Instructions for submitting proposals under the MAESTRO 10 call

The following entities may submit applications for the funding of research projects;

1) academic or research centre,

2) research consortia,

3) research networks and units within HE institutions that are not their basic organisational units,

5) research centres of the Polish Academy of Sciences,

5a) academic research centres shared by HE institutions,

6) research libraries,

8) organisational units with legal personality and established on the territory of the Republic of Poland and

9) natural persons.

PLEASE NOTE: Entities that are eligible for submitting applications for the funding of research projects are those for which the funding of a research project will not constitute state aid. 

If the applicant is a natural person, the Host Institution may not be a joint entity.

In the Status wnioskodawcy [Applicant legal status] section, please select the relevant status from the drop-down list. Upon selection, the system will create an appropriate application form.

If Osoba fizyczna [Natural person] has been selected in the Status wnioskodawcy section, the Wnioskodawca [Applicant] tab in the upper left corner will change its label to Podmiot realizujący [Host Institution] – to be completed with the data of the institution where the project will be carried out.

The applicant may be selected from the OPI database (Wybierz z bazy OPI [Select from the OPI database] button) or entered as a new entity (Spoza bazy [Select from outside OPI] button). Before importing any information from the OPI database, make sure that the data included in the system is up-to-date.

The Host Institution data must be accurate and complete.

Should the data be out of date or incorrect, please contact the Ośrodek Przetwarzania Informacji Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (OPI PIB) by dialling: (+48) 22-351-71-01, (+48) 22-351-71-04, (+48) 22-351-70-89.

PLEASE NOTE: it is possible to change the applicant status while working on the proposal, however this requires other data in the form to be updated as appropriate.

Once the Wnioskodawca[Applicant]/Podmiot realizujący [Host Institution] has been named, this section will split into two parts:

• Wnioskodawca/Podmiot realizujący poziom 1 [Applicant/Host Institution (level 1)]
• Wnioskodawca/Podmiot realizujący poziom 2 [Applicant/Host Institution (level 2)]

Wnioskodawca/Podmiot realizujący poziom 1 [Applicant/Host Institution (level 1)]

1. Nazwa podmiotu [Entity name] (in Polish and English) and adres siedziby [registered office address]

2. Siedmiocyfrowy identyfikator gminy [7-digit Community Identification Code]: give the full code of the community where the Host Institution has its registered office. To find the code please click on the Wykaz identyfikatorów (the register is in compliance with the List of Identifiers and Names of the Units of Territorial Division of the Country by the Central Statistical Office). Choose “Przeglądanie” [“Browse”] to display the relevant community and enter its 7-digit number in the form. The system will use the number to complete the name of the community. 

3. Adres korespondencyjny [Address for correspondence]: phone no, email address, Electronic Correspondence Register ESP (ePUAP), website etc.

Please note that all proposal-related correspondence, including the funding decision will be delivered to the ESP (ePUAP) address given here. Entering the ESP (ePUAP) address of the Host Institution is mandatory. Should these data change in the course of the project’s evaluation or implementation, the NCN must be notified of the fact immediately.

4. Status organizacyjny [Organisational status]: please select the relevant code from the given list: A.1, A.4 to A10 and B.1. If the Host Institution is a higher education institution (A.1.), specify also its rodzaj podmiotu sprawującego nadzór [classification by regulatory authority], zakres uprawnień do nadawania stopni naukowych [rights to award degrees] and profil działalności [the activity profile of the institution]. Select the relevant category from the drop-down menu.

5. Question: Czy podmiot stanowi jednostkę zaliczaną do sektora finansów publicznych? [Does the organisation belong to the public finances sector?]: please answer “tak” [“yes”] or “nie” [“no”]. The answer will be incorporated into the text of the statement by the authorised representative(s) of the entity.

6. Question: Czy podmiot pozostaje pod zarządem komisarycznym lub znajduje się w toku likwidacji albo postępowania upadłościowego? [Is the institution under forced administration or the subject of liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings?]: please use the Edytuj [Edit] button to select either “tak” [“yes”] or “nie” [“no”].

PLEASE NOTE: Pursuant to art. 9a section 1 of the Act on the Principles of Funding Science of 30th April 2010, institutions under forced administration or subject of liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings are ineligible to apply for funding for the tasks referred to in art. 5 of the act.

7. Enter NIP [tax identification number], REGON [statistical number] and KRS [national court register number] as appropriate. If the Host Institution is not registered in the National Court Register (KRS) please tick the nie dotyczy [not applicable] box on the right.

8. Kwestionariusz występowania/niewystępowania pomocy publicznej [State aid questionnaire] must be filled out by ALL applicants.

In the MAESTRO 10 call there is no state aid available.

9. Dane Kierownika jednostki [Information regarding the Head of the Host Institution]: please complete with the data of the authorised representative of the Host Institution. In cases where the required documents will be signed by the authorised representative(s) of the Host Institution, an authorisation should be attached.

Wnioskodawca/Podmiot realizujący poziom 2 [Applicant/Host Institution (level 2)]

In the “Wnioskodawca poziom 2” section enter the data of the second level applicant and in the case where the applicant is a natural person – the unit acting as the Host Institution.

Then answer the question:

Czy jednostka otrzymuje dotację na działalność statutową z budżetu nauki? [Does the institution receive any operating support grant from the budget for science?]

(Operating support refers to the implementation of certain tasks set out in its statute of a research centre and related to research or development conducted by the centre on a continuous basis).

If the unit in question does not receive any operating support grant from the budget for science, provide information on:

• research carried out over the period of 2 years before submitting the proposal, together with a list of publications by employees,
• research equipment and other instrumentation/facilities crucial to research activities.

The proposal should be accompanied by a document bearing an electronic signature, or a scan of the document signed in the signatory’s own hand in PDF format.

