Interuniversity BOF projects (iBOF)
Source: https://www.ugent.be/en/research/funding/bof/ibof/overview.htm Parent: https://www.ugent.be/en/research/funding
As announced in last Monday's September statement, significant cuts are being made to the Flemish budget. This also has an impact on the resources made available by the Government of Flanders for the financing of the Special Research Funds. The precautionary principle requires universities, after consultation with the cabinet of Minister-President Diependaele and the WEWIS department (Work, Economy, Science, Innovation, and Social Economy), to discontinue the current call for iBOF project applications. The October 23 submission date for letters of intent is therefore canceled, and no applications can be submitted. We regret that this decision had to be taken after the call had already been launched, but unfortunately the budgetary reality leaves no other option.
An iBOF project brings together top researchers who, through the 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-promotor, 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.
Proposals from all domains are possible, both mono- and interdisciplinary project proposals can be submitted.
Duration
- 4 years
Budget
The total amount that can be requested per promoter varies between 450.000 and 900.000 euro. For UHasselt promoters, the amount that can be requested is a maximum of 510.000 euro per promoter and per project.
- For applications involving at least 3 institutions, the total amount that can be requested per consortium is 3.375.000 euro.
- For applications involving only 2 institutions, the total amount that can be requested per consortium is 2.375.000 euro.
The share of one partner institution in an IBOF project is limited to 65% of the total requested project budget (exception for projects where UHasselt is involved - the percentage of the partner institution(s) may exceed 65%).
The requested budget has to be realistic and in accordance with the intended work packages.
Who can apply for an iBOF project?
In general: minimum 3 promoters of at least 2 Flemish universities.
- At least one of the promoters is a top researcher with an excellent track record (see description ‘excellence’ in the call). The involvement of promising scientifically junior researchers, at least as co-promotor, is highly recommended;
- One of the promoters acts as coordinator-spokesperson of the consortium. The coordinator-spokesperson is primarily responsible for the good collaboration of the consortium and is the single point of contact. The coordinator-spokesperson submits the data management plan (DMP) and the final report on the project. The coordinator-spokesperson is also responsible for the organisation of an event for a wider scientific and/or societal target group;
- Applications should be submitted by the coordinator-spokesperson at the research administation of his/her University;
- Per promoter, one or more co-promoters who are affiliated within the same university as the promoter with whom they join, can participate. A co-promotor does not have an own budget within the project but shares in the budget of the promotor with which the co-promoter is affiliated;
- An applicant can only be involved in one iBOF application;
- Additional restrictions on who can act as promoter or co-promoter of the application and retirement regulations can be found in the iBOF call (see call document).
NOTE: Neither for the applying promoters nor for the applying co-promoters of the iBOF call, there are incompatibilities with current BOF and/or IOF projects.
Sole exception to this: Promoters and co-promoters of an iBOF project that has started on 1 January 2025, cannot participate in this iBOF call 2027. Promoters and co-promoters who have acquired an iBOF project in the context of the iBOF call 2023 (that started on 1 January 2023), can participate in the iBOF call 2027. In this case, it is strongly recommended to include at least one additional scientifically junior researcher at least at the level of co-promotor.
How to apply?
The selection wil take place in 2 phases:
- A "Declaration of Intent" must be sent before the given deadline to BOFapplication@UGent.be (if a Ghent University promoter is the coordinator-spokesperson of the application)
- Consortia who are, after the preselection, selected to hand in a full proposal, will be invited in due time and will have to submit their "elaborated application" at the latest on 29 May 2026 (template will be sent by e-mail).
Deadline
- closed
Contact
Team Flemish, Federal & BOF Projects