Explore enters the final phase
Explore – Formas’ open call for research projects 2024 – is now entering stage two of the review process. A total of 214 applications proceed to the final assessment. A decision on funding will be made on 27 May 2025.
Explore is a new call that opened for the first time in 2024, replacing Formas’ previous annual open call. The new call enables research projects that are both longer and larger than before, which has been requested by researchers.
The first step of the review process completed
In Explore, we apply a two-step review-process. In this way, we can give faster notice to those projects that have not proceeded in the review process and thus will not receive funding for their applications. The first step of the review process is now complete.
– On 27 May, we will decide on which research projects will receive funding, says Maria Rogell, Research Officer at Formas. But since we have two-stage review-process, we can already now give notice to the projects that do not proceed to the second stage of the review process. They have received a notification of rejection via Prisma.
Decision on funding will be made May 27
In the first step of the review process, active researchers read and assessed all applications. We are now initiating the second step, where users of research results also read and assess the potential for societal relevance for the applications that have been successful. After that, all reviewers discuss the applications at a panel meeting. On 27 May, we will decide on funding and can communicate which research projects have received funding.
Despite the fact that Formas has contributed an extra SEK 100 million to the call budget, the competition is tough with a large number of applications.
– Of the projects that have proceeded to stage two of the review process, about 40 percent will be granted funding, says Maria Rogell.
Compared to the total number of applications received, the approval rate will be approximately 7 percent.
Explore opens for applications again in the autumn 2025
Are you a researcher a doctorate degree and a career age of at least four years, and want to apply for funding in Explore 2025? We plan to reopen this year’s call for applications in the early autumn.
– We continue to develop Explore and sharpen the conditions for research that wants to challenge and develop the state of knowledge and state of the art, says Josefin Wangel, Senior Research Officer at Formas. Right now, we are looking at possible ways to further develop and streamline the call based on the input from researchers, external reviewers and experts at Formas. For example, we will review the format of the narrative CV, in consultation with other funders.
However, the basics of the call remain unchanged. Explore will continue to be a call where innovative researchers are free to formulate their research questions within Formas’ areas of responsibility.