If the proposal is submitted by a single entity, this section may be completed with information on another faculty collaborating on the project within the same Host Institution. To add another faculty, click Dodaj wydział [Add faculty].

When filling out the subsequent tabs, the editor will be able to assign individual faculties as well as investigators to, for example, individual tasks in the research project.

For proposals submitted by joint entities, the data required in the tab should be entered for all members of the joint entity, apart from the applicant/leader. Please follow the guidelines given in the Wnioskodawca [Applicant] section while entering the data.

1. Tytuł projektu [Project title]: the title must be entered in Polish and in English; both language versions must be identical. The title may be modified at will as the proposal is being worked on. The title should be concise and give a proper idea of the project’s topic.
2. Obszar badawczy [Research domain], to be followed by Numer panelu dyscyplin [No of NCN review panel]: the primary research field has been selected at the point of creating the proposal form; to change it while in this tab use the Wybierz [Select] button.
3. Pomocnicze określenia identyfikujące [Auxiliary NCN review panels]: please click on the Dodaj [Add] button and select from a list. First select the research domain, i.e. NZ [Life Sciences], HS [Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences] or ST [Physical Science and Engineering], and then the review panel of subordinate level. The review panels of subordinate level may be selected from outside the panel and research domain to which the project is being submitted. Choose between 1 and 3 auxiliary review panels, but at least one auxiliary review panel must be selected from the main project domain to which the project is being submitted.
4. Planowany okres realizacji projektu [Project duration]: 36 months, 48 months or 60 months. Project duration counts from the day of signing the funding agreement.
5. Liczba wykonawców projektu [Number of project investigators]: applies to the principal investigator and the other investigators. Collective investigators are not included in this number. The number of investigators given in this tab must equal the number listed in the section on remuneration.
6. Słowa kluczowe [Key words]: they must be in Polish and English, they must not be identical to the words used in the panel descriptions, whereas they should give a proper idea of the project’s topic. The words must be separated with commas or semicolons. Polish and English key words must be identical.
7. Planowane nakłady [Estimated budget], Ogółem [Total] and Na pierwszy rok realizacji projektu [In the first year]: these fields will be filled out automatically by the system once you have completed the Kosztorys [Breakdown of project costs] tab.
8. Question: Czy projekt jest realizowany we współpracy międzynarodowej? [Is the project carried out as an international collaboration?]: if so, choose the relevant country/countries from the list. This information is used for statistics compiled by the Centre, and in no way influences the evaluation.

The project’s abstract should be written in English and it may be no longer than 1 standard page (page format: A4; font: Times New Roman; font size: at least 11; lead: single; margins left and right: 2 cm; margins up and down: 1.5 cm). The only acceptable file format is PDF.

PLEASE NOTE:  the project’s abstract may not be identical to its short description.

The description for general public should be written in Polish and in English. The language versions must be identical. The description may be no longer than 1 standard page (page format: A4; font: Times New Roman; font size: at least 11; lead: single; margins left and right: 2 cm; margins up and down: 1.5 cm). The only acceptable file format is PDF.

Filling out of this tab is optional. The justification should be up to 2,500 characters, incl. spaces.

List of up to 3 persons who in the applicant’s opinion should not be involved in the proposal’s review because of a likely conflict of interest. Specify the person(s)’s name, surname and affiliation. The final selection of expert reviewers is made by the NCN.

Under the call, proposals may be submitted for research projects whose principal investigator is an advanced researcher, aiming to conduct pioneering research, including interdisciplinary research, which is significant for the advancement of science, goes beyond the current state of the art and may result in ground-breaking discoveries.

An advanced researcher is a person holding at least a doctoral degree, who within 10 years before the submission of the proposal for funding research tasks:

1. has had at least five publications published in renowned Polish or international scientific journals,
2. has acted as principal investigator in at least two research projects funded in national or international competitive call for proposals,
3. fulfils at least three of the criteria below:
   • has been a member of a scientific committee of at least one renowned international conference,
   • has at least one monograph published,
   • has presented papers at renowned international conferences,
   • has received an international prize or award,
   • has been or was a member of renowned associations, international scientific organisations or academies,
   • has other significant research achievements,

and in the case of research in the field of arts – a person who is an author of works of art of international significance or significant for Polish culture, and has actively participated in international exhibitions, festivals or other artistic events in plastic arts, music, theatre or film.

PLEASE NOTE: under the MAESTRO 10 call, the scientific achievement section is to be completed by the principal investigator only.

First enter the data of the principal investigator, then continue with other investigators.

To select the Principal Investigator click the Wybierz z bazy OPI [Select from the OPI database] button or Spoza bazy [Select form outside OPI] button.

• To select a person from the OPI database, enter their PESEL number, which identifies each individual listed in the Polish Science database.

  Should the data be out of date or incorrect, please contact the Ośrodek Przetwarzania Informacji Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (OPI PIB) by dialling: (+48) 22-351-71-01, (+48) 22-351-71-04, (+48) 22-351-70-89. 

• To select a person from outside OPI, enter all data required by the system (given names, surname, academic title/degree, phone number, email address, address of the Electronic Correspondence Register ESP (ePUAP), PESEL no etc.).

PLEASE NOTE: the principal investigator’s data should be entered in chronological order, with particular regard to the correctness of the data imported from the OPI database. Should the proposal editor find the data imported from the OPI database to be out of date or incorrect, they should inform OPI of the fact. Pay special attention to data concerning: the title, given names, surnames, PESEL number, as well as workplaces, since these may not be edited directly in the ZSUN/OSF system.

PLEASE NOTE: The NCN makes no data updates. Should the data imported from the OPI database be out of date or incorrect, please contact the OPI database directly by dialling: (+48) 22-351-71-01, (+48) 22-351-71-04, (+48) 22-351-70-89.

