Agreements

Joint declaration of intent concerning Trans-Atlantic Cooperation for Advancing Humanities and Social Sciences Research

This is a Joint Declaration of Intent (hereinafter "Declaration") among the following international funders and project management agencies of humanities and social science academic research (hereinafter “Participants”):

Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

FAPESP (en/) is a foundation, member of the Public Administration of the State of São Paulo, with personality of private law, with the mission to support research projects in higher education and research institutions, in all fields of knowledge. FAPESP maintains cooperation agreements with national and international research funding agencies, higher educational and research institutions and business

enterprises. The Foundation works in close contact with the scientific community: all proposals are peer reviewed with the help of area panels composed of active researchers.

The lead contact is the Scientific Director.

Canada

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is the federal research funding agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and research training in the humanities and social sciences. By focusing on developing Talent, generating Insights and forging Connections across campuses and communities, SSHRC strategically supports world-leading initiatives that reflect a commitment to ensuring a better future for Canada and the world.

Created by an act of Canada’s Parliament in 1977, SSHRC reports to Parliament through the Minister of Science.

The lead contact is Crystal Sissons, Senior Program Officer.

Fonds de Recherche du Québec Société et culture (FRQSC)

The Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) is a mandatary of the Quebec government. Its mission is essentially to: promote and provide financial support for research in social sciences and humanities and in the fields of education, law, management, arts and literature; foster the training of researchers through merit scholarships for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers; create any necessary partnerships, in particular with universities, colleges and cultural institutions, and the government departments and public and private bodies concerned.

The lead contact is Louise Poissant, Scientific Director. 

Finland

Suomen Akatemia (AKA)

The Academy of Finland is a governmental agency within the administrative branch of the Finnish Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Its mission is to fund high-quality scientific research, provide expertise in science and science policy, and strengthen the position of science and research. The Academy of Finland supports and facilitates researcher training and research careers, internationalization and the application of research results. The activities of the Academy of Finland cover the full spectrum of scientific disciplines.

The lead contact is Satu Huuha-Cissokho, Science Advisor.

France

Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)

The National Research Agency (ANR) is a French public entity located at 50 avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris, France and represented by Thierry Damerval, its President and Chief Executive Officer. ANR provides funding for project-based research in all scientific fields pursuant to the 2006-963 decree as modified by the 2014-365 decree.

The lead contact is Xavier Engels, International Programme Manager

Germany

DLF Project Management Agency (DLR)

The German Aerospace Centre with its headquarters in Cologne, Linder Höhe, here the DLR Project Management Agency (DLR Projektträger, DLR-PT), which is a division of DLR and implementing the social sciences and humanities activities on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). DLR-PT is no funding body but is acting in this context in accordance with the social sciences and humanities priorities of the BMBF. DLR-PT does not provide funding but manages funding in the context of the Trans-Atlantic Platform in accordance with the priorities of the BMBF. Joint projects under the T-AP can only be funded if BMBF approved this funding beforehand and provides the financial resources. Thus, the participation of DLR-PT in this Joint Declaration of Intent must be understood in this context and constitutes by no means the declaration to provide funding by own financial means or discretion.

DLR Project Management Agency has been providing an array of services to assist key decision-makers from government, science, industry and education for over 40 years. We develop practical strategies, manage funding programmes and projects, assist in dialogue processes and support knowledge transfer and utilisation on behalf of our clients. A designated worldwide partner, we open up networking opportunities and encourage international collaboration. Here, we place a focus on interdisciplinarity, internationality and innovation.

The lead contact is: Jennifer Striebeck, Senior Programme Officer.

The Netherlands

Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO)

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is the national research council of the Netherlands. NWO ensures quality and innovation in science and facilitates its impact on society. Its main task is to fund scientific research at public research institutions in the Netherlands, especially universities. NWO offers a wide variety of funding schemes, offering personal grants to talented, creative researchers and funding for excellent research proposals, for initiating interdisciplinary, thematic research programmes in cooperation together with public agencies and/or the private sector; and for realizing research infrastructures and large data bases. All funding is allocated by means of a national competition on the basis of quality and independent assessment and selection procedures. NWO is dedicated to strengthening and facilitating international collaboration, in particular by actively contributing to international partnerships.

