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About this Guide

Welcome to the Research Assistance guide! This guide is designed to help give the basics of the research process and give helpful information for conducting research.  Click on the different tabs to find helpful information needed for the research process! 

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• Last Updated: Mar 20, 2024 10:25 AM
• URL: https://guides.uu.edu/research

Plan your project

Aspects such as impact, external collaborations and co-funding should be considered when planning your project .

Fund your project

To fund your project , there is a range of funding agencies available, both nationally and internationally.

Develop your proposal

Developing the proposal involves many things beyond the actual research idea, such as budget, impact and data management.

Post-award activities

When your project has been funded , it must be managed and reported, and obtained results should be shared with others.

When planning your project, first think about what you want to achieve and what expertise is needed to get there. Perhaps you need to connect with other partners in academia or in business. You may also need to plan for, for example, impact, co-funding and potential ethical review. Here we guide you through all these steps. If you have questions or need further advice when planning your project, you are welcome to contact Research Support.

Impact planning

In a proposal you often have to present the impact of the research and how you plan to translate your findings into practice.

How to describe impact in a proposal

UU Innovation Partnership Office and UU Innovation can support you in outlining an impact plan for the project and eventually identify potential results that could create value outside academia, including an intellectual property-strategy .

External collaborations

Will there be non-academic partners in your project?

UU Innovation Partnership Office can help you identify – and develop contacts with – suitable organisations both in Sweden and Europe that could complement your project.

Co-financing

Even if a proposal or a grant application is granted, not all funders will finance the entire cost of a project. In many cases, some amount of co-financing is required. Either to cover overhead costs or other types of project costs for equipment, sub-contracting or office/lab space. Observe that particular regulations applies to federal American funding regarding budget and co-funding.

Check with your economy administrator or head of department if your department or faculty provides financial support for the co-financing of projects.

National and international research infrastructure

Successful research depends on first-rate infrastructure in the form of experimental equipment, databases, libraries, collections and biobanks.

Here you can find information about available university infrastructures that could be beneficial for your research project.

Also important to consider

Research data management.

Already when designing your project, it is a good idea to think about the need for data management and start planning for this. The University provides support for producing data management plans, as well as resources and support for storing, analysing and archiving research data.

Research data resources

Research ethics

You should apply good research practice in all stages of a project. We advise you to consider this when you plan your work. In addition, you need to consider whether your project requires ethical reviews for research concerning humans or animal experiments. Here you can find information on ethical reviews, personal data (GDPR), handling of genetic resources and traditional knowledge (the Nagoya protocol), and tools to assess good research practice and research misconduct.

Research ethics in federal American-funded research

Sex- and gender perspectives in research

Including sex- and gender dimensions in research often improve the quality of research, and several large funding agencies now require inclusion of these dimensions when relevant. We have here compiled important information that will help you decide whether it is relevant and beneficial to include these dimensions in your research.

Sex- and gender dimensions in research

Established international research networks and collaborations

Your project may benefit from the university-wide international collaboration networks and regional centres in which Uppsala University participates. These provide exchanges for researchers and teachers, symposia and conferences, evaluation and benchmarking, course syllabus development and common projects.

International networks and collaboration

Research involving humans

For all research that involves humans, the Swedish Act Concerning the Ethical Review of Research Involving Humans, and the Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) apply.

Researchers who perform clinical studies or trials can get support via Uppsala Clinical Research center, UCR.

Export control in research

Uppsala University is obliged to have the requested permits in place, if the University exports, transfers or mediates controlled items with dual-use. Dual-use items include “items, including software and technology, produced for civil use that may also be used in the production of weapons of mass destruction or military equipment.” To export (physically or electronically) a dual-use item out of the EU you will need export authorization.

Research contracts

With a written contract, there is a greater chance that the parties are aware of the meaning of the agreement.

Written research contracts

Planning to apply to the Wallenberg Foundations, the EU or American funding agencies?

These funders have particular regulations that you and the university must follow when you apply for and/or receive grants from them. Read more below about what applies to each funder, and make sure to contact Research Support. Research Support also offers extra help in the application process for these funders.

The Wallenberg Foundations

Most often, the University must nominate projects or researchers for these calls. The selection is made through an internal prioritization process.

The European Commission offers many funding programs, where Horizon Europe is EU's ongoing framework program for research and innovation, for the period 2021-2027.