Modification of the data may require a new import and removing the contents of all components in the scientific achievement section, i.e.: Academic and Research Career, Publication Record etc.

SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (section to be filled out in English)

1. Nature of contribution to the project: the system will automatically assign the role of the given person in the project based on the data already entered in the form,
2. Entity: completed automatically by the ZSUN/OSF system with the organisation indicated as the host institution in the APPLICANT / HOST INSTITUTION tab,
3. Personal data: fill out using the Edit option,
4. Type of employment in the project – may be selected from the list:
   • full-time remuneration:

     The principal investigator may be paid salary from the pool allocated for full-time salaries pursuant to a full-time contract of employment at a research post as long as they meet all of the following conditions:

     • at the time of receiving this remuneration, they are not receiving any other remuneration paid from the resources granted under NCN calls under the heading of direct costs,
     • at the time of receiving this remuneration they are not employed by another employer pursuant to a contract of employment nor do they receive a pension from the social security system,
     • the sum of resources for their employment does not exceed PLN 190,000 per annum under the MAESTRO call.

     PLEASE NOTE: If full-time remuneration is not received on a continuous basis during the entire course of the project’s completion, the amount of full-time remuneration is reduced in proportion to the period when the remuneration is received.

     
   • additional remuneration:

     The resources for the payment of additional remuneration may be used to finance employment pursuant to full- or part-time employment contracts as well as pursuant to civil law contracts.

     PLEASE NOTE: A member of a research team employed pursuant to a contract of employment by a host institution may not receive the additional remuneration pursuant to a civil law contract.

   • bez wynagrodzenia [without remuneration]: select this option in the case of individuals who have declined their remuneration or persons that must not receive remuneration as recipients of a full-time salary or scholarship in another NCN-funded research project.

   PLEASE NOTE: for detailed information on salaries, please refer to the document: Koszty w projektach badawczych finansowanych przez Narodowe Centrum Nauki.

5. Rodzaj stanowiska :
   • pozostałe [other]: the principal investigator should choose this option for their contribution to the project.
6. Okres pobierania wynagrodzenia w projekcie [Period of receiving remuneration]: state the planned period for receiving remuneration, which may be different than the project’s duration.
7. Dane adresowe [Contact details]: enter the legal address and address for correspondence if it differs from the legal address. Correspondence between the NCN and the project’s principal investigator will be held by means of the ESP (ePUAP) or the email address. Providing the address of one’s ESP (ePUAP) is voluntary.
8. Miejsca pracy w jednostkach naukowych i innych instytucjach związanych z nauką oraz zajmowane stanowiska: [Affiliation and positions occupied]: these will be completed automatically when the principal investigator has imported their entry data from the OPI database.

   If the entry data have been entered manually, their positions may be completed by clicking on the “Dodaj z bazy OPI” [Select from the OPI database] or the “Dodaj spoza bazy” [Select from outside OPI] button.

   If the principal investigator currently holds no position, tick the field “Bez miejsca pracy” [No fixed post].

9. Informacje o całkowitej liczbie cytowań oraz indeksie H [The total number of citations and the h-index value]: to be completed by the principal investigator only:
   • for ST (Physical and Engineering Sciences) and NZ (Life Sciences) panels: enter the total number of citations for all publications to date, without self-citations, and the h-index value. In the case of no citations, enter “0” as the number of citations and “0” as the h-index value. The data should be taken from the Web of Science™ Core Collection.
   • for HS (Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) panels: if possible, enter the total number of citations for all publications to date, without self-citations, and the h-index value. HS panels may also choose N/A, but only in the case where such data cannot be provided (e.g. where the achievements are not publications but works of art etc.). If publications have been listed as scientific achievements, the preferred source of evaluation is Web of Science™ Core Collection or Scopus.
10. Szczegółowa ankieta dorobku naukowego kierownika projektu [Scientific achievements of the principal investigator]: please complete the form as required by the system..
    
    

    PLEASE NOTE: information included in this part of the proposal must be provided in English. If any part of the questionnaire can’t be filled out (e.g. the principal investigator has had no awards), enter “not applicable” in the relevant tab.

    1. Przebieg kariery naukowej (Academic and Research Career): provide an account of the subsequent stages of academic career (degrees), including names of the university, institute or other organisational unit, specialisation, date of receiving the BA, MA (and equivalents), academic degree or title. In this section provide also any information on circumstances that may be considered of consequence for the research career and research achievements, e.g. longer career breaks, maternal/parental leaves and names (e.g. maiden names) used in publications.

       In this tab one may also enter projects that have been approved for funding under NCN calls but whose implementation has not started yet (on the date of submitting the proposal, the funding agreement has not been signed).

    2. Publikacje naukowe (Publication Record)
       • Indicate 5 to 10 major publications within the period of 10 years before submitting the proposal. Older publications will be disregarded in evaluation.
       • The three most important publications from amongst those mentioned above must be attached as PDF files (each of them no larger than 10 MB).

       In the case of monographs attach a file containing at least the title page, masthead area, contents and a selection of fragments with the author’s chief theses. Moreover, when filling out the tab, enter the following bibliographic data: name of the author(s), title of the publication, source (journal, publisher etc.), year, current 5-year Impact Factor (IF; enter 0 if the journal has no IF), number of citations, without self-citations (enter 0 if the publication has had no citations).

       PLEASE NOTE: If more than 3 publications have been attached, upon checking the completeness of the proposal the system will report an error.

       The principal investigator may mention unpublished works as long as they have been accepted for publication. If the work has been accepted for publication, state that it has not been published yet (the publication status is: Accepted for publication), and upload communications that may serve as proof that the work has been accepted for publication in the ZAŁĄCZNIKI [ANNEXES] tab.

