National Foundation for Science and Technology Development would like to announce call for basic research proposal in social sciences and humanities to be evaluated and funded in the first intake of 2020. Submission time for this intake of application is before 17:00 on 15 October 2019.

I. Funding objectives
– To create favorable research environment in order to promote basic research activities at scientific and technological organizations in Vietnam.

– To enhance research capabilities and develop robust research communities in order to enrich Vietnamese science and technology workforce.

– To improve research quality towards international standards. To promote international cooperation and integration in scientific researches.

II. Funding scopes:

Basic research in the field of social sciences and humanities: Philosophy, Ethics and Religiology, Sociology, Political Science, Economics and Business, Economic and Social Geography, Law, History and Archaeology, Ethnology, Psychology, Educational Science, Language and Literature, Media and Communication, Art according to categories of scientific and technological research fields issued together with Decision No. 12/2008/QĐ-BKHCN dated on 04 September 2008 by the Ministry of Science and Technology (download the List here) and Decision No. 95/QD-HDQL-NAFOSTED dated on 24 June 2016 by NAFOSTED’s Board of Trustees on the announcement of List of Basic research orientations in social sciences and humanities being in effect from 2016;

III. Funding targets:

– Vietnam’s scientific and technological organizations; foreign organizations that are capable of conducting scientific research and currently operating in Vietnam; foreign organizations that are collaborating with Vietnam’s scientific and technological organizations in joint research.

– Individual Vietnamese-citizen scientists; foreign scientists who collaborate with Vietnam’s scientific and technological organizations or with individual Vietnamese scientists.

IV. Requirements for organizations, individuals conducting research and for research results

For host institution:

a) Must be a registered scientific and technological organization whose expertise matches with the project(s) being proposed;

b) Fulfill all responsibilities of a host organization for the project(s) awarded by NAFOSTED grants

For principal investigator:

a) Possess relevant research expertise to the project being proposed and are employed by a registered scientific and technology organization. If the principal investigator is not currently employed by any scientific and technological organization, he/she must be supported by a reputable Vietnam’s scientific and technological organization that agrees to be the host institution (host institution must be an S&T organization with legal status, seal and account at the State Treasury);

b) Possess research abilities and skills that match the requirements of the project being proposed, including: holding PhD degree or associate professor/professor title, and having relevant research results published on prestigious international journals in the last 5 years from the submission date;

c) Commit sufficient time to complete the research being proposed as per regulations. In case the PI is overseas for business trip, his/her time abroad must not exceed 1/3 of the total project conduction time;

d) Abide by conditions for PI registration and participation as per regulations.

Research group members must have profession and skills suitable for research content of the project, including:

a) Key researcher(s) and scientific secretary: achieved PhD degree or associate professor/professor title and having relevant research outcomes published on prestigious international or national journal in the last 5 years from the submission date.

If member is master-degree holder, he/she must have relevant research outcome(s), including at least 01 publication on prestigious international journal(s) or 02 publication prestigious national journal(s) or 01 monograph in the last 05 years from the submission date;

b) PhD students participating in the proposed project must be working on relevant dissertations and acquire dissertation-approval decision in 24 months from the submission date.

c) Technician and other supporting staffs.

Research results of the projects must fulfill one of the followings:

– Having at least 01 article published on prestigious international journal and 02 articles published on prestigious national journal;
– Having at least 02 articles published on prestigious international journal.
– In the case that the research topic cannot be published on prestigious international journal, the research result must have at least 01 monograph (published or as draft which has been confirmed to be eligible for publication) and 02 articles published on prestigious national journals.
* For the first 02 cases, principal investigator must be the author of at least 01 article published on prestigious international journal which resulted from the funded research project.

* For exploring and discovering project, research results must include at least 01 article published on prestigious international journal.

