Evaluation criteria

Each proposal will be examined by the Ev-K²-CNR Committee Scientific Council and evaluated by external referees (at least two per discipline, minimum one non-Italian). Key points that will be taken into account include:

• relevance to Committee objectives;
• congruence between costs (human, instrumental and financial resources) and benefits;
• conformity with Ev-K²-CNR priorities in the relevant sector;
• opportunities for developing synergies between projects and across disciplines. 

Additional evaluation criteria include:

• coherence with global priorities;
• awareness of international strategies and local development needs;
• value for the host country (where field work is done, i.e., Nepal, Pakistan, etc.);
• contribution to fulfillment of Italy’s international commitments (Kyoto Protocol, etc.);
• promotion of Italy’s image in the fields of science and development abroad.

Proposals must also contain:

• convincing motivations;
• clear focalization of problems to be addressed;
• indication of relevant results already obtained by the proposing researchers;
• clear description of any new methodology being applied;
• means for verifying achievement of objectives;
• objectives which are congruent with the foreseen resources;
• multi-year projection of activities;
• realistic conditions of feasibility;
• integrated and inter-disciplinary approach (interaction with other projects/disciplines);
• multi-level collaborations (intra-institute; inter-institute; international);
• involvement of young and/or local researchers.

Research to be carried out in Nepal, once approved by the Scientific Council, will also need to be submitted to the Ev-K²-CNR/RONAST Bilateral Technical Committee (BTC) for approval.  The BTC meets once a year, typically between November and February.