U.S. funding

It is mandatory for you as a researcher to contact Research Support well in advance when you plan to apply for U.S. funding.

Uppsala University's Research Support can provide tips and advice on issues related to research and grant applications.

Research Support

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Computing Science

Thesis project.

In the final thesis project, the student carries out a research project under the supervision of one of the staff members of the research groups offering the Computing Science programme. The project can be done based at Utrecht University, at a company or research institute, or at a foreign university (see also: ‘ stay abroad - traineeship’ ). 

Before starting the thesis project students are strongly advised to first attend the thesis information session meeting, which is offered at the start of each teaching period.  See course INFOMTIMCS for more info .

General description

The COSC Thesis Project is split into a 15 EC project proposal phase (INFOMCOSC1) and a 25 EC thesis phase (INFOMCOSC2). The thesis project takes about 8 months (three periods). The set-up phase that is necessary to arrange your project is not counted.  

The thesis project consists of a project idea, a UU graduation supervisor, and a graduation project facilitator. The project facilitator can either be a company or the University. Original ideas from the students are welcome, as long as they are aligned with the research interests and/or proposed projects by the supervisors. 

For a thesis project, the student always needs a supervisor from one of the research groups of the UU offering the COSC programme. If the final project is conducted within a company or external institute, both a local supervisor within the company/institute and a supervisor of the COSC programme teaching staff monitor and guide the student. 

When can a thesis be started?  

The thesis can be started when the student meets all the following criteria: 

• All courses are successfully completed, with the exception of Dilemmas of the Scientist (FI-MHPSDL1 and FI-MHPSDL2), for which you can do the second workshop (FI-MHPSDL2) during your thesis process. Further exceptions can be given by the COSC programme coordinator for students with one pending course. Note that you should start looking for a supervisor and a subject before you have finished all your courses (see “Set Up” below). 

The student has obtained at least 67.5 EC. 

The student has completed 25 colloquium attendances. 

The student has completed 1 colloquium presentation, or has 1 colloquium presentation scheduled within the first month of the start of their thesis project. 

Further, it is strongly recommended that the thesis topic is in line with the student’s chosen study path within the master program.  

Where do I start? 

Read the information on the various stages of the thesis project below. If you have any questions not covered here, contact the programme coordinator Ioanna Lykourentzou ( [email protected] ). 

How long does the thesis take?

Normally, a thesis project (phase 1 + phase 2) runs for 3 periods/terms (see the  schedules ). Holidays, courses, or other activities (such as working on the thesis part-time) may lead to a thesis project that takes slightly longer. 

Specifically: 

• Phase 1. The minimum duration of Part 1 is 10-11 weeks. 
• Phase 2. The minimum duration of Part  2 is 17-18 weeks. 

Both the above assume full-time work and no absences. In planning your thesis project, please make sure to add extra and appropriate time for absences (e.g., supervisor or student holidays, courses, or other activities). Please also add to Phase 2 two extra weeks for grading. Increase the duration appropriately if you are going to work on the thesis part-time. 

What to do in case of a delay?

Please see below what to do when your thesis is delayed, and you have to apply for a thesis deadline extension (part 1 and/or part 2).

Previous theses

To get an overview of what a Computing Science thesis looks like, you can consult  previous theses  online.

Learning outcomes

  After completing your thesis project, you will:

• have advanced knowledge about a specific subject within COSC
• be able to position their findings on a specific subject within the broader field of COSC
• be able to independently perform a critical literature study
• be able to formulate a research question of interest to COSC and a plan/method to answer this research question
• be able to perform scientific research according to a predetermined plan and a standard method within COSC
• be able to report their research findings in the form of a scientific thesis
• be able to report their research findings by means of an oral presentation 

This preliminary step is executed before the official start of Phase 1. The duration largely depends on how quickly a supervisor is found and a topic is agreed upon. This part is excluded from the duration of the thesis project.  

Please note: It is advisable to start looking for a thesis in the education block before the block you would like to start your thesis, i.e., two months in advance. 

1. Find a project and supervisors 

You can do an external or an internal (UU) project. The following tips might come in handy when looking for a project. 

• Think about the courses you found interesting and ask the lecturers of these courses if they have/know of any projects. 
• Konjoin   always has a number of COSC projects.  
• Jobteaser  also has interesting external internships for COSC students.

