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I.3.10. Preparation and launching of an interdisciplinary research and teaching project Archeooriental Studies

Invitation to submit projects under “Archeooriental Studies”

Preparation and launching of an interdisciplinary research and teaching project Archeooriental Studies (hereinafter: Archeooriental Studies) is an Action under the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” Programme, conducted in cooperation with the Faculty of Oriental Studies, the Faculty of Archaeology and the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw.

The aim of Archeooriental Studies is to increase the research potential of the University of Warsaw in the field of studies on the cultures of Asia and Africa, by strengthening and developing cooperation between the above-mentioned units and creating a new quality of research. Scientific achievements presented in highly-scored publications and in leading scientific databases are to be a measurable effect of the activity. The main subject of research in the project is the relationship between broadly-understood power (political, religious, etc.) and space (e.g., the organisation of a place, the setting of boundaries, or constructing social space).

As one of the activities under Archeooriental Studies, funding is provided for projects that will measurably contribute to achieving the highest quality of research and scientific publications, strengthening foreign contacts and the international position of the University of Warsaw.

The aim of the competition is to support research projects at the intersection of oriental studies and archaeology. We invite research teams consisting of employees of the University of Warsaw, in which at least one person represents archaeology and at least one person is involved in research on Asian or African cultures. Oriental-archaeological partnership is a prerequisite; projects that do not contain information about archaeological-oriental collaboration will not be considered. We recommend consulting with the manager of the activity before submitting an application.

The competition budget is 30,000 PLN. The maximum amount that can be applied for is 10,000 PLN. The Committee reserves the right to award an amount of funding which is lower than the requested amount, in the event of a large influx of high-quality projects. In the case of projects where one of the elements is a study trip to Egypt, we offer free accommodation at the CAŚ UW Research Station in Cairo.

Applications must be submitted using the attached form by 11.06.2021, and sending them to ​archeoorientalistyka@uw.edu.pl. In accordance with Ordinance No. 279 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw of 10 December 2020, regarding electronic mail at the University of Warsaw (UW Monitor of 2020, item 496), please use only university e-mail.

Competition rules

§ 1. The subject of the competition

  1. Funds for the implementation of projects under Action I.3.10 “Preparation and launching of an interdisciplinary research and teaching project Archeooriental Studies” (hereinafter “Action”) as part of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” Program (hereinafter “IDUB”) are intended to support activities that will measurably contribute to improved quality in research and publications, strengthening foreign contacts and the international position of the University of Warsaw.
  2. Projects may include:
    1. preliminary research aimed at preparing research projects (including grant applications);
    2. support for the preparation of publications in the highest-scored publications and magazines (especially the costs of English language proofreading);
    3. participation in international scientific conferences;
    4. visits by foreign researchers.
  3. The maximum duration of project implementation, no longer than 12 months, will be specified each time in an announcement of a competition.

§2. Applicants and application for co-financing

  1. Teams in which at least one person is researching archaeology and at least one is researching Asian or African cultures may apply for funding. Team members may be:
    1. employees working in research, teaching and research, as well as research and technical positions, and who are counted among N-classified staff,
    2. doctoral candidates at UW conducting research in the indicated areas.
  2. Teams in which one of the persons performs managerial roles (coordinator, activity managers, contractors) in the IDUB program and members of the competition committee cannot apply for funding.
  3. A team of applicants may submit only one application in a given edition of the competition. If more than one application is submitted by the same team, the applications will not be considered.
  4. The application may not apply to a project financed from external sources or under another IDUB Action, or to a project which is the subject of another competition procedure from among UW competitions, or in competitions organised by other institutions.
  5. The application may be submitted on behalf of a team by a person designated by the team to represent them.
  6. An application may be withdrawn by an Applicant at any time before the date of announcement of the competition results.

§3. Competition Rules

  1. The range of activities submitted for funding must be of a scientific nature and in compliance with the range of activities in Action I.3.10 and the objectives of IDUB (https://inicjatywadoskonalosci.uw.edu.pl/en/actions/areas/pob4/). All costs must be incurred during the implementation period of the project. Funding for didactic and popularising activities is not planned.
  2. Applications for funding should be submitted in accordance with the example provided each time in the announcement, within the time allotted, and to the address provided in the announcement.
  3. The application should be approved by the head of the organisational unit of the University of Warsaw in which the project is to be implemented.
  4. The applications are assessed by the Selection Committee. The composition and formation procedure for the Selection Committee, as well as the set of rules on which its work is based are specified in Annex 1.
  5. The decision to grant funding is made by the Programme Manager, at the request of the Chairperson of the Selection Committee.
  6. Applicants shall be notified of the results of the competition within 30 days of the closing date of the competition.
  7. The Applicant has the right to submit an application for reconsideration to the Programme Manager, only with regard to formal defects, within 7 days of the date of publication on the IDUB website of the list of projects approved for financing.
  8. A ranked list concerning the applications for which the Programme Manager granted funding is published on the IDUB website.

§4. Project implementation

  1. The Applicant is obliged to use funds in accordance with principles of economy, i.e., in a purposeful and economical manner, and to obtain the most effective results from those expenditures, while complying with the regulations and financial procedures in effect at the University of Warsaw.
  2. The applicant is obliged to submit a substantive and financial report concerning the implementation of the project within 30 days of the date of its completion, according to the example given in the Annex. In the case of a publication, confirmation attached to the report of its submission for printing will be the basis for settlement.

§5. Final provisions

In matters not covered by these Rules, the provisions of Ordinance No. 115 by the Rector of the University of Warsaw from 1 June 2020 on the implementation of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme at the University of Warsaw (UW Monitor 2020, item 246 as amended) and the provisions of generally applicable law.