       PLEASE NOTE: titles of publications, periodicals or monographs should be given in their original languages (e.g. Polish, French, German, Spanish).

    3. Research in art: music, fine arts, theatre, film up to 10 of the most important artistic achieve-ments and achievements in research in art with a nationwide or international impact, e.g. au-thoring and publishing a work of art (a musical score, a record), directing a film, a play, an opera, playing a lead role, authoring an individual exhibition, actively participating in a festival with an international impact, directing an international artistic venture.
    4. Projekty badawcze (Research Projects)

       LIST ONLY PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN THE CAPACITY OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR..

       In this section, name projects that have been funded from the budget for science under nationwide or international calls. Do not mention projects financed from the operating support grant. The projects must be completed within 10 years prior to submitting the proposal or must be in progress.

       The project manager must present at least 2 research projects selected through national or international competitions in which he was the project manager.

       Acting as principal investigator is also to be understood as leading/ coordinating the research team carrying out an international research project or program.

       In this tab one may not enter projects that have been approved for funding under NCN calls but whose implementation has not started yet (the funding agreement has not been signed).

       For ongoing projects, do not specify the date of completion. The system will automatically label the project as a project in progress.

       To enter the projects use the Add button. Provide the following information:

       • role in the project,
       • project title in the original language version and, if applicable, title’s translation into English,
       • project ID,
       • sources of funding,
       • amount of funding/currency code,
       • host institution
       • start date/finish date and
       • list of the most important publications.

       In addition, for each project listed in the questionnaire enumerate the most important publications issued as a consequence of the research tasks performed under the project. Publications at the stage of peer-review should not be included in this section. Failure to list publications will be considered as no effects of the research project(s).

    5. Zbliżone zadania badawcze (Similar research tasks) The tab should contain information on thematically similar research tasks performed by the principal investigator and funded by the NCN and from other sources.

       Please provide the following: project title and ID number, principal investigator’s given name and surname, main research tasks and information, source of funding, and present justification of the funding for the research tasks outlined in the proposal against the abovementioned similar research tasks.

       The purpose of this information is to determine the proposal’s status in the context of double funding.

       If similar research tasks have not been performed by the principal investigator, tick the not applicable field.

    6. Research stays: describe experience gained in Poland and abroad over the last 10 years, naming the country, institution, type/nature of stay (e.g. scholarship, fellowship, visiting professor) and its duration.
    7. Wykłady i prezentacje (Scientific talks and presentations) in this section provide information on invited keynote speeches or presentations at renowned international conferences. In the case of research in art, provide information on active participation in international exhibitions, festivals, events in plastic arts, music, theatre and film.
    8. Organizacje naukowe (Scientific organisations) in this section provide information on membership or membership by election in renowned associations, Polish and international scientific or academic organisations. Name the association and/or organisation, scientific or academic, nature of contribution and functions performed.
    9. Komitety naukowe (Scientific Committees) list instances of participation in scientific committees of renowned international conferences, exhibitions, festivals, events in plastic arts, music, theatre and film.
    10. Osiągnięcia naukowe (Research achievements) should describe up to 3 major research achievements from the last 10 years, and in the case of research activities in the field of art: authorship of works of art of international significance or significant for Polish culture. The information should be provided in English (up to 1 standard page).
    11. Wyróżnienia (Prizes/Awards) – name the most important international and prestigious Polish awards for research. Name the type of award, place and date of receiving. In this section, also provide information on other research activities, such as keynote speeches at conferences and, in the case of arts, active participation in international exhibitions, festivals, artistic events in plastic arts, music, theatre and film. Use up to 1,500 characters incl. spaces.

ADDING INVESTIGATORS

Under the MAESTRO 10 call, the investigators are entered as anonymous.

To add an Investigator click on the Dodaj wykonawcę [Add investigator] button and provide the data as required.

The number of the research team members given in this tab must match the number of investigators stated in the Informacje ogólne [General information] tab.

Under the call, proposals may be submitted for the funding of research projects:

• which involve the creation of new full-time post-doc position for at least one person holding a doctoral degree, a post-doc type position, for the aggregate period of at least 36 months;
• which involve awarding a scholarship for a doctoral candidate or candidates for an aggregate period of at least 36 months in compliance with the Regulations on awarding scholarships in NCN-funded research projects as adopted by the resolution of the Council of the NCN no 96/2016 of 27th October 2016.

Under the call, it is permitted to establish one specialist auxiliary post, at which more than one person may be employed pursuant to a full-time contract of employment, provided that the aggregate time of employment of all persons employed at the post does not exceed the time of the project’s duration. Employment in this post may last a minimum of 6 months.

Select the correct type of position in the project:

• post-doc type
• doctoral candidate and/or student (person receiving a scholarship)
• other: applies to persons who do not meet the abovementioned requirements specialist auxiliary post.

ADDING MEMBERS OF A RESEARCH TEAM

To add an Investigator click on the Dodaj wykonawcę [Add investigator] button and provide the data as required.

The number of the research team members given in this tab must match the number of investigators stated in the Informacje ogólne [General information] tab.

1. Planowany charakter udziału w realizacji projektu [Nature of contribution to the project]: the system will automatically assign the person’s role in the project (“investigator”). The field does not allow for entering the name of the person.
2. Podmiot [Host Institution]: completed automatically by the system with the organisation indicated as the host institution. If the applicant is a joint entity, please indicate the host institution in which the investigator will be employed.
3. Rola pełniona w projekcie [Role in the project]: in English, in this field enter the role to be performed, e.g. laboratory technician, technician, researcher;
4. Typ zatrudnienia w projekcie [Type of employment in the project]: please select from the list: full-time remuneration, additional remuneration, scholarship, no remuneration.
   • wynagrodzenie pełnoetatowe [full-time remuneration]: under the Maestro 10 call, a person in a “post-doc type” position may be employed with a salary from the pool allocated for full-time remuneration. The remuneration amounts to PLN 120,000 per annum.

