Through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) EPSRC works in partnership with Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR) in Luxembourg, to encourage and support proposals that involve international collaborative teams. Since 2013 we have had a lead agency agreement with FNR whereby researchers may submit proposals to EPSRC including collaborators from Luxembourg.
Under the lead agency agreement, a single joint proposal from applicants in both countries is submitted to EPSRC and processed according to EPSRC’s standard procedures. FNR-nominated experts can be involved with the peer review and decision making process throughout. Funding by EPSRC and FNR is decided by the appropriate EPRSC theme lead, following the recommendation of the EPSRC panel.
Expression of interest
To enable EPSRC and FNR to ensure that you meet your respective funding organisation’s eligibility requirements, potential applicants must first submit an expression of interest. It should include a short summary of the proposed research, and indicative costs of both the EPSRC and FNR components.
EPSRC will contact FNR to ensure that they are aware of the proposal and its potential budget.
Submit an expression of interest.
Joint proposal format
This includes:
- except where indicated otherwise, joint applications should follow standard EPSRC format. Additional pages are not permitted
- the title of applications submitted through the Funding Service should include ‘FNR’. Include the scientific case for the Luxembourg components of the project in the vision and approach section
- add the Luxembourg collaborating institutions as project partners
- include the total costs requested from FNR as project partner contributions
- Luxembourg collaborators should fill out an INTER budget form and INTER budget details form for the costs being requested from FNR. The completed forms should be converted to PDF and submitted through the UKRI Funding Service as an attachment. These are for EPSRC and FNR records, and will not be part of EPSRC’s peer review process. Download the INTER budget documents from the FNR website
- the resources and cost justification section should include details of the costs requested from the Luxembourg collaborators, making it clear that these will be funded by FNR if the project is successful
Reviewers’ comments and the principal investigator’s response to reviews will be shared with FNR once the funding decision has been made.