Research funding

Researchers at our University, especially the younger ones, sometimes have problems in identifying potential sources of funding.  These often vary in terms of scientific discipline, eligibility criteria, partnership, details relating to the legal context, etc.

Identifying sources of funding and making a choice

Research can be funded in several ways. The first distinction to be drawn is that one between public-sector funding and private-sector funding, which usually comes from businesses.

Public-sector funding in Belgium is split between various bodies :
► The federal government encourages cooperation between universities in the North and the South of the country through Interuniversity Attraction Poles (IAP).
► The French-speaking Community (ARC - coordinated research projects - and FSR - Special Research Fund) is more closely involved in 'fundamental' research, as is the Fund for Scientific Research - FNRS.
► The regions (Wallonia and Brussels-Capital) focus more on applied research via cooperation between universities, research centres and business.
► The European Union funds major projects between EU and non-EU partners through research and development framework programmes and structural funds.

Depending on the type of instrument that is under consideration, the funding can be linked to the researcher (in which case it is a grant-funded post) or a research project (in which case the funding is granted to pay for staff, equipment and/or operational facilities).