The lead contact is Alice Dijkstra, Senior Programme Officer.

Poland 

The National Centre for Research and Development

The National Centre for Research and Development is an implementing agency of the Minister of Science and Higher Education. It was set up in 2007 as an entity in charge of tasks within the area of national science, science and technology and innovation policies.

The main task of the National Centre for Research and Development is management and execution of strategic research and development programmes, which lead to the development of innovativeness. The NCBR also supports commercialization and other forms of transfer of scientific research results to economy and manages applied research programmes.

The lead contact is Ewelina Wildner, Senior expert. 

United Kingdom

UK Research and Innovation

Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

AHRC is a UK non-departmental public body that provides support for research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities in the UK. It is one of nine bodies that comprises UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the UK’s main funding body for research. The AHRC funds world-class, independent researchers in a wide range of subjects: ancient history, modern dance, archaeology, digital content, philosophy, English literature, design, the creative and performing arts, and much more, in collaboration with a number of partners. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK. http://www.ahrc.ac.uk.

The lead contact is Adam Walker, Head of International.

UK Research and Innovation

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) s part of UK Research and Innovation, a new organisation that brings together the UK’s seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England to maximise the contribution of each council and create the best environment for research and innovation to flourish. ESRC is the UK’s largest organisation for funding research on social and economic issues. It supports independent, high quality research on national and international scales, which has an impact on business, the public sector, the third sector, and academia. All ESRC funding is subject to three principles: Quality, Impact and Independence. In addition to supporting the very best research, the ESRC is committed to advancing the training and capacity of social science researchers, enabling and facilitating partnership building, delivering world-class data infrastructure and cutting edge methods, fostering international collaboration, and raising public awareness of social science.

The lead contact is Manija Kamal, Senior Policy Manager. 

The Participants recognize that the very best research can be fostered by working with, and benchmarking against, the best researchers internationally. To this end, the Participants wish to develop collaborative activities that bring together researchers and professionals from their respective countries in order to share expertise and develop new research agendas. Recognizing their shared objective to foster the interchange of information and scholarly research, the Participants intend to achieve this objective in the manner set forth below:

I. The Participants intend to conduct activities under this Declaration in accordance with their respective applicable laws, policies and regulations, including but not limited to those pertaining to access to information, privacy, security and information management. Within this framework, the Participants will make every effort to promote favorable conditions for the fulfillment of this cooperation.

lI. In carrying out this Declaration, the Participants in particular intend to:

a. Stimulate trans-Atlantic research collaborations that provide added value to social innovation research in the humanities and social sciences;
b. Manage records in their holdings pertaining to any shared activities in accordance with their respective policies and procedures on information management;
and
c. Ensure safekeeping of all records under their custody and control. This includes safeguarding records from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, removal and destruction.

III. The Participants intend to co-sponsor the “T-AP Social Innovation Call,” an international grant competition which represents the second trans-Atlantic funding opportunity funded by the Trans-Atlantic Platform.

IV. Each Participant intends to bear the costs of its participation under this Declaration and each Participant's participation in activities described in this Declaration is subject to the availability of funding and other resources.

V. This Declaration does not impose, nor is it intended to impose, any legal obligations on the Participants. However, the participants agree to work together towards their joint goals and objectives as outlined here and in the accompanying Framework of Agreement.

VI. The Participants intend for cooperation under this Declaration to begin upon signature by all Participants and continue for five (5) years from the date of the last signature. If any Participant chooses to discontinue its cooperation under this Declaration, it should endeavor to provide ninety (90) days’ written notice of its intent to discontinue to the other Participants.

The Participants intend to review and decide whether to continue their cooperation under this Declaration prior to the end of the five-year period. This Declaration may be modified at any time by mutual written determination of the Participants.

VII. This Declaration may be signed in counterparts. All of the counterpart copies will together constitute one fully executed Declaration. SSHRC will ensure that each Participant is provided with a copy of the fully executed Declaration.

Signed by the Participants on the respective dates and locations below, in English and Portuguese. All two texts are the same content and being equally authentic and valid.