Global Research Laboratory (GRL) Program - Korea

The Global Research Laboratory (GRL) program has been designed to promote international collaborative research between Korean and foreign laboratories.A proposal submitted for the GRL program should address a research topic which requires Korean and foreign research partners to engage in close collaboration for the attainment of significant scientific and technological goals.

Any research center, research laboratory or research group of an organization or institution may apply to the GRL program according to Article 14 of the Development of and support for basic science research and technology Act(기초연구진흥 및 기술개발지원에 관한 법률 14조). GRL candidate labs are expected to be equipped with outstanding research capabilities in the relevant research fields as well as a strong network for collaborative research with foreign research centers and laboratories.

The Korean Principal Investigator (KPI) is the director of the relevant GRL project and serves as its official representative. The KPI is responsible for the management of the GRL project and for setting the project's organizational structure.

The Korean research lab (KRL) is the research lab in Korea that participates in the GRL project.

The Foreign Principal Investigator (FPI) is the principal foreign partner who cooperates with the KPI and represents the foreign research lab. The FPI is expected to provide his/her own funding from governmental and other sources from his/her country (matching funds), although securing such matching funding is not a requirement for applying to the GRL program.

The foreign research lab (FRL) is the research lab in the relevant foreign country that participates in the GRL project.

The organization or institution with which the KPI is affiliated shall be the host institution. The GRL project may involve more than one Korean, foreign, or multinational organization or institution, but a single Korean institution must serve as the host institution and accept overall management responsibility.

All applicants must submit a preliminary proposal by the date specified in the call for proposals. Preliminary proposals should not exceed 5 pages. (excluding cover-sheet and attachments)

Only those applicants who successfully pass the first phase of the evaluation process are entitled to prepare full proposals. Full proposals should not exceed 30 pages without the cover-sheet.

The evaluation procedure is composed of two-stages. The first stage is a written evaluation conducted among a panel of experts from the particular technology field. The second stage is a presentation review where proposals are evaluated in accordance with the joint presentations given by both the KPI and FPI.

In case a FPI is unable to present during the second-stage presentation review due to unforeseen circumstances, a Sub-Foreign Principal Investigator (Sub-FPI) may present in the FPI's stead.
If a project of which a Sub-FPI participated in has been finally selected, the FPI must visit Korea, within 2 months after the final selection, for a separate interview to confirm his or her participation and role as the FPI in the GRL program. If the FPI fails to appear at the interview, the selected project will be dismissed.

The maximum funding term is 6 years (3+3years).
Applicants may apply for projects with a full time year project terms

KPI may request an annual budget of up to KRW 500,000,000 for a GRL project. The requested budget shall be subject to adjustment based on the nature of the research activities, scope of research, attributes of the research topic, and the availability of funds.

The GRL funding budget may be shared with the FPI under the accountability of the KPI. The FPI must include the research and budget plan in the full proposal, as well as participate in the second evaluation and give a presentation on the research and budget plan. When selected after the GRL final selection process, a cooperation agreement must be concluded between the KPI and the FPI.
Prior to the end of each research year, the KPI must submit to NRF the research outcome report, research plan and budget report of the FPI.

Proposals should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the instructions set out in this guideline, the “Global Research Laboratory (GRL)-Proposal Guidelines.” The complete guideline is available electronically on the NRF Website at: http://www.nrf.re.kr. (“사업마당”→”국제공동연구사업”→”세부사업”→”글로벌연구실”)

• Use 12-point Times New Roman type, printed on A4 paper with “1cm” margins all around.
• Use single-spacing between the sentences throughout the document.
• Number every page including tables, appendices, etc.
• All figures and tables must be numbered in the sequence in which they appear

in the proposal and an informative title must be included below each figure and table.

• Staple all copies once on the top left corner or left margin and mail 10 copies to NRF Global Joint Research Team. (FULL PROPOSAL ONLY)

※ Layout of the cover sheet(Part I. General Information) is flexible (DO NOT Exceed 1 page)

Proposal for GRL program is composed of three steps both for preliminary and full proposal. First, all participants (KPI and FPI ONLY for preliminary proposal) must fill out and check their personal information at www.kri.go.kr. Second, enter personal and project information and upload the application form and scanned consent to collect, use and disclose personal information form for all participants (KPI and FPI ONLY for preliminary proposal) at ernd.nrf.re.kr. Finally, research manager of KPI's institution should review and confirm all data and procedures at ernd.nrf.re.kr.

Procedure and timeline

• Public call for preliminary proposal : March 15
• Preliminary proposal submission : April 10 to April 20, 2012 (by 18:00)

Online submission website: http://ernd.nrf.re.kr

• First evaluation of preliminary proposal: May
• Call for full proposal : May
• Full proposal submission: June

Online submission website: http://ernd.nrf.re.kr

• Second evaluation of full proposal: 1^st week(2-6) of July, 2012 TBD
• Beginning of the GRL project: September 1, 2012

※ Selected projects can be asked to submit separated forms in Korean for the contract.

For further information, please contact as below:


Dong-jun CHUNG
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST)
Tel) (+82) 02-2100-6759 / 6756 E-mail) tigorse@mest.go.kr

Jang-yun KIM
National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
Tel) (+82) 02-3460-5611 / 5632 E-mail) jykim@nrf.re.kr


NRF Help Desk Tel) (+82) 1544-6118 / (+82) 042-869-6704