Note that any topic has to be agreed with the UU staff member who will act as a first supervisor. Arrange meetings with staff members to discuss possible options, based on their research interests (look at their webpages, their Google Scholar profile, or ask the Programme Coordinator: Ioanna Lykourentzou). If you are unsure about possible topics, please arrange a meeting with the Programme coordinator. Students can also try to arrange a project that fits within an internship with a company. Any project, however, requires a first supervisor from the department, who guarantees the scientific quality of the thesis project. It is therefore advisable to talk to potential supervisors and/or the graduation coordinator before agreeing on an internship. 

2. Define your project 

Together with the first supervisor, describe your project's title, problem, aims, and research goals. Come up with a short textual description (about 200 words). Make clear arrangements and ensure you have a clear understanding with your first supervisor concerning: planning, deadlines, extra work, holidays, supervision meetings and so forth. In planning the timing of your thesis project, keep in mind the minimum duration of phase 1 (at least 10-11 weeks full-time) and phase 2 (at least 17-18 weeks full-time), and add appropriate extra time for holidays, absences, or part-time work on the project.  Please see below what to do in case your thesis is delayed and you have to apply for a thesis deadline extension (part 1 and/or part 2).

3. Ensure adherence to Ethics and Privacy regulations -  Quick Scan  

• Discuss with your supervisor concerning the Ethics and Privacy of your thesis project, as described in the Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan, found here:  Ethics and Privacy - Research Institute of Information and Computing Sciences - Utrecht University (uu.nl) .
• Read the Word version of the Quick Scan. Do this early, as some participants/data/topics raise more ethical and privacy concerns than others. Consider beforehand the possible issues and adapt your research questions and research designs if needed, in agreement with your supervisor.
• Once you and your supervisor are satisfied with the outcome, submit the Quick Scan using the Qualtrics version, also found in the aforementioned  Ethics and Privacy website . You and your supervisor will receive the ethics and privacy scan outcome report by email and as a PDF.  Please attach the  anonymized  Quick Scan report to your Osiris application form (see step 5 below).

In case no issues have been found, or if your supervisor already has an ethical approval for their line of research in which the master thesis will take place, then the project can start from an ethics and privacy perspective. In case issues are found, please send the PDF with the scan result to the program coordinator (also serving as the program’s ethics & privacy moderator):  [email protected] , using the email title: “Ethics & Privacy scan issue”.  

Keep the Quick Scan report. Later during your thesis project you will use it to add sentences about the Quick Scan to the thesis and Part 1 method section (see examples in the “Guidance" section of the aforementioned  Ethics and Privacy website )

Please note that this step is compulsory for thesis projects in this program for any student starting after October 1 st , 2022.

4. Work placement agreement (WPA) 

If you conduct a project outside UU,  the GSNS Work Placement Agreement    (WPA) should be filled in, and signed by the student, company supervisor, and the  Science Research Project Coordinator . Deviations to the standard contract shall be discussed with the Science Research Project Coordinator. You need to fill out and upload your WPA together with your Research Project application form (see next step) in OSIRIS student. 

5. Formalize the start of your Research Project via submitting the Research Project application form 

Use  Osiris student  ( select 'MyCases', 'Start Case', ‘Research Project GSNS’) to submit your research project application form. If applicable, also upload the signed Work Placement Agreement (WPA) with your application form in OSIRIS.

After submitting your application form in OSIRIS, your form will be forwarded to your 1st and 2nd Examiner (supervisors), master’s programme coordinator, the Board of Examiners and student affairs for checks and approvals. You may be asked for modifications, should they find any problems with the form.

Please note: 

To apply completely and correctly, you must have discussed the project setup with your intended project supervisor beforehand! We advise you to study the request form before discussing it with your supervisor, or to fill it out together, to make sure you obtain all of the information required.

You cannot register yourself in OSIRIS for the relevant research project courses (INFOMCOSC1 and INFOMCOSC2). You will be automatically registered for part 1 of the project upon approval of the Research Project Application Form.  

Phase 1 - project proposal

The phase comprises 15 EC and its minimum duration is 10 weeks of full-time work. Phase 1 is intended for you to do a preliminary study (usually in the form of literature study), and to propose and plan your research. Importantly, this phase will give a go/no-go decision towards Phase 2. You are expected to deliver a research proposal consisting of the following: 

• A literature study section, summarizing works that are relevant to your research. 
• Well-formulated research question(s). 
• A plan for the second part of the thesis. 

