ICT25 / Eligibility of applicants and roles in the project

The general eligibility of applicants is specified in the WWTF Funding Guideline (in German only).

A project’s core team may include up to three Principal Investigators (PIs). This includes a PI&C and up to two co-PIs. 

• Core team members may share equal management and scientific roles in the project.
• The core team must have an excellent scientific track record that demonstrates the ability to conduct the proposed research project.
• WWTF especially encourages young and female scientists to apply as PI.
• Each core team member must submit a CV, which will form part of the evaluation.
• A researcher may appear as a core team member (i.e., PI&C, co-PI) in a maximum of two proposals in this call. In case of three or more proposals with the same PI, WWTF will accept the first two proposals submitted. Involvement in other past / ongoing / granted WWTF projects does not impact upon eligibility to apply in this call.

One PI must be designated as PI&C.

• For legal and administrative reasons (funding contract, reporting), WWTF requires a PI&C to be named. The PI&C will be the contact person for WWTF regarding all aspects of the project.
• The PI&C must have an affiliation at a Viennese research institution, which will serve as a legal contract partner. This also applies to researchers moving to Vienna, who will have a Viennese affiliation in case of funding.
• The PI&C should be an expert in an area relevant to the topic of the proposal. He/she must have an excellent scientific track record and a proven capability to manage projects.

Up to two co-PIs may also be named in the core team.

• WWTF recognizes that co-PIs may have equally significant scientific roles in the project. However, the PI&C will be regarded as the main contact person for the project.
• Co-PIs may be based in Vienna, Lower Austria or elsewhere (in Austria or internationally) in fulfillment of the requirements of regular WWTF projects or Joint Projects (see below).

Additional project partners and collaborators are permitted in the research team. They can be added by name in the full proposal stage.

• No industry involvement is required. Industry partners are not eligible for funding, but may partake with in-kind or financial contribution.
• Non-academic collaboration partners (e.g., NGOs) may be part of the research team. However, the core team members and the majority of additional team members in the proposal should have an academic background.

Research partners outside Vienna:

• For regular WWTF projects, project partners outside of Vienna may receive up to 20% of the total requested funding.
• This call operates under the “Joint Projects” agreement with the Province of Lower Austria.