CALL FOR APPLICATIONS. Be sure to start in plenty of time, contact your co-applicants, and let the relevant operational manager know they will need to sign your application. No additions will be permitted once the application system is closed, so ensure that your application is fully complete when you submit it.
This year’s call for applications for national medical training and research system (ALF) project funding and ALF project funding for younger researchers for 2025–2027 opens on April 10. Ahead of the application period, employees were invited to four information meetings at three different hospital locations and online. The meetings were attended by Caterina Finizia, Director of Research and Development, Education, and Innovation at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Magnus Simrén, Pro-Dean of Sahlgrenska Academy, and ALF strategist Kristina Eriksson. The presentation from these meetings is now available on the ALF office’s website, and gives a clear overview of the application format, the process, and the assessment criteria.
ALF Västra Götaland has a total budget of SEK 537 million per year, almost half of which (45%) is awarded as research funding. The ALF funding is based on factors including the Swedish Research Council’s regular evaluations.
“Clinical research in Västra Götaland has received top marks both times,” said Caterina Finizia during her introduction to the meeting held on Tuesday, March 26 in the lecture hall at Sahlgrenska. “This is extremely pleasing, and is thanks to all of you sitting here today. It’s partly due to your work that we enjoy a nationally leading position in clinical research.”
The success rate is usually quite high in the call for ALF funding applications. Sixty-five percent of applicants were successful during the previous call. The grant will be between SEK 400,000 and SEK 2 million per year for three years, depending on the number of points awarded by the assessors. Those who score top marks in all seven categories can receive a maximum of 40 points. Medisam Forskning will deal with ranking and the award decision, based on the number of points your application is awarded by the assessors.
Few changes
Compared to previous years, there have only been minor changes in this year’s call for applications. This year, however, it is particularly important that your application is fully complete, as you will not have a second chance to update your application once the application period closes at one minute before midnight on June 3.
“In previous years, there has been an opportunity to correct applications,” explained ALF strategist Kristina Eriksson during the information sessions. “However, we have decided to stop sending reminders. We will be extremely strict this year. If your application does not meet all the requirements, it will not be submitted for review.”
Applications will also not be submitted for assessment if they are too long. Before submitting your application, you will therefore need to pay particular attention to ensuring that the Word document does not exceed the permitted ten pages – including once it has been converted to a PDF file, as can happen in certain cases.
Even at this stage, it is worth contacting your manager and letting them know that you are planning to apply for ALF funding, as you will need the operational manager’s signature. When it comes to joint applications, each person can only co-apply for a maximum of three applications. If you have a key person whom you want to include in your application, it is therefore a good idea to reach an agreement with them at an early stage.
“Being a co-applicant is a major undertaking for health professionals, as they will become financially responsible,” added Kristina Eriksson. “If you are late inviting a co-applicant, there’s a risk that they will already be co-applicants for three applications, and the assessors will see that you have invited people who have not agreed to this. Naturally, this wouldn’t look good.”
Thorough preparations
Another general piece of advice for those planning to apply is to write a straightforward application that can be understood by assessors who lack specific expertise in your particular field. Applications will be allocated to six different groups of assessors, with half of the assessors being external and half being internal. These reviewers will represent different scientific fields. Each group has at least one assessor from a non-medical background.
“During their vacation, each assessor will read sixty applications,” said Pro-Dean Magnus Simrén. “Bear this in mind when writing your application. It’s important to hone your wording and clarify your messages. Don’t cram in too much information – ensure that you sift through your material.”
You can write your project plan in Swedish or English, but the two languages cannot be combined – you need to choose one.
As in previous years, your application will be an official documents and can therefore be read by others. This is important to remember if, for example, you are interested in applying for a patent based on parts of your research.
Project funding for younger researchers
During the same application period, you can also apply for ALF project funding for younger researchers for 2025–2027. Applicants must have defended their doctoral thesis, and must be working toward an associate professorship. You can apply for project funding for your own defined line of research. ALF project funding for younger researchers can only be granted once. These applications will be assessed by two different groups of assessors, made up of people working at Sahlgrenska Academy.
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
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