Agreements
FAPESP-HUJ Memorandum of Understanding Versão em português
Memorandum of Understanding between Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel on Joint Calls for Joint Research Projects
Established between the following Partners:
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (hereinafter referred to as “FAPESP”), Brazil; and
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (hereinafter referred to as “THUJ”), Israel
referred to hereafter as “the Parties”.
The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is to foster Israeli-Brazilian collaboration in scientific research and it aims to fund joint research projects conducted by teams from both countries.
This MoU sets out the principles and procedures to be adopted by the Parties in:
a) opening call for proposals;
b) receiving joint proposals;
c) setting up peer review and selection procedures;
d) providing funding for the proposals selected
1 General Description and context
a) FAPESP and THUJ have agreed to establish a scheme for joint funding of Brazilian-Israeli collaborative research projects in any field of science.
b) The aim of the funding cooperation is to strengthen the collaboration between scientists in São Paulo, Brazil and in Jerusalem, Israel, to achieve world-class scientific and technical results that contribute to the advancement of knowledge and/or that might lead towards new innovative technologies. Both parties welcome, encourage and support joint research which involve research teams from research organisations in both countries.
2 Submission of Proposals
a) FAPESP and THUJ will prepare and issue calls for proposals and will encourage submission of Israeli-Brazilian projects.
a.1) FAPESP and THUJ will precise the frame, submission conditions, eligibility rules and evaluation process of such projects.
b) The Israeli applicants must comply with THUJ’s eligibility rules for research grant applications.
c) The Brazilian applicants must comply with FAPESP’s eligibility rules for research grant application.
d) The scientists in Israel will be subject to THUJ rules and the scientists in São Paulo will be subject to FAPESP’s rules.
e) The proposals must be unique, i.e., written jointly by the Israeli and Brazilian researchers that will collaborate.
f) The proposals shall be submitted simultaneously, by the Brazilian researchers to FAPESP and by the Israeli researchers to THUJ.
f.1) Proposals submitted to only one party will not be eligible.
g) The proposals shall be written in English.
h) After closure date for the Call for Proposals THUJ and FAPESP will exchange a listing of the proposals received by each institution.
i) Each proposal must have a Principal Investigator in Israel and oa Principal Investigator in Brazil, designated in the submission forms to each agency..
2.1 Proposal formatting
Each part will use its own submission forms.
3 Evaluation of Project Proposals
a) The THUJ and FAPESP will implement evaluation of the proposals according to their own evaluation rules, and will rank the proposals based on scientific quality and interest.
b) The most important evaluation criteria:
b.1) Scientific quality and originality of the joint research plan
b.2) Added value to be expected from the Israeli-Brazilian research collaboration
c) Other important evaluation criteria:
c.1) Feasibility of the joint research plan
c.2) Competence and expertise of the Israeli and Brazilian scientists teams
c.3) Balanced cooperation
d) Based on the scientific evaluation national ranking and consensus reached through discussions, the Parties will agree on the joint projects to be funded.
4 Funding
a) For the selected proposals THUJ will fund the part to be developed by Israeli scientists and FAPESP will fund the part to be developed Brazilian scientists.
b) The funding might cover the costs of research expenses, fellowships for graduate students and post doctoral positions, and travel expenses.
c) The funding decisions will be made independently, but based on the mutual agreement, according to the Parties’ respective rules, regulations and practices.
d) Each project will be funded for a period of up to 5 years
e) THUJ will not earmark special funds to support the proposed projects since the proposals submitted to this program will compete with proposals received by the THUJ national programme. and therefore the number of Brazilian / Israeli projects selected for funding and the total amount will strongly depend on the number and quality of the submitted projects.
f) FAPESP will not earmark special funds to support the proposed projects since the proposals submitted to this program will compete with proposals received by the THUJ national programme and therefore the number of Brazilian / Israeli projects selected for funding and the total amount will strongly depend on the number and quality of the submitted projects.
5 Timetable and Announcement of Decision
a) The Parties agree to ensure that all decisions on proposals to be funded according to timetables to be agreed upon in each case.
b) FAPESP and THUJ will synchronise the communication on the selected projects
6 Intellectual Property
a) The Parties encourage scientists and their institutions to enter into agreements to ensure the effective protection and correct distribution of intellectual properties resulting from projects funded under this Memorandum of Understanding.
b) A Collaboration Agreement will need to be in place and reported to THUJ and FAPESP before any grant notification will be made.
7 Reporting
a) The national Principal Investigators on behalf of their participating teams will submit to both Parties a common brief mid-term scientific progress report on the overall project complemented by a brief report from each team.
b) At the end of each project a formal final report should be submitted to each Party according to its reporting rules.
c) Due acknowledgement of support received from the FAPESP and the THUJ should be made in the publication of any research resulting from this program.
8 Miscellaneous
a) Each Party covers its own administration costs regarding its contribution to the call, unless otherwise jointly decided.
b) This Memorandum of Understanding is subject to the availability of funds in the budget of the Parties and the applicable laws and regulations of their respective countries.
c) This Memorandum of Understanding is drawn up in English and all documents and notices and meetings pertaining to this Memorandum of Understanding shall be in English.
d) This Memorandum of Understanding may only be amended by a document signed by both Parties and identified as an Addendum to this Memorandum of Understanding
e) The Parties shall maintain the highest ethical and legal standards in funding research under this Memorandum of Understanding.
9 Term of this Memorandum of Understanding
a) For each Party, the MoU will come into force on the date of signature by the Party’s authorized representative and shall remain in force until the end of the funded projects.
b) The MoU may be amended or modified by written agreement of all signatories or their substitutes.
c) This MoU is a mutual statement of intent among Parties, who agree to make every reasonable effort to fulfill the intentions expressed herein.
Celso Lafer
President
THE SÃO PAULO RESEARCH FOUNDATION
FAPESP
Menachem Magidor
President,
THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
Israel