On 17 April 2024, the rector of the University of Žilina announced the UNIZA Grant Competition – Call No. 1/2024 for PhD students and young UNIZA research and teaching staff within 5 years of obtaining the PhD title to submit project proposals. The grant competition is announced following the Directive No. 180 Grant System of the University of Žilina (hereinafter referred to as GS UNIZA).
The goal of this grant competition is to support the scientific research activities of students of the 3rd level of higher education and young scientific and pedagogical employees of UNIZA.
A project proposal, prepared in compliance with the announcement of the grant competition, the wording of the Directive GS UNIZA and the required content of the UNIZA grant project application, can be submitted within this call by:
- UNIZA student, who, at the time of the project proposal submission, is studying in the 1st year of an accredited 3rd-level study programme in the full-time form of study,
- young research or pedagogical UNIZA employee, who has not yet reached 5 years since obtaining the PhD degree and with whom UNIZA has a valid employment contract on the day of the grant award (as of 1 October 2024).
The Method for Submitting Project Proposals
The lead project researcher shall submit the project proposal via the ISSV UNIZA information system (https://vav.uniza.sk/vevysun.php) by filling in the project details according to the following clause of the call and by setting the status of the project as "submitted". The lead project researcher receives an automatically generated confirmation e-mail about the submission of the UNIZA grant application. The lead project researcher shall ensure the submission of 1 identical downloaded copy of the printed and signed application (pdf output from the ISSV) to the Department for Science and Research, to Ing. Petra Grajcaríková. From 13 to 15 May 2024, there will be a formal inspection of the mandatory requirements of the project application (attendance recommended) following a published waiting list – the researchers can sign up in advance (online form, more information will be provided during the webinar). Please, do not leave the inspection and submission of your project application for the last day. The application will be filed in the registry upon delivery to the Department of Science and Research centrally.
The Scope of the Data Required and the Instructions for Preparing the Project Proposal
The content of the grant project application and the required data are specified in Annex No. 1 of Directive GS UNIZA titled "UNIZA Grant Project Application". The electronic version of the application is available on the UNIZA website in the Science and Research section, under the UNIZA Grant System (https://uniza.sk/index.php/univerzita/veda-a-vyskum/grantovy-system-uniza).
Maximum Funding Allocation per 1 Approved Project
Maximum Funding Allocation per 1 Approved Project is:
- EUR 2, 800*, if the lead project researcher is a UNIZA student, who, at the time of submission of the project proposal, is studying in the 1st year of an accredited 3rd-level study programme in the full-time form of study,
- EUR 6, 000*, if the lead project researcher is a young research or pedagogical UNIZA employee, who has not yet reached 5 years since obtaining the PhD degree and with whom UNIZA has a valid employment contract on the day of the grant award (as of 1 October 2024).
Deadline for Submission of Project Proposals
The call opens on 17 April 2024. The lead project researcher shall submit the project proposal electronically via ISVV UNIZA and deliver the identical proposal in paper form to the Department for Science and Research (the rector's office, Ing. Grajcaríková) before 15 May 2024.
Assessment Criteria for the Project Proposals
The submitted proposals shall be assessed under requirements set out in Annex No. 2 of the Directive GS UNIZA, available at the UNIZA website (https://uniza.sk/index.php/univerzita/veda-a-vyskum/grantovy-system-uniza). Project applications that do not comply with the formal requirements will be excluded. The projects will be reviewed by a panel evaluation consisting of representatives of the individual faculties.
Deadlines for the Publication of the Results Regarding the Project Proposal Evaluation
The results of the project proposal evaluation will be published by the Department for Science and Research in June 2024 as an announcement on the UNIZA website, under the UNIZA Grant System tab. The lead project researchers shall also be informed about the evaluation results by email..
Duration of the Projects Supported under this Grant Competition
The duration of implementation of the supported project lasts from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.
Presentation of the Mid-term Results of the Projects Funded under this Grant Competition
The research teams of the supported projects are obliged to present their mid-term results in the form of posters approximately (but not necessarily, this may change) halfway through the project implementation.
Final Evaluation of Implemented Projects
The final evaluation of the projects shall be conducted according to Annex No. 3 of Directive GS UNIZA titled "Evaluation of the Achieved Results of the Grant Project". The condition for the final evaluation is the submission of the final report no later than 15 October 2025 via the ISVV UNIZA portal and the presentation of the project results (defence) before the assessment committee during the seminar in October, and November 2025 (depending on the circumstances).
Following the proposal of the Grant Board, the three projects submitted under this call with the highest scores and best presentations will be rewarded by the rector.
Preconditions for Competition Cancellation
The rector may cancel the grant competition for the reasons specified in Article 10 of Directive GS UNIZA.
V Žiline, dňa 17. 4. 2024
prof. Ing. Ján Čelko, CSc., m. p.
Recktor
* The grant funding may be reduced depending on the available financial resources