VI.1. Strengthening and development of cooperation between the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw in the federalisation process – 2nd edition

The aim of this activity is to support cooperation between academic and teaching staff, administrative staff, doctoral candidates, and the student bodies of both universities. The projects which may be financed include the development of joint research projects, sharing research and teaching infrastructure, broadening cooperation between the Incubators, creation of joint fields of study, and doctoral and student initiatives.

Rules for the second edition of the Competition for joint research teams from the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw

The following rules for awarding funds concern the support of scientific cooperation between the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw, in order to increase the impact of research which is carried out by joint research teams in the scientific world and to gain experience concerning forms of cooperation between both universities. This support is provided through the IDUB programme, under Action VI.1 – “Strengthening and development of cooperation between the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw in the federalisation process”.

Competition objectives

1. To provide support for research teams consisting of scientists from the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw, whose work will strengthen the long-term cooperation of both universities;
2. To provide support for teams implementing research projects with potential for obtaining external grants for further research funding and/or joint publication, thereby improving the IDUB evaluation indicators listed in Annex 3 to 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;
3. To provide support for teams implementing research projects, the results of which will respond to significant social challenges.

Amount of funding

Research teams may apply for funding of up to 100,000 PLN from IDUB UW funds, and an additional contribution from MUW amounting to min. 20% of the total project budget.

Settlement conditions for financial support

The condition for the settlement of financial support is the submission of the following, within 6 months of completing the project:

• joint publication of research results, in journals which are ranked among the top 25% in the discipline they represent (according to the Scopus database), or with at least 100 points according to the MEiN list, or in a publication selected from the second tier of the MEiN list;
  and/or
• joint application for a grant for further financing of a research project from Polish and/or international research funding agencies.

Joint publications or joint applications for a grant for further financing of the project should be submitted by at least two members of the research team, including one from the University of Warsaw, and one from the Medical University of Warsaw.

Research teams who declare both the submission of a joint publication and a joint grant application will receive additional points during the assessment of the applications.

Applicants and the research team

The research team consists of at least two applicants – project leaders who are responsible for submitting the application and project settlement (including at least one from the University of Warsaw and at least one from MUW), who:

• are counted towards the N number at their university on the day of submitting the application;
• have a proven track record in managing a research team;
• have experience in conducting scientific research, the results of which have been published in the journals among the top 25% in the discipline represented by these journals (according to the Scopus database) or with at least 100 points according to the list by MEiN, or have published their results in the form of monographs/chapters in monographs in publications from the second tier of the MEiN list.

In addition, the research team may include members from the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw:

• employees included in the ‘N’ number at their university on the closing date for applications;
• doctoral candidates with the status of doctoral candidate on the closing date for applications¹.

Research teams consisting of young researchers will receive additional points during the assessment of the applications².

Anticipated outcomes

As a result of co-financing from the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme, joint research teams from the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw will be able to apply for further grants from Polish and international research funding agencies, and to publish their research results in prestigious journals. The implemented projects will contribute to lasting, strengthened cooperation between the two universities. Joint research teams will develop and intensify their activities in conducting research which responds to key social challenges. The team coordinating the support from the IDUB UW program at the Office of Research Administration (BOB) and the Center for Cooperation and Dialogue at the University of Warsaw will obtain knowledge and experience through forms of cooperation between the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw.

Period of financing

• up to 18 months from the date of obtaining the funding.

Competition schedule

• deadline for submitting applications: 10 May, 2021;
• deadline for announcing the results of the competition: 10 June, 2021.

Competition budget

The competition is financed by the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw in the following proportions:

• UW: 500,000 PLN financed by IDUB UW,
• MUW: minimum 20% of the total budget, as a financial or in-kind contribution.

The Selection Committee

Recommendations regarding the selection of projects will be made by a five-person Selection Committee, consisting of representatives of the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw (two representatives from each of the universities), and one member from outside both universities. The Committee will be appointed by the IDUB UW Programme Manager. Representatives from the Medical University of Warsaw in the Committee will be recommended by the Vice-Rector for Science and Technology Transfer of the Medical University of Warsaw. The Chairperson of the Committee will be appointed by the IDUB Program Manager. The final decision on qualifying an application for financing will be made by the IDUB Program Manager in consultation with the Vice-Rector for Science and Technology Transfer of the Medical University of Warsaw, on the basis of the recommendation of the Selection Committee. The Programme Manager’s decision is final and is not subject to appeal. Administrative support for the competition will be provided by the Center for Cooperation and Dialogue at the University of Warsaw, in cooperation with the Coordinating Office of the IDUB UW Programme.