     If remuneration is not to be received on a continuous basis during the entire course of the project’s completion, the amount of full-time remuneration is reduced in proportion to the period when the remuneration is received.

     PLEASE NOTE: Under the MAESTRO call, it is required that (a) new post-doc type post(s) be established for an aggregate period of at least 36 months, provided that the aggregate time of employment of all persons employed in those posts is no more than twice the time planned as the project’s duration. Employment in this post may last a minimum of 6 months.

     
   • additional remuneration: under the call, salaries for prospective investigators may be paid only from the pool for additional remuneration – as calculated per each month of the project’s implementation – amounts, for all investigators, to be no more than:
   • should the principal investigator not plan to be employed pursuant to a full-time contract of employment, with remuneration paid from the pool allocated for full-time salaries:
     

     - PLN 6,000 for one person,

     - PLN 7,500 for two persons, of which no more than PLN 6,000 for the principal investigator,

     - PLN 8,500 for three persons, of which no more than PLN 6,000 for the principal investigator,

     - PLN 9,500 for four persons, of which no more than PLN 6,000 for the principal investigator;

     - PLN 10,500 for five or more persons, of which no more than PLN 6,000 for the principal investigator/p>

   • should the principal investigator plan to be employed pursuant to a full-time contract of employment, with remuneration paid from the pool allocated for full-time salaries:
     

     - PLN 1,500 for one person,

     - PLN 2,500 for two persons,

     - PLN 3,500 for three or more persons

     - PLN 4,500 for four or more persons.

   • scholarships for doctoral candidates and students

     PLEASE NOTE: Under the call it is required that a doctoral candidate or candidates be employed for an aggregate period of at least 36 months in compliance with the Regulations on awarding scholarships in NCN-funded research projects as adopted by the resolution of the Council of the NCN no 96/2016 of 27 October 2016.

     

     For more information on scholarships click here.

   • no remuneration.
5. Rodzaj stanowiska [Type of position]: choose the type of post in the project:
   • post-doc type post is to be understood as a full-time post, scheduled by the principal investigator for a person who has obtained their doctoral degree within 7 years prior to joining the project. This period does not include breaks related to: maternity leave, adoption leave, paternal leave, parental leave granted in compliance with the Employment Code, nor periods of sickness benefit or rehabilitation benefit granted on account of unfitness for work, including any caused by a health condition requiring rehabilitation. In such case, the 7-year period is to be extended by the duration of the leave in question.

     Women may extend the 7-year period by 18 months for every child born or adopted. A woman may choose whichever manner of accounting for career breaks she finds preferable

     PLEASE NOTE: Under the MAESTRO call, it is required that persons employed at post-doc type posts be employed for an aggregate period of at least 36 months, provided that the aggregate time of employment of all persons employed in those posts is no more than twice the time planned as the project’s duration. More than one person may be employed in each post. The minimum individual period of employment in this post is six months.

   • doctoral candidate: this term is to be understood – pursuant to the Act on Higher Education of 27 July 2005 (Journal of Laws of 2016, item 1842, as amended – as a participant in a doctoral programme,
   • student,
   • other.
   
6. Okres pobierania wynagrodzenia w projekcie [Period of receiving remuneration] (in months): specify the period of receiving remuneration as planned, which does not have to equate with the duration of the research project.

   PLEASE NOTE: The order in which co-the investigators are listed in the proposal can be modified as desired. To change the order, click first on the Ustaw kolejność [Set order] button and then on the arrows displayed.

SPECIALIST AUXILIARY POST

Under the MAESTRO 10 call, one may create a specialist auxiliary post, i.e. hire an investigator collaborating on project-related research problems with specialist knowledge and experience (e.g. lab-manager, senior technician etc.).

Person at a specialist auxiliary post may be paid salary from the pool allocated for full-time salaries pursuant to a full-time contract of employment at a research post as long as they meet all of the following conditions:

• at the time of receiving this remuneration, they are not receiving any other remuneration paid from funds granted under NCN calls under the heading of direct costs,
• in the period of receiving the salary they are not employed by another employer pursuant to a contract of employment,
• the sum of funds for their employment does not exceed PLN 85,000 per annum.

Under the MAESTRO call, it is permitted to establish one specialist auxiliary post at which more than one person may be employed, provided that the aggregate time of employment of all persons employed at the post does not exceed the project’s duration as planned. Employment of one person at this post may last a minimum of 6 months.

To enter a specialist auxiliary post use the Dodaj stanowisko pomocnicze [Add a specialist auxiliary post] button, and provide data as required.

1. Planowany charakter udziału w realizacji projektu [Nature of contribution to the project]: the system will automatically assign the role of the given person in the project, “auxiliary post”. The field does not allow for entering the name of the person.
2. Podmiot [Host institution]: completed automatically by the ZSUN/OSF system with the organisation indicated as the host institution in the Applicant tab. For joint entities, select the organisation in which individual persons will implement the research project, as appropriate.
3. Rola pełniona w projekcie [Role in the project]: in English, in this field enter the role to be performed, e.g. lab-manager, senior technician.
4. Typ zatrudnienia w projekcie [Type of employment in the project]: please select from the list: wynagrodzenie pełnoetatowe [full-time remuneration].
5. Rodzaj stanowiska [Type of position]: the system will enter the type automatically: stanowisko pomocnicze [auxiliary post].
6. Okres pobierania wynagrodzenia w projekcie [Period of receiving remuneration in the project] in months.

Present research tasks to be carried out in the project.