Guidance for looking up the List of prestigious international journals (Decision No. 224/QD-HDQL-NAFOSTED dated on 08 November 2017 by the President of National Foundation for Science and Technology Development’s Board of Trustees)

Details on relevant regulations can be found in Circular No. 37/2014/TT-BKHCN dated on 12 December 2014 on the management of basic research project funded by National Foundation for Science and Technology Development, according to https://nafosted.gov.vn/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Thong_tu_372014TT-BKHCN.pdf 

V. Project application (including online application and printed application or online application with digital signature):

1. Online application must be submitted via OMS using the correct forms, including:

– Registration form for basic research project (NCCB01 Form, NCCB01E Form) – To be filled in online system;

– Research proposal (NCCB02 Proposal Form;  NCCB02 Cost Proforma Form;  NCCB02E Proposal Form, NCCB02E Cost Proforma Form);
– Scientific CV of the principal investigator and each member of research group (NCCB03 Form; NCCB03E From) – To be filled in online system;
– Evidences on research achievement of principal investigator: at least 01 publication by the Principal Investigator in the last 05 years in List of prestigious international journals as published by NAFOSTED.

Link to the OMS_KHXH&NV:

http://oms.nafosted.gov.vn/oms_ss/account/index.php

2. After completing online application on OMS, scientists can submit their application to NAFOSTED using one of the following two methods:

Method 1. Submit printed application (01 Vietnamese copy) which is signed in blue ink and approved with red-ink seal, including:         
a. 01 registration form printed from OMS and approved by the host or supporting organization;

• Research proposal and cost proforma (match with the electronic version on the OMS) approved by the host or supporting organization;
• Scientific CV of the PI and each member in research team printed out from the OMS, signed in blue ink and approved by the working, host or supporting organization;
• Evidence on PhD training (a photocopy of Decision on approval of research thesis and instructor, if any)

In addition, PI must print 02 Application Checklist using given form to recheck and use as submission confirmation (Download the Application Checklist here)

Method 2. Submit application using digital signature (01 copy in Vietnamese): See detailed guidance here.

Note: 

– Evidence on published works of the PI and other research team members must be fully updated in the scientific CV in OMS. The PI must ensure that information in the English application match with Vietnamese version. Failure to provide sufficient evidence can lead to ineligible application which will not be evaluated or to incorrect evaluation of capability of PI and research team members.      
– Electronic application will be used in the evaluation process.

– Application which is not printed from OMS shall not be accepted.

– In the cost proforma: must include all 07 parts of detailed budget; if there is budget item that is not requested: put 0 for the request amount.

– Printed application must be sent to NAFOSTED and clearly indicate on the envelope as “Application for basic research project funding program in social sciences and humanities”

Please kindly and carefully read Guidance on using OMS.    

VI. Submission address 

Administrative Office, National Foundation for Science and Technology Development
R. 405, 4^th floor, 39 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
For support in application contents: 024. 3934 0411/ ext 102, 103, 104, 105
For support in IT problems: 024. 3936 7750/ ext 801 – 804

VII. Timelines

Application submission: from 16 September to 17:00, 15 October 2019

Checking application eligibility: October 2019

Evaluation: November – December 2019

Announcement of funding result: January 2020

Announcement of budget: February 2020

Proposal refinement and contract signing: February – March 2020

VIII. Relevant regulations          
– Circular No. 37/2014/TT-BKHCN dated on 12th December 2014 by the Ministry of Science and Technology Governing the administration of basic research funding program of National Foundation for Science and Technology Development;

– Decision No. 95/QĐ-HDQL-NAFOSTED dated on 24th June 2016 by NAFOSTED Board of Trustees approving list of basic research areas in social sciences and humanities from 2016;

– Decision No. 224/QĐ-HDQL-NAFOSTED dated on 08 November 2017 by NAFOSTED Board of Trustees on the announcement of List of prestigious international and national journal in the fields of social sciences and humanities;
– Joint Circular No. 55/2015/TTLT-BTC-BKHCN  dated on 22 April 2015 by Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology guiding norms for constructing and allocating cost estimates and settlement for scientific projects using state budget;

– Joint circular No. 27/2015/TTLT-BKHCN-BTC dated on 30 December 2015 by Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology regulating funding allocation for conducting scientific projects using state budget;

– Circular No. 40/2017/TT-BTC dated on 28 April 2017 by Ministry of Finance guiding cost-norms for domestic travelling and conference organization;
– Joint Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BTC dated on 6 January 2010 by Ministry of Finance governing the allowances for welcoming and receiving foreign delegation into Vietnam, and for organizing international workshops/conferences in Vietnam.

