To be eligible for funding from Forte, applications must be of high scientific quality, societal relevance and feasibility. Applications are assessed against our general assessment criteria and general requirements. In some cases, applications are also assesed againt call-specific criteria, which will be set out in the information on the call’s web page.

General requirements

All applications must meet the following requirements in order to receive funding. The extent to which these requirements are met is part of the overall assessment by the review panel.

  • The research must be relevant to Forte’s areas and the focus of the call.
  • The application must address and justify if a gender perspective is applicable or not to the research and how this is taken into account in the research.
  • The research must be conducted ethically, and the application must address the ethical aspects of the research and how any ethical issues will be handled.

General assessment criteria

The various criteria are given equal weighting in the assessment, unless stated otherwise in the call text. The extent to which these criteria are met is part of the overall assessment by the review panel.

Scientific quality

  • Purpose, research questions, theoretical framework and background
    How well and coherently the purpose, research questions, theoretical framework and background of the research are described, justified and grounded in previous research.
  • Study design, empirical material and methods for data collection and analysis
    How well and coherently the research design, methods and empirical material are described and justified, as well as the appropriateness of these in relation to the purpose of the research, research questions, and the potential for relevant results.
  • Originality
    The originality of the research and its potential to develop new knowledge (including novel methods, theories and/or data).
  • Multidisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary approach, where applicable
    The relevance of a multidisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary approach, and how this is considered and justified in the application.

Societal relevance and utilisation

  • Relevance to the wider community
    The societal challenges to which the research relates, how the research intends to help address these challenges, and how well the need for the research is described and justified to the research stakeholders, the general public and/or the wider community.
  • Benefit for the wider community
    How the research is expected to lead to short or long-term benefit for the research stakeholders, the general public and/or the wider community, and how this benefit is intended to be promoted.
  • Collaboration with the wider community, where applicable
    How inclusion in the research process of actors affected by the research (such as users, patients, practitioners, professions, policymakers) has been considered and justified in the application, and, where applicable, how well this has been formulated.
  • Communication of research results
    Whether dissemination of research results is planned for all relevant audiences, as well as the soundness of planned communication (such as in academic and/or popular science articles, books, seminars, workshops, training materials).

Feasibility

  • Quality of the work plan
    The clarity and reasonableness of the work plan (including the schedule) in relation to the needs for conducting the research.
  • Competence of the project manager and project team
    Competence and skills of the participants (based on previous experience and achievements) in relation to the needs for conducting the research.
  • Staffing and budgets
    Reasonableness of budgeted costs and participants’ planned activity level for conducting the research.