Nazwy zadań badawczych [Names of research tasks] (in Polish and in English) presenting descriptions of individual research tasks – the descriptions in both language versions must be identical.

If the applicant is a joint entity, please indicate which of the individual institutions comprising it will be responsible for a given research task by choosing the appropriate name from the drop-down list (applicant/leader/partner(s)).

For other applicant types, the Podmiot realizujący zadanie [Host Institution] tab will be completed automatically by the system.

All information should be provided in English only. The costs entered in the breakdown of project costs require justification in the section: Koszty w projektach badawczych finansowanych przez Narodowe Centrum Nauki.

The budget calculations must be realistic, they must follow the cost-effectiveness principle, i.e. they must aim to obtain the best effects from the given inputs. All expenses included in the budget must be justifiable against the research project implementation. All costs in the project should be planned in accordance with the terms of the call, internal regulations of the Host Institution and generally applicable provisions of law.

The sums entered in the budget table must be rounded up or down to the nearest full Polish zloty. The sums entered must include VAT (if eligible).

PLEASE NOTE: The ZSUN/OSF proposal submission system does not validate the sums entered for errors.

Project’s costs include direct and indirect costs.

Indirect costs may not exceed 40 per cent of the requested direct costs, excluding costs of research facilities, equipment and software. Over the course of the project’s implementation indirect costs may not be increased, but they may be reduced. Salaries must be calculated as gross amounts, with regard to their compliance with the limits for the call in question.

Zestawienie planowanego dofinansowania z Narodowego Centrum Nauki [National Science Centre contribution table]: is completed automatically by the system once the Kosztorys-podmioty [Breakdown of costs by entities] has been filled out. If the proposal is submitted by a joint entity, the costs result from the costs of particular organisations Host Institutions entered in their respective breakdowns.

The costs entered in the breakdown of project costs require justification in the section: Kalkulacja poszczególnych pozycji kosztorysu [Individual budget items] – please complete all tabs.

1. All individuals receiving remuneration in the project should be included in the breakdown of project costs. The Wynagrodzenie [Investigator/Staff Costs] tab should specify:
   • Liczba wykonawców projektu [the number of investigators]: completed automatically by the system with data from the Kierownik projektu/Wykonawcy [Principal Investigator/Investigators] section,
   • Liczba osób, pobierająca wynagrodzenie z puli wynagrodzeń dodatkowych [the number of individuals to constitute the basis for the calculation of additional remuneration budget]: completed automatically by the system with data from the Kierownik projektu/Wykonawcy [Principal Investigator / Investigators] section,
   • Charakter udziału w projekcie/ Typ i rodzaj stanowiska/ Forma zatrudnienia w projekcie [full name/nature of contribution to the project/type and character of position]: completed automatically by the system with data from the Principal Investigator/Investigators section,
   • Podmiot zatrudniający [employing entity]: tab will be completed automatically by the system,
   • Zakres prac wykonywanych w projekcie [scope of work within individual project tasks]: a concise yet thorough description of the function performed by the person in the project,
   • Czas pobierania wynagrodzenia w projekcie w miesiącach (project-related remuneration period months): tab will be completed automatically by the system,
   • Całkowite planowane wynagrodzenie w projekcie [total salary cost on grant – PLN]: in this section enter the total sum of remuneration for each individual working in the project,
   • Dodatkowe uzasadnienie [justification of the amount of remuneration]: the tab will appear only if the full-time remuneration for a post-doc type investigator is in excess of PLN 120,000 per annum. Use the Edytuj [Edit] button to describe the special circumstances justifying the higher remuneration.
2. Aparatura (Planned Equipment) Under the call, one might apply for a purchase of research equipment. The unit cost of equipment purchase may not exceed PLN 500,000 in Physical Sciences and Engineering (ST) and Life Sciences (NZ), and PLN 150,000 in Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (HS).

   PLEASE NOTE: The value of research equipment shall be determined in accordance with the Accounting Law and it includes, among others: costs of transportation, loading and unloading, insurance of the transported goods, installation/assembly, customs and excise duty, and the value of software if it is treated as a component of the research equipment.

   The following data must be entered:

   • Nazwę aparatury naukowo-badawczej [equipment name]: in Polish and in English,
   • Merytoryczne uzasadnienie zakupu apratury [justification of purchase]: in English, justification of equipment connected to the implementation of research tasks envisaged in the proposal,
   • Podmiot realizujący zakup [purchasing entity]: for a joint entity, indicate the name of the purchasing organisation that shall make depreciation deductions on the purchase in the period of the project’s implementation; for other entities, the section will be completed automatically by the system,
   • Planowany rok zakupu [year of purchase].
   • Koszt jednostkowy w zł [unit cost – PLN].
   • Liczbę sztuk [amount].
   • Koszt całkowity [cost – PLN]: calculated automatically; cost per item is multiplied by the number of items to be purchased,
   • Wnioskowane dofinansowanie z NCN [contribution of the NCN – PLN].
3. Inne koszty [Other direct costs]: in each of the following sections enter the type of cost, its amount and its relevance for the project’s work plan (justification of spending). Such costs are, among others:
   • Materiały i drobny sprzęt [materials and small equipment],
   • Usługi obce [outsourced services],
   • Wyjazdy służbowe [conferences and business trips],
   • Wizyty i konsultacje [visits and consultations],
   • Inne koszty [other costs]: other costs such as do not fall under any of the other categories, including costs of disseminating the results,
   • Wykonawcy zbiorowi [collective investigators]: total cost of gratification for persons with a uniform scope of work (e.g. interviewers or study participants). The minimum number of such investigators is 5 persons. A detailed cost estimate shall be drafted, describing the objective of the expenditure and its total cost, as well as the number of persons receiving benefits, the value of a unit-rate and the form of benefit (monetary or material). Mind that this category does not include technicians and lab managers.
4. Opis kompetencji wykonawców projektu [Investigator’s qualifications]: in this section the principal investigator will be able to present the qualifications required of the researchers hired for the project, which will have additional value for reviewers evaluating the feasibility of the planned research.
5. Zatrudnienie na specjalistycznym stanowisku [Technical assistant full time employment]: in this tab justify the need to create the post of technical assistant and show that the conditions for full-time employment at the special auxiliary host have been fulfilled.

