The National Science Centre has opened new calls for proposals under the SONATA, ETIUDA and FUGA funding schemes, including the debut call under the TANGO funding opportunity organised in cooperation with the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR). The aim of this joint initiative is to present researchers with a comprehensive opportunity to apply the results of basic research, for the benefit of the economy and society. The sum of resources allocated in all four funding opportunities amounts to PLN 105 million.
The TANGO funding opportunity is intended to support the innovative endeavour of developing advanced technologies and bringing them to the market, as well as to strengthen the cooperation between research institutions and corporate entities.
TANGO is a chance for Polish researchers willing to put the results of their basic research to direct, practical use. The need to launch this kind of scheme stems from a gap in the system of funding the portion of basic research that yields ready for practical application results, said prof Michał Karoński, the Chair of the Council of the National Science Centre.
The application procedure in TANGO consists of two stages: the first one takes place at the NCN, the other at the NCBR. At both stages, proposals undergo evaluation by the same Expert Team. The NCBR has set the budget of TANGO at PLN 40 million.
It is no news that discoveries resulting from basic research offer the richest soil for the development of innovative practical applications. Without the theory of electromagnetic fields we wouldn’t have radio or TV; findings in thermodynamics are behind the construction of the internal combustion engine, coding theory made possible large-scale use of mobile phones, and the physicists’ invention of the laser revolutionised eye surgery. I am positive that the TANGO funding opportunity, a joint venture of the NCN and the NCBR, will soon yield beneficial solutions and products, said prof Andrzej Jajszczyk, director of the NCN.
Apart from launching the new funding opportunity, the Centre opened new editions of the SYMFONIA, ETIUDA and FUGA funding schemes.
SYMFONIA is a funding opportunity addressed to exceptional established researchers who wish to carry out research that is interdisciplinary in its nature and contributes to the opening of new perspectives. Projects submitted under this scheme, proposed by collaborating research teams and individual researchers, must combine information, data, methods, techniques and research tools, perspectives, ideas and theories from two or more fields of research. For the funding of SYMFONIA projects, the National Science Centre has allocated the total sum of PLN 30 million.
The ETIUDA funding opportunity for young researchers has a budget of PLN 10 million. Applications will be accepted from researchers beginning their academic career who have had successes academically and while working on their PhD.
FUGA is a funding opportunity open to PhD holders interested in internships in research centres other than their alma maters. The duration of the internship should not exceed 36 months but can be no shorter than 12 months. The budget in this funding opportunity has been set at PLN 25 million.