Additionally, depending on the nature of the project, your supervisor may require you to perform some initial research work in Phase 1, either in order to provide a convincing argument towards the prospect and feasibility of your Phase 2, or for efficiency to already do some work of Phase 2 (for example developing an initial theory or building a first prototype of an algorithm). If such work is required, make an agreement with your supervisor on the scope of this work. 

At the end of Phase 1 the supervisor(s) will make a go/no-go decision. This decision, in terms of pass or not pass, will be entered in Osiris.  

Phase 1 assessment criteria: 

• Scientific quality. This concerns the quality of the literature study, the relevance and impact of the research questions, the merit of proposed research method. 
• Writing skills. This concerns the quality of your writing, use of English, textual structure, and coherence/consistency of your text. 
• Planning. This concerns the clarity and feasibility of the proposed planning. 
• The quality of additional work, if such is required. 

An  example assessment form  with more detailed criteria is available. Please use this form only as a discussion piece and do not send in paper or scanned forms.  Make sure to attach the anonymized Quick Scan report as an Annex to Part 1 of your thesis, as described in the “Set up” tab above.

Phase 2 - thesis

The second part comprises 25 EC and its minimum duration is 17-18 weeks full-time. You will complete (at least) the following items: 

• Perform and complete your research according to your plan (Phase 1). 
• Write your thesis that presents your research and its results. 
• Present and defend your results and conclusion. You are asked to prepare a presentation about your research that is understandable by fellow students. The defence will be 45 minutes long; 30 minutes for your presentation, and 15 minutes for questions. 

Content of the thesis.  In addition to the main text describing the research, the master thesis should at least contain: 

• a front page, containing the: name of the student, name of the supervisors, student number, date, name of the program (master Computing Science, Utrecht University); 
• an abstract; 
• an introduction and a conclusion;  
• a brief discussion of the relevance of the thesis topic to the field of COSC; 
• a list of references.   

Please discuss the exact requirements for your thesis with your daily supervisor/first examiner at the beginning of your project.  

Phase-2 assessment criteria.  Your thesis is assessed using the following criteria: 

• Project process (30%). This concerns your ability to work independently, to take initiative, to position your work in a broader context, to adapt to new requirements and developments, and to finish the thesis on time. 
• Project report (30%). This concerns the ability to clearly formulate problems, to summarize the results, to compare them with related scientific work elsewhere, and to suggest future research lines. This also concerns clear, consistent, and unambiguous use of language in the thesis. The text should give the readers confidence in that you understand the chronology, structure, and logical entities in your own text; and thus know what you write. 
• Project results (30%). This concerns the level and importance of your results. Are the results publishable as a scientific paper? The difficulty of the problem that you solve also plays an important role, as well as the amount/extent of the work you carry out. These are aspects that are important: the effectiveness of the chosen approach, completeness and preciseness of the literature study, arguments for the choices made, insight in the limitations of the chosen approach, proper interpretation of the results achieved, level of abstraction, convincing argument, proofs or statistical analysis. 
• Project presentation (10%). The ability to orally present your project and its results clearly and concisely.

An  example assessment form  with more detailed criteria is available. Please use this form only as a discussion piece and do not send in paper or scanned forms. 

Phase 2 - wrap up

When approaching the finalization of the thesis (as agreed with the supervisors), it is time to wrap up the project and graduate. 

• Set date and time for graduation presentation.  Both supervisors should agree on the date and time of the presentation. 
• Arrange a (virtual) room for defense. The public defense can take place in Teams. If desired by the candidate and/or the supervisors, you can also defend your thesis in a lecture room on campus, ideally with a livestream or in a hybrid form so that fellow students or friends (for example) can also attend online. You can make a Teams meeting yourself and send an e-mail to the secretariat ( [email protected] ) to arrange for a suitable room for your presentation. Please make sure to include the time, date, name of the thesis, supervisors, and the number of expected attendees. 
• Inform the COSC coordinator  ( [email protected] ) about the details of your defense (title, abstract, date, time, room and/or Teams link). 
• Thesis defense.  The student gives a presentation of 30 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer session that typically lasts about 15-20 minutes. Your first and second supervisor will decide on your grade and announce this shortly after your presentation. 
• Upload thesis to Osiris Student :  After the defense, the student must  upload the final version of their thesis through Osiris Student > my cases . 
• Archiving and publishing thesis to Thesis Archive: You will be asked once more to upload the final version of your thesis through OSIRIS Student, yet this time this is for archiving and publishing purposes. The Case will not be available by default via OSIRIS Student. You will receive an email as soon as the Case in OSIRIS Student is available to you. More information on thesis archiving and publication can be found here . 