Annexes

Composition and formation procedure for the selection committee

  1. The Selection Committee is appointed by the IDUB Programme Manager at the request of the Coordinator of the Action.
  2. Researchers conducting research in the field of archaeology or oriental studies, holding at least a doctoral degree, and with scientific achievements documented by publications in reputable journals which are indexed in leading databases of scientific papers, may be appointed as members of the Committee.
  3. The Committee is chaired by the Coordinator of the Action.
  4. The Chairperson of the Selection Committee may exclude any member of said Committee, in the event of reasonable doubts concerning his or her impartiality and objectivity, with respect to an applicant who is participating in the competition, and particularly if:
    1. the committee member is a spouse, relative, or in-law (up to the second degree) of the applicant;
    2. the committee member is related to a team member through adoption, custody, or guardianship;
    3. the committee member has an existing legal or factual relationship with a team member which may give rise to justifiable doubts as to the committee member’s impartiality.
  5. A committee member will inform the Selection Committee of any special circumstances such as those referred to in point 4 above, before beginning the evaluation process of the applications.
  6. A Selection Committee member who has been excluded from the evaluation process of a given applicant will not take part in scoring that person’s application and will leave the room during the deliberations of the Committee. The exclusion of a member of the qualifying team during the scoring of a particular application will be noted in the minutes from the meeting, along with a statement of the reason for that committee member’s exclusion.

Rules of conduct for the Selection Committee

  1. Committee meetings are called by the Chairperson of the Selection Committee.
  2. The Selection Committee deliberates as a whole. In the event of the resignation or removal of a Selection Committee member, the vacancy will be filled. In the event of reasonable doubts regarding the impartiality and objectivity with regard to a Selection Committee member in relation to an applicant, the Committee will deliberate as a whole, less the member that the previously-mentioned circumstances concern.
  3. It is allowed for members of the Selection Committee to take part in the committee meetings using electronic means of communication (teleconferencing or videoconferencing).
  4. The Chairperson performs a formal evaluation of an application before it is given to the Committee.
    An application that does not meet the requirements specified in the competition announcement will not be assessed; however, the Chairperson, within 7 days of having received the application, will call upon the applicant to complete the application before the commencement of the Committee’s deliberations. The Applicant has 7 days to complete the application.
  5. Each member of the Committee awards each application from 0 to 100 points, assessing:
    1. the scientific value of the project (max. 50 points),
    2. compliance with the assumptions of the Action and IDUB (https://inicjatywadoskonalosci.uw.edu.pl/en/actions/areas/pob4/) (max. 15 points),
    3. financial efficiency of the project, in particular a favourable proportion of financial outlays to the planned scientific results (max. 15 points).
    4. project feasibility, taking into account the achievements of the Applicant to date (max. 20 points)
  6. During the meeting (held in person or remotely), the Committee draws up a ranked list, based on the awarded points. The Committee’s score is the average of the final individual scores. Applications which received at least 70% of the points possible will be placed on the list. Applications with lower scores will not be funded. In the event that the funds allocated to the competition are not sufficient to cover all of the applications with more than 70% of the points possible, funds will be awarded in the order of their ranking.
  7. The Committee may grant the full amount of funding to the applications from the ranked list, or reduce it to no less than 60% of the funding requested.
  8. Administrative and technical support for the Selection Committee is provided by the Coordinator of Action III.
  9. The function of Secretary of the Selection Committee (without the right to vote) is fulfilled by a person appointed by the Coordinator of Action III.
  10. Minutes of the Selection Committee meetings are prepared by the Secretary of the Selection Committee.
  11. Minutes from the Selection Committee meetings may be signed with signatures obtained by circulation, as well as electronic signatures. A confirmation made from university e-mail is also considered a signature (pursuant to Order 279 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw of 10 December 2020 on e-mail of the University of Warsaw, UW Monitor of 2020, item 496).
  12. A copy of the minutes, signed by the Chairperson and the remaining members of the Committee who took part in the meeting, will be forwarded to the Coordinating Office of IDUB for archiving, within 14 days of the closing date of the competition

Information and recommendations for the selection committee

Examples of project categories:

  • short research internship (e.g., to complete an article or grant application),
  • support for publications in leading journals and publishing houses (typesetting, proofreading, purchase of copyrights for illustrations),
  • organisation of conferences, workshops, and seminars,
  • participation in an international scientific conference, the result of which will be a highly scored publication,
  • organisation of sessions as part of scientific conferences,
  • visits by foreign researchers.

Evaluation criteria for applications

Total score: 0-100 points (average of the ratings given by the committee members)

  • compliance with the assumptions of IDUB (https://inicjatywadoskonalosci.uw.edu.pl/en/actions/areas/pob4/) and the terms of the competition (15 points)
    • outstanding (12-15)
    • very good (9-11)
    • good (6-8)
    • average (3-5)
    • poor (0-2)
  • scientific value of the project (50 points)
    • outstanding (40-50)
    • very high (30-39)
    • high (20-29)
    • average (10-19)
    • poor (0-9)
  • the effect and the amount of expenditure (15 points)
    • outstanding (12-15)
    • very good (9-11)
    • good (6-8)
    • average (3-5)
    • poor (0-2)
  • project feasibility in the context of the Applicant’s competences and achievements (20 points)*
    • very high (16-20)
    • high (12-15)
    • good (8-11)
    • average (4-7)
    • poor (0-3)

* In 2021, taking into account the conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.