Strategy for RJ’s research infrastructure support

All of the foundation’s work is based on the paragraph in its statutes describing its mission statement (Section 2), which states that Riksbankens Jubileumsfond is to fund academic research connected with Sweden, with special responsibility for:

• research that has difficulty receiving funding from other sources
• large and long-term projects
• new research questions requiring prompt, forceful measures
• international research contacts.

The foundation can provide support to infrastructure that is vital for Swedish research in the humanities and social sciences. Here, research does not refer to normal data collection, development of individual databases or costs for utilising existing infrastructures. These types of research can be funded through the framework of RJ’s other support forms if they are relevant for the research being funded. Similarly, RJ’s support for infrastructure is not intended for funding research. RJ can choose to support larger national initiatives where multiple stakeholders and funding organisations join forces. However, the support available from the foundation is always for a limited period.

Guiding principles

There are seven guiding principles used by RJ’s board when making decisions on support for infrastructure initiatives:

• RJ is to fund infrastructures that require larger investments than what can be managed within the framework of individual research environments or research programmes.
• In principle, all infrastructures receiving RJ grants are to be freely open to all researchers and are to benefit many users.
• RJ only funds infrastructures that are clearly and explicitly relevant to research.
• RJ’s infrastructure grants are to enable high quality research in the humanities and social sciences and to contribute to internationalisation of Swedish research.
• While infrastructures that receive RJ grants are to be under development, their technical solutions need to be proven and already well functioning.
• RJ only funds infrastructures that have the support of one or more host institutions (international/national consortiums or individual higher education institutions, faculties or departments) with a long-term plan for operation and funding.
• RJ funds infrastructures only if they adhere to mutually agreed upon and nationally established standards and guidelines for research infrastructure and research data.