If the applicant is not a joint entity, this tab includes Zestawienie planowanego dofinansowania z Narodowego Centrum Nauki [National Science Centre contribution in the form of a table].

For joint entities, the tab is divided into subsections corresponding to each of the Host Institutions involved in the joint entity. Draft a separate breakdown of costs for the leader and each of the partners.

Costs of salaries must match the sums of individual salaries indicated in the Kosztorys [Breakdown of costs] or Kosztorys zbiorczy [General breakdown of costs] sections (tab:  Zestawienie planowanego dofinansowania z NCN/Wynagrodzenia [National Science Centre contribution/Staff costs]).

Read the text of all declarations. Depending on the applicant’s status, declarations are submitted by:

1. when the applicant is a natural person: natural-person applicant and the authorised representative of the Host Institution,
2. in the case of other applicants: the project’s principal investigator and the authorised representative of the entity acting as the applicant.

The project’s principal investigator /authorised representative of the entity acting as the applicant declares whether the proposed research requires permission of a relevant committee, i.e. bioethics committee. Should the research give rise to ethical concerns, the principal investigator may explain them in the window: Opis działań podjętych w celu zapewnienia wykonywania badań zgodnie z zasadami dobrej praktyki w danej dziedzinie / dyscyplinie naukowej [Description of actions taken to ensure that the research will be carried out conforming to the rules of good practice in the respective field/discipline] (up to 2,500 characters, incl. spaces).

In the event that the applicant at the moment of submitting the proposal has not collected the required permissions yet, they may report on the advancement of the process of applying for them.

If no permissions are required for the project to be implemented then in the section “Opis działań podjętych w celu zapewnienia wykonywania badań zgodnie z zasadami dobrej praktyki w danej dziedzinie” [Description of actions taken to ensure that the research will be carried out conforming to the rules of good practice...] the system will automatically supply it with the “bd” [no data] message, thus rendering the information in the system complete.  

If the project involves clinical research subject to the Act of 6th September 2001, as amended, on pharmaceutical law, or to the act of 20th May 2010, as amended, on medical products, an additional section will be generated: Szczegółowe uzasadnienie niekomercyjnego charakteru badania klinicznego planowanego z zastosowaniem produktu leczniczego lub wyrobu medycznego [A detailed justification of the non-commercial nature of the trial using a pharmaceutical product or a medical device] (up to 2,500 characters, incl. spaces).

PLEASE NOTE: if the planned research tasks require any special permissions, the applicant need not support the proposal with copies thereof, they do however declare, under penalty of perjury, that the tasks will be carried out only after such permissions have been obtained.

The short description of the project must be written in English. The description may be no longer than 5 standard pages, including references (page format: A4; font: Times New Roman; font size: at least 11; lead: single; margins left and right: 2 cm; margins up and down: 1.5 cm). The only acceptable file format is PDF.

PLEASE NOTE: the tab must be filled by attaching a PDF file before locking the proposal. After the proposal has been locked, this tab will remain active. The editor will be able to continue working on the short description of the research project up to the moment of submitting the proposal. You do not have to unlock the whole proposal in order to update the PDF file. To update the file, click on the Zmień plik [Change file] button. 

The short description of the research project must include the following information:

• Cel naukowy projektu [research objective]: the research problem the applicant aims to solve, research hypotheses,
• Znaczenie projektu [significance of the project]: the state of the art, justification for tackling specific scientific problem, justification for pioneering nature of the research, the impact of the project results on the development of the research field and scientific discipline,
• Koncepcja i plan badań [work plan]: outline of the work plan, specific research goals, results of preliminary research, risk analysis,
• Metodyka badań [research methodology]: underlying scientific methodology, methods, techniques and research tools, methods of results analysis, equipment and devices to be used in the research,
• Literatura [references]: a reference list of publications included by the author in the research project description, with full bibliographic data.

The full description of the research project must be written in English. The description may be no longer than 15 standard pages, including references (page format: A4; font: Times New Roman; font size: at least 11; lead: single; margins left and right: 2 cm; margins up and down: 1.5 cm). The only acceptable file format is PDF.

PLEASE NOTE: The tab must be filled by attaching a PDF file before locking the proposal. After the proposal has been locked, this tab will remain active. The editor will be able to continue working on the full description up to the moment of submitting the proposal. You do not have to unlock the whole proposal in order to update the PDF file. To update the file, click on the Zmień plik [Change file] button. 

Full description of the research project must include the following information:

• Cel naukowy projektu [research objective]: the research problem the applicant aims to solve, research hypotheses,
• Znaczenie projektu [significance of the project]: the state of the art, justification for tackling specific scientific problem, justification for pioneering nature of the research, the impact of the project results on the development of the research field and scientific discipline,
• Koncepcja i plan badań [work plan]: outline of the work plan, specific research goals, results of preliminary research, risk analysis,
• Metodyka badań [research methodology]: underlying scientific methodology, methods, techniques and research tools, methods of results analysis, equipment and devices to be used in the research,
• Literatura [references]: a reference list of publications included by the author in the research project description, with full bibliographic data.