– Circular No. 09/2015/TT-BKHCN dated on 15 May 2015 by the Ministry of Science and Technology governing the administration of activities of enhancing national scientific and technological capacity of National Foundation for Science and Technology Development;

– Circular No. 109/2016/TT-BTC dated on 30 June 2016 by the Ministry of Finance guiding norms for constructing cost estimates, managing, using and settling budget for individual and national statistical surveys;

– Circular No. 71/2018/TT-BTC dated on 10 August 2018 by the Ministry of Finance governing the allowances for welcoming and receiving foreign delegation into Vietnam, for organizing international workshops/conferences in Vietnam;

– Circular No. 04/2019/TT-BNV dated on 24 May 2019 by the Ministry of Home Affairs guiding statutory pay rate for salary and allowance earners in organizations and public service providers of the Communist Party and the Government, and socio-political organizations and associations;

The above documents can be found and downloaded from NAFOSTED’s Website at the link: https://www.nafosted.gov.vn/

1. Guidelines on preparing proposal budget
2. NAFOSTED provides guidelines on how to apply Joint circular No. 55/2015/TTLT-BTC-BKHCN of 22rd April 2015 of Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology guiding norms for constructing and allocating cost estimates and settlement for scientific projects using state budget as below:
   1.1. Labor costs: Are calculated on workday basis of each member and converted to month unit. A work-day equals to 8 working hours; or more than 4 working hours per day. A working month is equivalent to 22 work-day.

1.2. Fixed asset purchase and repair costs: Previously, NAFOSTED only funds for small and necessary research devices that are directly used for project activities. During merit review and evaluation, NAFOSTED prioritizes the host organizations that fully meet requirements on physical facilities and equipment to proceed their proposed research.  Any subcontracts for purchasing equipment must comply with regulations specified in Joint Circular No. 16/2015/BKHCN-BTC dated on 1st September 2015 by Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology governing the administration and use of assets supported by State grants. Equipment purchase is possible only if there are no substitute hiring/renting services available, or due to inefficient asset maneuver.

For the purchase excess 10 million dongs, the research team must provide price quote.

1.3. Sending delegations abroad: Is not generally applicable under basic research. If there is an urge need for sending delegations abroad, the research team must prepare a separate proposal and submit to “NAFOSTED support program for national science and technology competency enhancement” in accordance with Circular No. 09/2015/TT/BKHCN dated on 15th May 2015 by Ministry of Science and Technology.

1.4. Receiving foreign delegation: No. 71/2018/TT-BTC dated on 10 August 2018 by Ministry of Finance governing the allowances for welcoming and receiving foreign delegation into Vietnam, and for organizing international workshops/conferences in Vietnam.
2. Applying Joint circular No. 27/2015/TTLT-BKHCN-BTC dated on 30th December 2015 by Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology regulating funding allocation for conducting scientific projects using state budget in accordance with Decree No. 95/2014/ND-CP governing the investment and financial administration for science and technology activities as below:

In order to be considered and approved funding as regulated in the above Circular, PI should demonstrate their intentions for applying partly or full administrative expense allocation in Project Registration Form (Form NCCB 01 and NCCB 01E).

NAFOSTED shall consider the accounting framework of full administrative expense allocation if a proposal fully meets the conditions in Article 6 of Joint circular No. 27/2015/TTLT-BKHCN-BTC by Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology regulating funding allocation for conducting scientific projects using state budget.

1. Notices

– PI of basic research projects that are currently being funded by NAFOTED but submit project closeout files prior to 16 September 2019 are eligible to apply for Round I/2020.

– A host or supporting organization is a registered scientific and technological organization with independent legal standing, legal seal and its own No. 3713 account at Vietnam State Treasury.

– It is required to prepare proposals in compliance with NAFOSTED regulations. Any proposal lacks requisite information or fails to comply with standard forms shall be refused for review.