2027 iBOF: The Interuniversity BOF projects programme

Research

Funding organisation:

Bijzonder OnderzoeksFonds

What?

With iBOF funding excellent, pioneering research (frontier or blue-sky research) is supported that will be carried out in a consortium of at least 3 promoters from at least 2 Flemish universities. An iBOF project brings together top researchers who, through such an interuniversity project, will (further) promote Flanders at an international level by deepening or broadening scientific knowledge and building capacity in a sustainable partnership. The involvement of promising scientifically junior researchers, at least as co-promoter, is highly recommended. The applying consortium must submit a concerted research proposal with a duration of 4 years, in which each promoter provides essential expertise for the realization of the proposal. At the same time, the promoters must be complementary to each other and/or mutually reinforcing, and they need each other to be able to carry out the project in synergy. They may have worked together in the past, but this is not a requirement.

Proposals from all domains are possible, both mono- and interdisciplinary project proposals can be submitted. When awarding the iBOF projects, the distribution of projects across domains is taken into consideration.

Who?

• The application must be submitted by a consortium of at least 3 promoters from at least 2 Flemish universities.
• The involvement of promising scientifically junior researchers, at least as co-promoter, is highly recommended. The great potential of the researcher needs to be explained by the consortium in the declaration of intent
• Per promoter, one or more co-promoters affiliated with the same university as the promoter whom they will join, can participate. Co-promoters share in the budget of the promoter they are affiliated with
• One of the promoters acts as coordinator-spokesperson for the consortium. The coordinator-spokesperson is primarily responsible for the smooth collaboration of the consortium and is the single point of contact. The coordinator-spokesperson also submits the data management plan (DMP) and the final report on the project. In consultation with the promoters and any co-promoters, the coordinator-spokesperson is responsible for the organisation of an event for a wider scientific and/or societal target group. The cost of this event is included in the requested project budget
• All promoters and co-promoters comply with the Open Access policy of their own institution
• A researcher can only be involved in 1 iBOF application.
• Promoters and co-promoters of an iBOF project that started on January 1, 2025, cannot participate in this iBOF call 2027. Promoters and co-promoters of an iBOF project that started on January 1, 2023 who have acquired an iBOF project in the context of the iBOF call 2023, can participate in this iBOF call 2027. If they wish to resubmit, it is strongly recommended to include at least 1 additional promising scientifically junior researcher at least as co-promoter.
• At least one of the promoters is a top researcher with an excellent track record. Excellence emanates from the complete track record and can be achieved in different ways. Important elements are an international top level publication profile, high impact and a strong project portfolio. To be formally eligible, per consortium one or more of the promoters have competitively acquired high-quality grants (such as ERC, Methusalem or Odysseus) and/or competitively acquired external funding of a high level and comparable magnitude for fundamental and/or strategic basic research (such as FWO-SBO and/or FWO-EOS) and/or play a leading role in European and/or comparable international collaborative projects.

The following applies to each of the promoters:

At least until 31 December 2030 (for the entire duration of the project), promoters must:

• have either at least a 50% ZAP appointment at the Flemish university from which they apply for funding;
• or have an appointment as research director of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO),
• or combine an appointment of at least 10% ZAP at a Flemish university (up to a total of at least 70% of a full-time equivalent) with a research mandate from FWO or with another research appointment at:
  • a Flemish academic hospital or;
  • a Flemish hospital with an academic character or;
  • a Flemish research centre (art. 2, 20° Decree concerning the organisation and financing of the science and innovation policy of 30 April 2009), such as the Flemish universities or;
  • a recognized federal research institution (including a position as FED-tWIN mandate holder) or;
  • a Strategic Research Centre (SOC) or;
  • an academic education from a Flemish School of Arts or;
  • a foreign campus of the Flemish university where the researcher holds at least a 10% ZAP appointment.
• or combine an appointment of at least 5% ZAP at a Flemish university with an appointment as clinical head or assistant clinical head or equivalent function at a Flemish academic hospital or Flemish hospital with an academic character.

Exceptions: 

• ZAP members who retire between 1 January 2027 and 31 December 2030 can act as promoters provided that there is a co-promoter who meets the formal conditions to be a promoter and has the appropriate substantive expertise (to be demonstrated in the project application) in order to take over the role of promoter and the remaining budget at the time of the retirement. From that moment on, the emeritus can assume the role of co-promoter without budget if the conditions for this are met at the institution of the emeritus.
• If the coordinator-spokesperson retires, the role of spokesperson is automatically transferred to the co-promoter, who takes over the role of promoter when the coordinator-spokesperson retires (must be indicated in the project application).

The following applies to each of the possible co-promoters:

Together with the promoter, the co-promoter makes a substantive contribution to the realisation of the research project.

A co-promoter does not have an own budget within the project and shares in the budget of the promoter with which the co-promoter is affiliated.
Co-promoters have a paid appointment at a Flemish university of at least 10% ZAP (at least 5% in the case of a combination with an appointment as a clinical head, assistant clinical head or an equivalent position in a Flemish Academic Hospital or Flemish hospital with an academic character) and will retire on 1 January 2028 at the earliest. 
A co-promoter who will have to replace a promoter who is retiring, must meet the formal requirements to be a 'promoter' at the time of the application.

Promoters and co-promoters who acquire an iBOF project in the context of the iBOF call 2027, will not be able to participate in the next iBOF call 2029. There are no incompatibilities with other current BOF and/or IOF projects. 

 
The duration and scope of an iBOF project - financial provisions:

Duration: An iBOF project lasts 4 years.

Amount: The total amount that can be requested per promoter varies between 450 000 and 900 000 euros. Only for Hasselt University promoters, the amount that can be requested is a maximum of 510 000 euros per promoter and per project.

For applications involving at least 3 institutions, the total amount that can be requested is a maximum of 3 375 000 euros per consortium. For applications involving only 2 institutions, the total amount that can be requested is a maximum of 2 375 000 euros per consortium. 

The share of one partner institution in an iBOF project is limited to 65% of the total requested project budget, with an exception for applications with the involvement of Hasselt University (given that Hasselt University makes a maximum financial contribution of 510 000 euros, the percentage of the other partner institution(s) may exceed 65%).

The requested budget is realistic and in accordance with the intended work packages.
 
Eligible costs: personnel costs, operational costs and equipment required for the approved iBOF project. No overhead is required.

Remaining funds at the end of the project can be used up to a maximum of 2 years, after that the funds are returned to the Special Research Fund (BOF).

Application?

• Application form: Declaration of Intent and Biosketch
• Mail to BOF@uhasselt.be (only if the UHasselt promoter is the coordinator-spokesperson)

Support with regard to the application form will be guaranteed up to 3 working days before submission date.

Deadline

23 October 2025 at 23h59

Regulations?

See iBOF regulations

Deadline

23.10.2025

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail elke.bos@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211269053