Call for project proposals to be accepted on the list of Sino-Danish bilateral cooperation

Danida Fellowship Grant

Inclusion on the Committee’s list of approved collaborative projects enables application to be made for a Danida Fellowship Grant to fund a Chinese researcher in Denmark for ten months. The grants are given as development assistance through the Fellowship Programme supported by Danida, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

1. Call for project proposals to be accepted on the list of Sino-Danish bilateral cooperation

1.1 The Sino-Danish Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation

The Sino-Danish Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was established in 1985. The Committee was appointed to the task of discussing the Sino-Danish scientific and technological cooperation and of assessing project proposals for Sino-Danish collaborative projects. From the perspective of Danish international development assistance, inclusion on the Committee’s list of approved collaborative projects enables application to be made to the Danida Fellowship Programme under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2006 and with the Committee’s work as a starting point, Denmark and China initiated negotiations on the signing of a bilateral agreement on science and technology. The agreement was signed by the Danish Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. Helge Sander, and the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Wan Gang, in September 2007.

In February 2008, the Danish Ministry for Science, Technology and Innovation furthermore published a strategy for knowledge-based collaboration between Demark and China. With the launch of the strategy, Denmark intends to facilitate Sino-Danish collaboration and to encourage individual universities and companies in Denmark and China to use the framework of the bilateral agreement to conclude concrete agreements on projects and talent exchange.

However, whereas the principle behind the Danida Fellowship Programme is international development assistance, the guiding principles for the strategy for knowledge-based collaboration between Demark and China is reciprocity and equal cooperation within areas where both countries are in a strong position. Initiatives launched in the strategy must therefore be separated from the present call for project proposals.

The Committee consists of Danish members from the Danish part of the Sino-Danish committee and representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).

1.2 Application deadline

Applications for inclusion on the Committee’s list of approved collaborative projects will be processed with the following application deadline:
Friday 28 May 2010 at 1.00pm

1.3 Grant type

In the present call it is important to note that the Sino-Danish Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation can neither cover nor contribute to project costs.

However, Chinese partners wishing to undertake part of the research in Denmark in connection with an approved project may apply for a grant through the Danida Fellowship Programme supported by Danida, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A maximum of ten fellowships may be granted per calendar year and finances a Chinese researcher for a ten months stay in Denmark.

Application for a Danida Fellowship Grant is open to those whose project proposals have been accepted onto the approved list of the Sino-Danish Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. Danida Fellowship Centre manages and implements the Danida Fellowship Programme. For information concerning the fellowship, please visit Danida Fellowship Centre.

1.4 Assessment criteria

The Committee invites new projects proposals within the following fields:

• Sustainable Energy and Environment
• Biotechnology and Biomedicine
• Agricultural and Food Technology
• Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
• Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Information and Communication Technology

The call is open to scientists from Danish universities, public research institutions and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) partnering with a Chinese scientist. Cooperation projects must involve both a Danish and a Chinese partner who are an experienced researcher (post.docs).

The Committee will furthermore give priority to project proposals which encompass a Danish and a Chinese partner who have not previously been engaged in collaboration projects.

More specifically and in assessment of applications, importance will be attached to:

• The purpose of the project proposal
• The scientific focus
• The relevance of collaboration with a Chinese counterpart
• Potential for future collaboration

Project proposals will be peer reviewed in China and in Denmark and final approval will be made based on mutual agreement of nodal agencies.

1.5 Requirements and procedures for applications

In order to get a project proposal approved, applications for project proposals to be accepted on the list of Sino-Danish bilateral cooperation must use the application form for Sino-Danish Scientific and Technological Cooperation – New Project Proposals 2011-2012. Supplementary documents may be attached, but completing the form is the minimum requirement.

Project proposals must be jointly written and submitted by the responsible Chinese partner and the responsible Danish partner to the Danish secretariat in the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (see contact information below). Hereafter the secretariat will forward the received applications to the Chinese Ministry for Science, Technology and Innovation. Only projects involving both Danish and a Chinese partner will be considered by the Committee.

Applications must be submitted in English as both the Chinese and the Danish side will have to assess the application.

1.6 Submission of applications

Applications must be submitted:

• on paper, as one unstapled original with original signature plus three stapled copies and
• one continuous pdf-file by e-mail

Please send the material to:

Forsknings- og Innovationsstyrelsen
Att.: Jeppe Søndergaard Pedersen
Bredgade 40
1260 København K

E-mail:

Applications must be submitted so they reach the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation by the time and date specified on the cover of this call for project proposals.

Applications may be rejected without substantive consideration if the deadlines and requirements set out in this call for project proposals are not met or if the application form is not completed correctly.

No later than three weeks after receiving the application, the main applicant will receive an acknowledgement giving a schedule for the processing of the application. The approved list of Sino-Danish bilateral cooperation is expected to be finalised in autumn 2010.

1.7 Supplementary information

Relevant documents and information

• Application form for Sino-Danish Scientific and Technological Cooperation – New Project Proposals 2011-2012

The Danida Fellowship Centre