In this tab, the system displays a list of annexes to be uploaded in the electronic version of the proposal in the ZSUN/OSF system. Adding attachments before locking the proposal is optional. After the proposal to NCN has been locked, it is possible to change the previously uploaded annexes, add missing ones or upload annexes, including documents confirming the submission of the proposal in the call. The submission of a proposal to the NCN requires attaching a complete set of confirmations and annexes.   

There are two ways of attaching the required annexes to the proposal: one may attach a scan of the document signed in their own hand or a file signed with a qualified electronic signature.

Either option is effected by clicking on the “Załącz plik” [Attach file] button and adding the document as appropriate. At the moment, in the location “Plik podpisany elektronicznie” [“Electronically signed file”] it is possible to add files in the PAdES format only.

Załącznik nr 1 [Annex no 1]

^[1] 1. Information on research carried out over the period of 2 years before submitting the proposal, together with a list of publications affiliated with the applicant/ host institution;

2. Information on research equipment and other instrumentation/facilities crucial to research activities.

Załącznik nr 2 [Annex no 2] ^[2] Umowa o utworzeniu podmiotu złożonego [Joint entity agreement]

Elements required in the joint entity agreement:

• indicating the parties to the agreement, including the leader,
• indicating the subject of the agreement,
• duration of the agreement covering the period of completion of the research project,
• authorisation for the representative of the leader to act on behalf of the entire joint entity in the course of proceedings for applying for funding and completion of the research project,
• the leader’s undertaking to pass information received from the NCN to the other parties to the agreement,
• signatures of persons authorised to represent all entities forming the joint entity.

Załącznik nr 3. [Annex no 3]^[3] Oświadczenie o niewystępowaniu pomocy publicznej wraz z kwestionariuszem [State aid declaration and questionnaire]

PLEASE NOTE: In the case of joint entities, both the leader and each of the partners should support the proposal with the state aid questionnaire and declaration.

Załącznik nr 4 [Annex no 4] ^[4] Listy od redakcji potwierdzające przyjęcie prac do druku [Acceptance letters from publishers confirming that the work has been accepted for publication]

Proposals must be complete. Completeness may be checked in the system using the Sprawdź kompletność [Check completeness] and Pokaż szczegóły [Show details] buttons. The system will not allow to submit proposals where the required fields remain uncompleted or obligatory annexes are missing. The validation of the proposal for completeness carried out by the system does not release the applicant from responsibility for the information entered in the tabs.

Once the individual tabs of the proposal have been filled out and the proposal validated for completeness (1), editing of the proposal should be disabled by clicking on Zablokuj wersję do NCN [Disable editing of the version for the NCN] (2).

On the left hand side of the proposal a new tab will appear: Elektroniczna wysyłka wniosku [Electronic submission of the proposal].

Upon clicking the tab Elektroniczna wysyłka wniosku [Electronic submission of the proposal] a system message will be displayed stating that the final version of the proposal has been prepared (it can no longer be edited) and is ready to be sent in electronic form to the National Science Centre. It has not been marked as “ready” yet, and is not available to officers at the NCN; at this stage the proposal’s editor may still activate the proposal for editing by clicking on (“Powrót do edycji” [Return to editing] button (3)) to enter corrections.

In this section generate the confirmation of submitting the proposal; additionally, one may attach annexes or change those already attached (options: zmień plik [change file] or usuń plik [remove file] and check them by clicking on pokaż plik [show file]). If the required annexes have not been attached earlier, add them in this section.

Personalized “Confirmations” may be downloaded from the system and attached to the proposal as signed scans or documents bearing an electronic signature. The proposal submitted in the ZSUN/OSF system should be supported with two confirmations.

The original document should be kept on file until the final date of the evaluation process, and if the research project is approved for funding, until the date of signing the funding agreement.

Should the confirmation of submitting the proposal be signed by a person other than the authorised representative of the entity, send an authorisation granted to that person to the Centre. The authorisation to sign documents may be scanned and attached in the system alongside the confirmation of submitting the proposal or sent to the National Science Centre’s ESP (ePUAP) address.

There are two ways of confirming the submission of the proposal: one may attach a scan of the document signed in their own hand or a file signed with a qualified electronic signature.

Either option is effected by clicking on the “Załącz plik” [Attach file] button and adding the document as appropriate. At the moment, in the location “Plik podpisany elektronicznie” [Electronically signed file] it is possible to add files in the PAdES format only.

PLEASE NOTE: the confirmation must refer to the final version of the proposal. After the proposal has been locked and confirmations of submission have been generated, updates can only be made to the short and full descriptions of the research project. Other tabs are unavailable for editing.

Sending the proposal to the NCN

Once the proposal has been completed and all the required annexes are in place, the electronic version should be sent to the National Science Centre using the “Wyślij do NCN” [Send to the NCN] button. (4).

The completion of the procedure will be confirmed by the proposal’s status being changed “Wysłany” [Sent].

PLEASE NOTE: no paper version of the proposal should be sent to the National Science Centre. The proposal is deemed as effectively submitted only when submitted in the electronic form.

PLEASE NOTE: once this operation has been completed, entering modifications to the contents of the proposal will no longer be possible.

 [1] Applies to entities receiving no operating support grants from the budget for science. In the case of natural-person applicants, enter as the host institution at which the project will be carried out. The proposal should be accompanied with this document bearing an electronic signature, or a scan of the document signed by hand in the PDF format.

[2] Applies to joint entities. The proposal should be accompanied with this document bearing an electronic signature, or a scan of the document signed by hand in the PDF format.

[3] Each member of a joint entity submits a declaration on receiving (no) state aid. In the case of entities not applying for state aid, a scan of the document signed by hand in the PDF format may be attached, or a document bearing an electronic signature.

[4] Applies to persons who have named works accepted for publication in the questionnaire of scientific achievements. Attached to the proposal should be a PDF file containing all acceptance letters confirming that a given work has been accepted for publication.