Rubicon COVID–19 Financial Compensation Scheme 2021

Introduction

Measures following the COVID–19 outbreak in 2.020 are seriously affecting the progress of research and the development of scientific careers, especially for those working on temporary contracts. The Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands has instructed the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to reserve funds from its 2021 budget to offer some support to researchers who are employed on temporary contracts¹, making an extension of their contracts possible. These funds have been distributed among Dutch universities, Academic Medical Centres, Institutes of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences and NWO Institutes in proportion to the number of researchers they employ on temporary contracts. In her instruction the Minister specifically mentioned researchers who have received grants from NWO’s Talent Program Rubicon.

Aim

This scheme provides for a financial compensation to Rubicon researchers directly employed by the foreign host institution, enabling the host institution to extend the contract of the Rubicon laureate.

Available budget

The available budget for this scheme is € 536,000.

This budget will provide for an equal lump sum compensation for each eligible Rubicon researcher.

Eligible Rubicon researchers

Researchers meeting the following cumulative conditions are eligible for this scheme:

• Researchers who have acquired a Rubicon grant;

• Researchers who had started their Rubicon research project before COVID–19 measures took effect at their host institution in Spring 2020 and its progress has been affected by COVID–19 measures at their host institution;

• Researchers who were employed by the host institution at the time COVID–19 measures took effect in Spring 2020;

Researchers who have acquired a Rubicon grant and who are employed by a Dutch institution and seconded to the host institution are not eligible for this scheme. They are however eligible for a compensation through their Dutch employer.

Researchers who had to postpone the start of their Rubicon project due to COVID–19 measures in the host country are not eligible for this scheme.

Procedure

• The eligible researchers (who have previously been approached by NWO in Fall 2020) will be invited to apply for the financial compensation enabling their host institution to extend their contracts. It is only possible to apply if you have received such an invitation.

• Eligible researchers apply by filling out and returning the form they received with their invitation. Only forms that have been filled out completely and correctly, and that have been signed by both the researcher and the appropriate authority of the host institution will be taken into account. Forms received after the deadline will also not be taken into account. Annexes to the application form are not allowed and will not be considered.

• The available budget will be divided equally amongst the Rubicon researchers that submitted an eligible application form. The exact amount of the financial compensation will range from € 9,200 to € 18,000, dependant on the number of eligible application forms. This amount is not subject to negotiation.

• Once the exact amount of the compensation has been determined, it will be transferred lump sum to the bank account of the host institution as indicated in the form.

Criteria for acceptance

The application form must contain the following information:

• File number allocated to your grant (see the original reward letter)

• NWO Domain monitoring for your project (Science/ENW, SSH/SGW, ZonMw)

• Your name

• Actual start date of your Rubicon research project

• Date on which COVID–19 measures took effect in Spring 2020 at the host institution

• The progress of your Rubicon research project has been affected by COVID–19 measures taken by your host institution

• Name of the host institution (i.e. your employer)

• Banking details of the host institution and reference

• Your signature

• Signature of the appropriate representative of the host institution

The fully completed and signed form must be saved as a PDF–file.

Conditions

• The compensation can only be used by the host institution to extend the researcher’s temporary contract.

• All conditions that were applicable at the time you were granted your Rubicon grant will remain unchanged. The conditions are mentioned in the grant award letter, as well as the call for proposals to which you submitted your research proposal and the accompanying additional terms and conditions.

How to submit your form

Your fully completed form must be sent to the Rubicon Program Coordinator by email (rubicon@nwo.nl) before February 15, 2021 midnight (Central European Time, i.e. Dutch time).

Time path

End January 2021 Invitations are sent out to eligible researchers

February 15, 2021 Deadline for sending in application forms (midnight CET)

Mid February 2021 Check on formal details and calculation of compensation

End February 2021 Eligible researchers will be informed and the compensation will be transferred to the host institute

Contact details

NWO, Rubicon Program Coordinator Joris Voskuilen

E–mail: rubicon@nwo.nl Telephone: +31 (0) 70 344 0989

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1 See ‘Beleidsregel taakuitoefening NWO van de Minister van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap, of 11november 2020, no. 25767002’ (only in Dutch)