The Call is open to researchers with a university affiliation, who hold a doctorate (PhD degree) and normally have at least two years of post-doctoral research experience. This criterion does not apply to the research assistants appointed to the project.

Applications from groups of researchers are also eligible. The PI and lead members must fulfil the eligibility criteria.

Applicants who have previously been awarded funding from the Hellenic Observatory’s research calls can not reapply in the same academic year that the previous project finished.

Applications are limited to one application per person/group each year.

Proposals are to be submitted electronically in Word format to Hellenicobservatory.Research@lse.ac.uk 

Proposals should not be longer than 2,500 words (Calibri font, size 11, justified alignment, 2cm margins, single spaced). Proposals have to address the five evaluation criteria laid out in the Selection Process below and to be structured under the following sub-headings:

• Summary: project title, name of the PI (and other lead researchers together with a structure of the team and the allocation of tasks across its members), start and end dates, total budget figure
• Research objectives and project outline (including literature review)
• Methodology
• Time-Line
• Planned Publications (other than the Policy Brief and the Research Paper- see Deliverables below): format, content, publisher, date of submission
• Impact
• Annex 1: Personnel (including short biographies). Full CV’s should be attached as separate documents together with a listing of cited references.
• Annex 2: Detailed Budget - see Budget below. Please complete the Excel budget template provided.

The budget should justify the costs identified for the project. Eligible costs include salaries, travel, research assistance, impact and knowledge exchange, and publications, in so far as they can be accepted as essential parts of the proposed research. Overhead costs of up to 15% of the total budget are allowed, but these should be included in the budget. The selection committee has the right to request additional information regarding budget costs and to award a smaller amount than the one requested or advertised. Awards must be used solely for the purposes set out in the application. An amount of up to 20% of the total budget can be transferred between budget headings without reference to the Hellenic Observatory. Requests for budget transfers in excess of this amount should be addressed to the Hellenic Observatory.

Proposals will be selected by the Hellenic Observatory and members of the Research Advisory Group according to the following criteria:

• Originality, significance, rigour and impact of the research
• Evidence that the individuals involved have the capacity to execute the proposed project and deliver on stated outcomes
• Contribution towards policy-relevant challenges facing Greece 
• Value for money
• Compatibility of the research with the broader work of the Hellenic Observatory

The Hellenic Observatory and the Research Advisory Group are solely responsible for approving the eligibility of applications and reserve the right to request additional information from the applicants. Shortlisted applicants may be asked to participate in a video interview. In all cases, the decisions of the Hellenic Observatory and the Research Advisory Group will be final. The Hellenic Observatory and the Research Advisory Group reserve the right not to make any awards or to adjust the number of awards they make.

The successful researcher / research team is required to provide:

• Progress Report: A Progress Report of up to 2,000 words on month 6 of the Project.
• Policy Brief: A Policy Brief of 2,000 words at the end of the project
• Final Research Paper: A Final Research Paper of up to 10,000 words at the end of the project
• Other: Scholarly publications and publications in other outlets, stemming from the research project (this will be a significant criterion for the evaluation of the applications submitted)

The researcher / or research team is obliged to give full acknowledgement to the Hellenic Observatory in all publicity and outputs related to the project, copies of which should be sent to the Hellenic Observatory. The Hellenic Observatory also retains the right to publicise a summary of the results, with full acknowledgement to the authors of the research, on its website and in its other publicity outlets.

The funds shall be paid upon signature of a Research Grant Agreement between LSE and the institution(s) of the PI(s) of the successful research projects which will incorporate the programme of work proposed at the application stage. The Agreement will be drawn up upon notification of the successful candidates and will be signed before the commencement of the research project. Projects are expected to start from January 2024 and no later than 1 March 2024. The payment of the funds will be made into an institutional research account of the Principal Investigator’s host institution.

Funds will be transferred in two equal instalments - the first on commencement of the project and the second on completion of the defined outputs to the satisfaction of the Hellenic Observatory.

The Call has now closed

Application Deadline                     15 October 2023 (23.59 GMT)

Successful Projects advised        (early) December 2023

Contracts drawn up                        December 2023

Project Commencement               January – March 2024 

Proposals should be submitted electronically in Word format to Hellenicobservatory.research@lse.ac.uk by 15 October 2023 (23.59 GMT) and the subject line of the email should read “HO Call 2023”. All applicants will receive a confirmation email upon receipt of their proposal. 

All enquiries should be directed by email to Hellenicobservatory.research@lse.ac.uk.