Conditions regarding payment of funds within the framework of the Faculty Board's investment in junior researchers

To enable that these conditions are followed, the administrative officers at the Departments where people who have obtained funding are active should be informed about these conditions regarding payment of funds. The receiving department is responsible for informing the Administrative officer at the University Administration of changes in the scope of employment for a person who has been granted funding for employment/Consolidator grant from the Faculty Board. Funds that have not been used should be repaid to the Faculty Board after the time frame of disposal has expired. 

Funding for employment as Assistant Professor and Senior Research Specialist/Principal Researcher

The Faculty Board announces funding for employment as Assistant professor (six years of funding). Before 2023 positions as Senior Research Specialist/Principal Researcher was also announced within the program. The conditions apply to the persons who has received funding for the employments as Senior Research Specialist/Principal Researcher until 2022. 

A person can only obtain and receive funds for one (own) employment financed by faculty funds. If a person is offered funding in two separate calls, the person must choose one.

The starting date for the appointment shall be no later than twelve months after the decision regarding the funding, and the funding may be used one additional year after the payment period has ended. The time of disposalof funds are thereby seven years for Assistant Professor and three years for Senior Research Specialist/Principal Researcher. Exception may be granted if there are special reasons. 

The funding for employment includes a frame amount for each employment. These funds refer to full-time employment and are to be used for own salary. The final decision regarding employment and salary is to be made by the receiving department and the employment shall continue throughout the whole payment period.

If a person who receives funds through the call for Assistant Professor has an ongoing employment as Assistant Professor (Swe: Biträdande lektor) at KI, the corresponding time will be deducted and the allocated funds will be reduced to a corresponding extent.

A person can only obtain an Assistant professor position for a period of at least four years and at most six years, as determined by the university prior to employment (Högskoleförordningen 4 kap. 12a §)

A person who has received funding should mainly use these funds to conduct research within the framework of his/her employment but may also have other tasks in education or management positions within the department or faculty.

If not all funds are used for own salary during the period to which the grant relates, the remaining funds can be used for salary costs for own salary for one year after the current grant period. This presupposes that the department decides on an extension or new employment at KI, and that research is the main work task. The employing department is responsible for the money being disposed of in accordance with these regulations even after the initial grant period.

If a person who receives funds through the call for Assistant Professor then takes up a new position at KI during the current grant period, the remaining funds can be used as long as research is the main task of the new employment. 

For people with clinical employment 

A person who has received funding for employment as Assistant Professor and who is employed for clinical service at a unit within Region Stockholm (Swe: upplåten enhet, USV-enhet) must be employed at one of Karolinska Institutet’s departments to an extent of at least 20 percent and conduct research to an extent of at least 50 percent of full-time work within their employment for funding to be allocated. 

A person who has received funding for employment as Senior Research Specialist/Principal Researcher and who is employed for clinical service at a unit within Region Stockholm (Swe: upplåten enhet, USV-enhet) should be allowed to remain in her/his employment at the current clinic and be affiliated to a department at KI instead of being recruited. For an affiliation, there is no regulation regarding the extent of affiliation in percent, according to the Rules and instructions for affiliation, ref 1-683/2019. 

The department and the clinic must annually certify that the person who receives funding is conducting research of at least 50 percent to continue receiving the funding. 

Startup grant for research

 In connection to the decision of announcement of salary funding, the Faculty Board at KI may decide on a special start up grant for research for the Assistant professors who have received funding for employment through the program.

Assistant professors that receive a startup grant for research from the Faculty Board is expected to use the funding for research related costs. The startup grant is not to be used for own salary or scholarships. The time of disposal for the startup grant is the same as for the employment as Assistant Professor. 

Consolidator grant

Included in the program is also a Consolidator grant (five years funding) which should be used for salary costs to an extent of at least 50 percent. Up to 50 percent of the Consolidator grant may be used as project funding. The Consolidator grant cannot be used for scholarships.

A person who has received a Consolidator grant is expected to conduct research in a field of medical science and lead a research group.

The Consolidator grant will be paid in corresponding extent of the employment at KI. The grant will cease if the employment at KI ends.

A person can only obtain and carry funding for one employment financed by faculty funds. If a person is awarded with a Consolidator grant and already has received faculty funding through previous calls, only up to 50 percent of the Consolidator grant can be requested and can then be used for research-related costs. It is not possible to obtain a Consolidator Grant if you previously have received funds for employment as Researcher (5 years) or Consolidator grant through calls from the Board of Research (Swe: Styrelsen för forskning) or the Faculty Board at Karolinska Institutet. 

The Consolidator grant should be requested no later than twelve months after the Faculty Board's decision on allocation and may be disposed of for one more year after the payment period. The time of disposal is six years. Exceptions may be granted if there are special reasons.

Exceptions

Decisions regarding possible exceptions of Conditions regarding payment of funds within the framework of the Faculty Board's investment in junior researchers are made by the Academic Vice President for Research. Decisions regarding employments are made by the Academic Vice President after consultation with the Chairperson of the Recruitment Committee. The Academic Vice President for Research also has the opportunity to make decisions about exceptions regarding the use of funds issued by the board for research until 2018-12-31.

Reconsideration

Decisions regarding allocation of funds can in certain situations be reconsidered. 

KI can decide that funds (completely or partly) no longer should be distributed if

• The applicant has been found guilty of scientific misconduct or other deviations from good research practice
• The funding is not used for the intended purpose
• The applicant has presented incorrect or deceptive information with regards to the application.