Tender for the Collection and Analysis of Information on Research Funding Agencies in Europe

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

COEURE (Cooperation for European Research in Economics) is a cooperative action financed by the European Commission and coordinated by the Toulouse School of Economics under Grant Agreement n°320300. COEURE brings together key stakeholders in economics research in Europe – scientists from different research fields, users of economic research in the policy community, other economic decision makers, as well as funders of economic research. COEURE involves a process of stocktaking, consultation and stakeholder engagement in order to formulate an Agenda for Research Funding for Economics in Europe. All information about the project is available at www.coeure.eu

Description of Services Required

CEPR’s main focus in COEURE is on Work Package Two, and the Centre wishes to engage the services of an outside expert to carry out some of the tasks in this Work Package, as is foreseen in the Description of Work (Annex 1) for COEURE. This Work Package focuses on research funding agencies in Europe, and analyses how research agendas are set; how priorities are decided; and what is the balance between top down and bottom up initiatives, between “academic” criteria and policy relevance/societal impact. This information will be used to compile a report that assesses the extent to which mechanisms for funding economic research in Europe have in the past supported frontier research in key economic policy issues in Europe (as spelled out in the Work Programme of COEURE); suggest ways in which funding mechanisms might evolve in the future to more effectively support frontier research; and provide an appraisal of the effectiveness of mechanisms for funding economic research in support of European economic policy making with comparisons to other countries such as the United States.

With the assistance of CEPR staff, the expert will be required to collect data on the different mechanisms used to fund economic research, by surveying the key funding agencies. The survey of funding agencies will be carried out via face to face interviews with staff of a selection of these funding agencies, notably those in charge of programmes in economics. The aim will be to collect quantitative data (e.g. the budgets allocated to economic research and how they vary over time, their allocation across topics, submissions and success rate, number of referees); as well as qualitative data (methods used by the agencies to select programmes and projects). The aim will be to use this information to assess the strengths and weaknesses of these mechanisms, how the mechanisms might be improved in the future, and how the agencies might be made more accountable for the impact of their funding programmes.

Deliverables will include:

  • Working paper on initial scope and design of the data gathering and analysis

  • Working paper reporting data gathered on research institutions

  • Structured interviews with staff of between three and five key funding agencies

  • Collection of quantitative data on funding of economic research

  • Collection of qualitative data on methods for selecting programmes and projects

  • Database of economic research funding in Europe

  • Working papers reporting the preliminary and the final drafts of the analysis

The expert will also be required to contribute to the Final Report of Work Package Two.

Expertise Required

The successful tenderer will have knowledge of

  • The agencies responsible for funding economics research in Europe and the details of their funding programmes and the resources they provide

  • The key economic policy issues of concern to policy-makers and other decision-makers in Europe

  • Structured interview techniques suitable for use with senior decision-makers.

It is estimated that these tasks should be completed within one year of contract signature, which is likely to be in the early summer of 2015. There is a 40,000 EUR gross honorarium for the completion of the tasks described above; payment of any taxes due on this sum is the responsibility of the contractor. Payment of the honorarium will be made upon approval of the final report by the Executive Committee and the Scientific Advisory Committee of COEURE, no later than 2 months after its submission. This honorarium includes all the costs of this study (travel, accommodation, etc…).

To apply please provide

  • A letter of motivation

  • A proposal presenting the methodology

  • A CV.

The deadline for the receipt of the proposal is Monday, 6th July 2015. Proposals should be sent to Mr Reuben Almeida, Head of Projects, CEPR, [email protected], to whom any queries about the tender should also be addressed.

Note on the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

The Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) is a partner in COEURE. CEPR is a network of more than 900 Research Fellows, Affiliates and Associates, based in universities predominantly (but not exclusively) in Europe. From its London office, it co-ordinates their research activities and provides central administrative services. It exists to promote economic research and disseminate the results of that research in a form accessible to non-specialists in the policy and business communities, as well as among academics. The Centre currently employs 16 staff at its London offices.