/market for the innovation has been identified.
- The probability of realising the innovation must be high. The research group must provide guidance and mentoring for the candidate. Being part of a research group that can demonstrate good results in innovation or can document close and good cooperation with business/public enterprises will be positive.
- The grant is intended to contribute to the realisation of the innovation and give the candidate the opportunity to develop, concretise or develop the idea further.
- Necessary own contribution must be available from the department and/or faculty. Any additional contributions from the faculty/institute that contribute to an extension of the scholarship period beyond 6 months must be specified and will count positively in the assessment.
- The application itself must contain a description of the idea, an explanation of why the idea and the applicant should receive an innovation grant, a description of the academic environment and available support from the department/faculty, and which relevant sources of funding it intends to apply for after the grant period has expired.
- The application must be approved by the head of department.
Application template and attachments
The application must contain information about the applicant, supervisor and any others involved. Furthermore, it must contain a description of the idea with a tick for the type of innovation, a justification as to why the idea and the applicant should receive an innovation grant, specification of the academic environment and a description of available support from the department/faculty. The application template must be used and can be found here.
The application must also contain the candidate's CV, a budget, and a confirmation of contribution from the faculty/institute. If a DOFI has been submitted, confirmation of this must also be attached. Candidates who have not submitted their master's thesis at the time of application must attach a confirmation from the faculty/institute that they will submit by 31/05/2024.
The application is submitted via Nettskjema. Only applications submitted via nettskjema will be approved. Application deadline 19.04.2024 at 13:00 (CET). The result is expected in June 2024.
Application processing
All applications must be approved by department management before they are sent to SeFI for processing.
The applications are assessed by a committee and “Strategisk utvalg for Innovasjon” (SUI) gives advice on which projects are to be funded. Allocated funding are transferred when the institute has accepted the grant and a project agreement has been made. SeFI is secretariat for the application process. A final report with a description of the results must be delivered to SeFI within 2 months after the end of the project.
Kortnytt fra Seksjon for forskning og innovasjon
