The Swedish Research Council’s funding process

The Council for Research Infrastructure (RFI) at the Swedish Research Council funds research infrastructures of national interest in all scientific fields through a two-year process. The process consists of a needs inventory, prioritisation of the proposed needs and a call for grant proposal targeted at prioritised infrastructures that may apply for funding.

Coordination among higher education institutions

Proposed needs and applications to RFI are normally submitted by consortia involving several higher education institutions and other organisations. For this reason, the processes at higher education institutions are coordinated at the national level by the Universities’ Reference Group for Research Infrastructure (URFI), of which Umeå University is a member, and which also regularly coordinates with RFI.

Umeå University’s process

At university level, applications are so-called organisational applications, which means that the Vice-Chancellor gives final approval for the application through a letter of support. As such, Umeå University’s participation in the entire RFI funding process from needs inventory to application is coordinated by the Council for Research Infrastructure at Umeå University (RIS). This ensures university-wide strategic prioritisation and planning of research infrastructures.

RIS is responsible for ensuring that the coordination processes and deadlines for Umeå University are announced well in advance.

Read about the Council for Research Infrastructure at Umeå University