Pursuant to section 26 in Act no. 384 of 26 April 2017 on the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy and Independent Research Fund Denmark (hereinafter referred to as “the act”), the expert committee DFF | Thematic research – Strengthened Clinical and Independent Research (2023) (hereinafter referred to as ”the committee”) has composed the following rules of procedure, which the Board of directors of Independent Research Fund Denmark (hereinafter referred to as “the Board” and “DFF” or “the fund”, respectively), has subsequently approved.
DFF | Thematic research – Strengthened clinical and independent Research (2023)
Section 1. The Board has set up the ad hoc committee DFF | Thematic research – Strengthened Clinical and Independent Research (2023) to implement DFF’s funds in the Danish National Budget earmarked for “Strengthened Clinical and Independent research (2023)” in 2023 (the research reserve in 2023), cf. section 21, subsection 4 of the act.
Subs. 2. The committee carries out its activities based on, among other things
- Act on the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy and Independent Research Fund Denmark, No. 384 of 26 April 2017
- Executive order No. 1154 of 16 October 2017 regarding grant functions, etc. under Independent Research Fund Denmark
- The Terms and Conditions for Grants in force at any time
Subs. 3. Moreover, the committee’s activities must take place in accordance with applicable law.
Subs. 4. The Board may decide which instruments the committee may allocate funds to, including the size of the grants, and whether the individual instruments must be allocated to a natural or juristic person.
Subs. 5. The committee is independent in its assessment of research questions and cannot receive instructions from the Board in this respect.
Section 2. The committee consists of a chair and 14 committee members.
Subs. 2. The chair and the members are appointed by the Board in their personal quality and must be recognised researchers.
Section 3. The chair, in collaboration with the secretariat of Independent Research Fund Denmark (hereinafter referred to as “the secretariat”), organises the committee’s assessment of applications.
Subs. 2. Minutes of the committee’s meetings are made available to the Board when approved.
Section 4. The committee implements funding in accordance with the current call for thematic research – Strengthened Clinical and Independent Research (2023)
External reviewers
Section 5. The committee has the possibility to involve external reviewers, particularly international reviewers, and follows the procedures and guidelines laid down by the Board, cf. section 28, subs. 1 of the act.
Duty of confidentiality
Section 6. Committee members have a duty of confidentiality with regard to information they become aware of as a member of DFF | Thematic Research – Strengthened clinical and independent research (2023), when the information according to its nature is confidential, cf. the Public Administration Act.
Subs. 2. Committee members will acknowledge receipt of a memorandum, which describes how the members must process personal data, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and the Danish Data Protection Act.
Partiality
Section 7. In its activities, the committee follows the general principles of administrative law on partiality, cf. the Public Administration Act together with the guidelines laid down in Executive order No. 1154 of 16 October 2017 regarding grant functions, etc. under Independent Research Fund Denmark.
Subs. 2. A member must inform the secretariat, before any case is initiated, of any circumstances that may give rise to doubts about the member’s impartiality.
Subs. 3. The committee decides on the question regarding the member’s impartiality, and the member concerned does not participate in the consideration and determination of the question of impartiality.
Subs. 4. It must be stated in the minutes if the question regarding impartiality has been discussed, just as the committee’s decision must be stated in the minutes.
Subs. 5. A member, who has been declared partial, may not participate in the discussion of matters related to the case and must leave the meeting room during the consideration of the case.
Secretariat
Section 8. The Ministry of Higher Education and Science, or one or more governmental authorities under the Ministry, will act as secretariat for the committee, cf. section 27 of the act. The secretariat participates in the committee’s meetings.
Meetings
Section 9. The committee carries out its activities in meetings. The meetings of the committee are not public. Where special circumstances apply, however, the chair may decide that special experts or others may participate in the meeting without voting rights.
Subs. 2. Notifications of meetings are made in writing and, as far as possible, with at least 8 days’ notice. An agenda will be sent at the same time as the meeting notification. As far as possible, enclosures to the individual agenda items are forwarded simultaneously.
Subs. 3. The agenda is set by the chair in cooperation with the secretariat, but with 14 days’ notice any member may request to have a case discussed in committee.
Subs. 4. The secretariat may, with the agreement of the chair, submit a case in writing to the committee outside a meeting.
Subs. 5. Members must, as far as possible, give notice in due time to the secretariat about possible absence.
Section 10. The meetings are chaired by the chair and in his/her absence by the member, who has seniority as a current or former member of an academic research council in Independent Research Fund Denmark, unless the committee agrees to appoint another committee member as the alternative leader of the meeting.
Subs. 2. When implementing research funds, the committee will form a quorum, when at least half of the members participate in the assessment of a case. In cases of partiality, the committee will form a quorum, when at least half of the impartial members participate in the assessment of the specific case, and at least five members vote in favour of the decision.
Subs. 3. In cases where a lack of quorum cannot be resolved through postponement of the proceedings, the partial member(s) must participate in the assessment of the case, but never in the assessment of their own applications. The normal quorum rules then apply; however, all impartial members of the committee must be present.
Subs. 4. A decision can only be made on issues that are listed on the agenda of the meeting as cases for decision, unless the committee collectively agrees otherwise.
Subs. 5. The committee should aim at consensus when implementing research funds. If agreement cannot be reached by consensus, decisions are made by simple majority. In case of parity of votes, the chair’s vote is decisive.
Section 11. The secretariat takes the minutes from the committee meetings.
Subs. 2. If a member does not agree with the account of the decision or the discussion in the committee, the member may demand his position led to minutes.
Subs. 3. Minutes are sent shortly after the meeting. Any objections to the minutes must be submitted no later than 14 days after the forwarding of the minutes. The written approved report is sent to the members for their information.
Committee operating expenses
Section 12. Operating expenses are borne by Independent Research Fund Denmark’s allocation for thematic research.
Subs. 2. Members’ remuneration is borne by the committee’s academic consequential expense.
Rejection of applications
Section 13. The secretariat may, after a concrete assessment, reject an application if it does not meet the formal requirements stated in the Call for Proposals, cf. section 5 of Executive Order no. 1154 of 16 October 2017 on the grant function, etc. under Independent Research Fund Denmark.
Decision on funding
Section 14. The committee decides, either fully or in part, to fund an application or to refuse funding.
Subs. 2. The minutes of the committee’s decisions regarding applications, are approved by its members.
Subs. 3. Grant letters are issued by the secretariat on behalf of the fund, and are signed by the secretariat’s Head of Division.
Subs. 4. Letters of rejection are issued by the secretariat on behalf of the fund, and are signed by a Senior Adviser.
Follow-up on grants
Section 15. When the committee has granted a proposal, the follow-up of the grant is transferred to the academic research council, which the chair, after consultation with the committee, considers the most relevant.
Subs. 2. The selected academic research council is responsible for all follow-up concerning the grant, cf. rules of procedure of the academic research council sections 17-18.
Entry into force, etc.
Section 16. The rules of procedure enter into force, when they have been approved by the Board and published on the fund’s website.
Subs. 2. All members of the committee must be made aware of these rules of procedure.
Subs. 3. In exceptional cases, the committee may grant exemptions from the rules of procedure when the total committee agrees. The Board must approve of the exemption in advance. If this is not possible because of the circumstances, the Board is subsequently informed.
Subs. 4. Recommendation for amendment of the rules of procedure is given by the committee by simple majority of votes, and is submitted to the Board for approval.
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The above rules of procedure have been adopted by DFF | Thematic research – Strengthened Clinical and Independent Research (2023) and approved by the Board of Independent Research Fund Denmark on 1 June 2023.
