FAQ

A calculation of expected costs for the Theme is to be included in the Theme application.This include expected salaries for all participating members, an estimation of costs for short term guests and additional activities. The estimated costs must be entered in the budget/cost frame template supplied with the call for Themes as this specific template has been designed to calculate expected adjustments in salaries and applicable surcharges. Note also that overhead costs are to be excluded from the calculation.

As part of Lund University, The Pufendorf IAS pays overhead. Whereas Theme members respective departments are reimbursed for salary costs and surcharges, overhead is payed directly to the University. 

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A Theme may cost up to 2000 000 SEK (including surcharges, excluding overhead), depending on the number of members and their respective salary costs. Costs for posts other than salaries cannot exceed 100 000 SEK. As a general rule, costs for salaries should therefore not amount to more than approx. 1900 000 SEK (including surcharges, excluding overhead).

The main applicant, coordinator and co-coordinator must be researchers with Phd or corresponding degree employed at Lund University, as must the greater number of the Theme group (a smaller number may be from other institutions of higher education than LU). Employment may be either permanent or time limited, but must cover the period during which the researcher agrees to be a member (i.e the Theme period of 9 months) and the extent of the commitment in the Theme (usually 20%).

Researchers from other institutes of higher education may join as members in certain cases; if an external researcher have specific expertise needed to successfully approach the research questions put forward in the application, and this expertise cannot be found within LU, they can be part of the Theme as a full member. The requirements are the same as for LU researchers; all members commit to weekly meetings on site for the duration of the Theme period and their respective home departments will be compensated for salary costs to the extent of the commitment.

Yes, members need to meet on site, this is a requirement of the Pufendorf IAS. The odd meeting may be online, but as a rule all members commit 20 % of their time (which translate to full day, weekly meetings) on site for the entirety of the Theme period. This applies to members from other institutions of higher education also, they must be prepared to travel. 

A researcher may be on two Theme applications answering the same call, if able to dedicate the necessary time required, and is intent on doing so should both applications be granted. If a researcher is on two applications, The Pufendorf IAS will require a letter from the researcher's head of department. This letter is to confirm that should both Themes be granted, the researcher will be granted the extent within the employment corresponding to the commitment in both Themes. 

Without a statement from the head of department guaranteeing the former, this will constitute a weak link in both applications.

Employment with postdoc grants are generally set up in such a way that wages cannot be deferred. The Pufendorf IAS reimburses salary costs for the period of time during which the Theme is committed. If the postdoc grant cannot be postponed to have salary funds used at a later date, this means that postdocs themselves must consider if they indeed wish to use part of the time span of their grant for a Theme. The Pufendorf IAS accept postdocs as members on this condition.

PhD candidates may, in exceptional cases, join a Theme if their head of department, and their supervisor allow it. However, the Pufendorf IAS may not reimburse salary costs of doctoral students. A PhD candidate cannot be main applicant, nor coordinator of a Theme. 

PhD candidates may, in exceptional cases, join an ASG if their head of department, and their supervisor allow it. They cannot be main applicants, nor coordinators of an ASG. 

If for some reason a Theme member can no longer participate in the Theme to the fulfilment of their commitment to the Institute, the agreement will be terminated. The Theme group may replace the member with another researcher from Lund University, to be approved by the director of the Pufendorf IAS.

Should this happen, the coordinator must contact the director of the institute as soon as possible, this is particularly vital with Theme applications, where the loss of expertise has bearing on the overall composition, and thus eligibility of the application.

As a rule, the institute agrees to cover travel and accommodation for visiting guests. In exceptional cases, it may be possible to remunerate guests. Such a request may be made directly to the director of the institute. Lund University employees can never be remunerated by the institute, the exception applies to external guests only. 

Yes, guest researchers who are invited for longer stays (1 - 6 months) through the visiting research fellows' programme are contracted and paid a salary. Guest researchers invited for shorter stays, 1 - 7 days are not covered by the programme, costs these must be covered by the Theme budget.

In the past, ASGs were able to organise workshops and seminars for larger audiences. In the updated call for ASG applications, inviting national and international guests to take part in the ASGs internal meetings is encouraged, as is inviting colleagues and peers to participate in meetings. However, plans to organise events and activities for an audience or external target groups will not be granted.

Exceptions to this rule may be made once the group has started work, and only in cases where an event can be shown to clearly support the objective and outcome of the ASG. In rare cases, the institute may suggest, and help the group coordinate, such an event. Costs for these will not burden the ASGs budget.