Document flow

1. An electronic application form will be available on the IDUB UW website.
2. The application should be signed by the applicant/project leader from UW and the Head of the organisational unit employing the applicant from UW, and the applicant/project leader from MUW and the Head of the organisational unit employing the applicant from MUW. A scan of the signed application should be sent by e-mail to the following address: konkursy.idub@uw.edu.pl.
3. The signatures may be qualified electronic signatures.
4. Formal evaluation: applications that do not meet the formal requirements will not be considered.
5. Substantive assessment.
6. Decision to grant funding. The list of projects which have been chosen to receive funding will be published on the IDUB UW website.

Project settlement

The settlement of the project takes place within 30 days from the date of its completion and is made on the basis of a substantive and financial report.

1. The substantive report is submitted jointly by the applicants/project leaders of the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw. The report is signed by the applicants and the heads of organisational units employing the applicants of the Medical University of Warsaw and the University of Warsaw. The report is submitted to:
   1. UW: konkursy@cwid.edu.uw.pl
   2. MUW: aen@wum.edu.pl
2. Financial settlement is carried out separately for the funds granted by the University of Warsaw and those contributed by MUW:
   • settlement of UW financing: a list of costs incurred (by category and in the form of planned – expended), signed by the Bursar’s Representative at the organisational unit of UW implementing the project, and the applicant/project leader at the University of Warsaw, as an attachment to the substantive report.
   • settlement of the MUW contribution: financial settlement takes place via the financial controlling system. By submitting the substantive report, the MUW applicant affirms the completion of project financing, and confirms the correctness of the data with regard to the above-mentioned system.

Final provisions

The University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw reserve the right to cancel the competition.

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¹ PhD students will not be required to have a declaration that they have been counted in the Number N.

² Persons conducting research activity, doctoral candidates, or academic teachers who do not have a doctoral degree or have a doctoral degree, after which fewer than 7 years have passed (the 7-year period does not include periods of maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, or family leave).

1. Title of the project: Analizy genomiczne wieloopornych szczepów Enterobacter izolowanych z materiałów klinicznych, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem komponent mobilomu, jako determinant antybiotykoodporności. (Genomic analyses of multiresistant Enterobacter strains isolated from clinical specimens, with special reference to the mobilome component as a determinant of antibiotic resistance.)
   UW applicant: prof. dr hab. Dariusz Bartosik
   MUW applicant: dr hab. n. med. Ksenia Szymanek-Majchrzak
2. Title of the project: Opracowanie struktur nowych analogów witamin D jako potencjalnych leków do poprawy skuteczności standardowej terapii raka jajnika. (Structure development of novel vitamin D analogues as potential drugs to improve the efficacy of standard therapy for ovarian cancer.)
   UW applicant: prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Woźniak
   MUW applicant: prof. dr hab. Andrzej Kutner
3. Title of the project: Ocena wpływu wariantu B.1.1.7 wirusa SARS-CoV-2 na epidemiologię i obraz kliniczny COVID-19 wśród dzieci. (To assess the impact of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus on the epidemiology and clinical presentation of COVID-19 among children.)
   UW applicant: dr Marek Michalewicz
   MUW applicant: prof. Urszula Anna Demkow
4. Title of the project: Różnorodność językowo-kulturowa w służbie medycyny – badanie tradycyjnych społeczności należących do mniejszości etnicznych jako potencjalnych superdawców mikrobioty jelitowej. (Linguistic and cultural diversity at the service of medicine – exploring traditional ethnic minority communities as potential super contributors to the gut microbiota.)
   UW applicant: prof. dr. hab. Justyna Olko
   MUW applicant: dr n. med. Jarosław Biliński
5. Title of the project: Identyfikacja oligosacharydów izolowanych z mleka ludzkiego o wysokiej aktywności przeciwdrobnoustrojowej. (Identification of oligosaccharides isolated from human milk with high antimicrobial activity.)
   UW applicant: dr hab. Maciej Mazur
   MUW applicant: dr hab n. o zdr. Gabriela Olędzka
6. Title of the project: Badanie wzorca zmian strukturalnych i czynnościowych w odniesieniu do funkcjonowania poznawczego u pacjentów lekooporna padaczka skroniową – analiza interdyscyplinarna. Investigating the pattern of structural and functional changes in relation to cognitive functioning in patients with drug-resistant temporal epilepsy – an interdisciplinary analysis.
   UW applicant: dr n. społ. Aleksandra Bala
   MUW applicant: dr n. med. Tomasz Dziedzic