Graduation checks and ceremony

The Student Desk at Student Affairs keeps track of your study progress in Osiris. As soon as Osiris indicates that you have completed all the required elements of your degree, your file is forwarded to the Board of Examiners. These checks only occur around the 15th of each month. Do you wish to graduate by the end of the month? Then please ensure that you have completed all elements of your degree before the 15th of the month, so all your credits are registered in OSIRIS on time. This also includes the uploads of your final thesis.  

The Board of Examiners then checks whether you meet all examination requirements. Following the Board's approval your graduation date will be emailed to you on your UU email account.  

Please DO NOT terminate your enrolment in Studielink until the Student Desk has informed you about the decision of the Board of Examiners and you have received your graduation date. For further information, please check the graduation  page.

What to do if your research project is delayed and a Research Project deadline extension is required?

Please note that the “protocol delay in graduation” applies when a project is delayed. This protocol can be found in appendix 2 of the Education and Examination Regulations .

In case your project is delayed, e.g., due to personal circumstances or due to unforeseen circumstances within the project, it is important that you make an appointment with your study advisor in time (before the final deadline of part 1 and/or part 2).  

It is further important that you discuss the delay with your supervisor and set new realistic goals and deadlines (where possible).  

Next, you need to apply through OSIRIS Student > ‘MyCases’ > 'Start Case' > ‘Request to the Board of Examiners GSNS’, and then choose the appropriate request type: “Delay of research or thesis project”. It is important that you upload a statement from the study advisor (hence why the importance to speak to your study advisor as soon as possible when a delay occurs) and a copy of an email in which the supervisors support the request for a deadline extension. You further need to include a proposed new deadline and short statement supporting your request.

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Master of Science in Conservation Biology > Research Projects

Conservation Research Projects

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As a graduate student in the MS Conservation Biology program at Union University, you will have the opportunity to work with one of our professors on a thesis project related to one of the areas identified below.  (Click on the link in the short descriptions below for further details.)

• Comparing avian communities or predator populations in semi-urban and rural environments, focusing on concepts such as habitat fragmentation due to agriculture and urbanization
• Investigating longitudinal chances occurring to vegetation composition
• Assessment of rare and threatened plant communities in Tennessee, including the effect of herbivory
• Determine the distribution of grasslands within western Tennessee and characterize plant composition through floristic surveys
• Investigating biotic and abiotic factors that regulate predator-prey interactions and resource partitioning between native-invasive fishes living in overlapping habitats
• Investigate the precise influence of environmental parameters to develop a best management plan
• Use of plant tissue culture for the regeneration and re-propagation of threatened or endangered tree species

For the purposes of your application, you will need to identify your first choice for research and write the Research Topic Selection essay in support of your application for your first choice project. We also ask you to identify a second choice for research, but no essay is required in support of your second choice. On the application, where indicated, you will select a project from a drop-down box. The drop-down options that correspond to each project are identified in brackets at the end of each description below. (e.g. [ Madison - Avian Communities ] for Dr. Andy Madison's avian communities project).

If you have specific questions, please feel free to contact the project advisor via email.  You can also view their profile by clicking on their name.

Dr. Andy Madison:

Comparing Avian Communities in Semi-urban and Rural Environments: Habitat fragmentation caused by urbanization typically has a negative effect on avian communities, but so does habitat fragmentation associated with agriculture.  This project compares several characteristics of avian species, such as nest success, nest parasitization, or general species richness between urban and rural environments.  [ Madison - Avian Communities ]

Assessing Predator Populations in Semi-urban and Rural Environments:  This project uses trail cameras and various attractants to compare predator abundance and/or frequency between semi-urban environments with surrounding predominantly agricultural environments.  [ Madison - Predator Populations ]

Dr. Michael Schiebout:

Investigation of the longitudinal changes occurring to vegetation composition of a bottomland mitigation site in western TN. This study would focus on the distribution, habitat requirements, and barcode signature of red turtlehead ( Chelone oblique ), a plant species of special concern for TN found within this site. [ Schiebout - Vegetation Composition ]

Herbivory has a profound influence on many plant communities and can impact conservation efforts. We will re-sample 86 deer exclosures previously established at Arnold Air Force Base in 2000 to assess how herbivory has changed different communities over this time. This project will assess changes in the distribution and characteristics of rare, threatened, and endangered (RTE) species found around the sample plots over time. [ Schiebout - Plant Communities ]

In 2015 the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) established the North American Coastal Plain as one of the 36 global biological hot spots. Western Tennessee is within this region and plants located here are within the Coastal Plain Floristic Province (CPFP). Many different communities occur within the coastal plain, however grassland ecosystem studies in particular are underrepresented according to the Southeastern Grassland Initiative. The aim of this research is to determine the distribution of grasslands within western Tennessee and to characterize plant composition through floristic surveys of these communities. This base line data will then be used to prioritize conservation efforts in the region and to propose restoration initiatives. [ Schiebout - Grassland Ecosystem ]

Dr. J.R. Kerfoot:

With the introduction of non-native fish species to the southern United States, encounters and interactions between tropical non-native piscivores and their temperature native prey base may be regulated by environmental temperature. The metabolism of poikilotherms are controlled by environmental temperature and the ability to activate muscles to successfully capture prey increases as temperature increases. For species adapted to various thermal regimes, tropical versus temperate, temperature tolerances should play a large role in predator-prey interactions. This project is separated into two components:

• Investigate the influence of temperature on the tropical predator-temperate prey interaction. Is there an environmental temperature that is low enough that it inhibits a tropical predator from capturing a temperate prey? Using species distributional data, model the current overlap of these predator-prey interactions with predictions of future overlap given climate change estimates. [ Kerfoot - Invasive Predator-Prey ]
• Investigate resource competition between two predators, one tropical and one temperate, as regulated by temperature. [ Kerfoot - Invasive Resource Competition ]

Drs. J.R. Kerfoot & Michael Schiebout:

With large seasonal fluctuations in nutrient availability, temperature, salinity, and depth, estuaries can be harsh environments for plant species to become established. Previous field research conducted in Jobos Bay Estuary in Puerto Rico on the response of the mangrove fern, Acrostichum danaeifolium, to hydrologic change and stochastic disturbance indicated that while an increase in salinity yielded higher mortality and decreased plant size, hurricane disturbance caused an increase in fertile leaf and biomass production rates. Proposed research aims to investigate the precise influence of environmental parameters such as salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, and disturbance on survivability and growth of mangrove fern at different lifecycle stages (spore, gametophyte, and mature sporophyte) under controlled laboratory conditions. Results from the laboratory study will be utilized to develop a model to identify portions of Jobos Bay that may be most prone to detrimental environmental parameters and will aid in further development of a best management plan in the establishment of healthy functional estuaries. [ Kerfoot/Schiebout - Best Management Plan ]

Dr. Mark Bolyard:

One of my primary areas of interest is in plant tissue culture . I currently have students working on African and Cuban mahogany trees with the ultimate goal of producing new plants for reintroduction into areas of deforestation. I am interested in looking at other critically endangered deciduous tree species to see if tissue culture methods can be used both for propagation and for the introduction of additional genetic diversity into bottle-necked populations. This could be done through naturally produced mutations (somaclonal variation) or through artificially induced mutations (such as through the treatment of leaf tissue with UV light, or with chemical mutagens).  While these are long-term projects, they have the potential for great progress during the windows of research time allocated for students in the Master of Science in Conservation Biology. [ Bolyard - Plant Tissue Culture ]

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Chapter I The research project, design and methodology

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T1 - Chapter I The research project, design and methodology

AU - Langbroek, Ph.M.

AU - Fabri, M.

M3 - Chapter

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Working at Utrecht University

Phd in health technology assessment.

The uncertainty about the added value of orphan medicinal products (OMPs) is often substantially high because the available clinical studies contain limited information about clinical outcomes and long-term effectiveness. Despite the uncertainties, there is social pressure to make these highly prized OMPs quickly available for a small group of patients with life-threatening conditions. The question is whether a cyclic Health Technology Assessment (HTA) approach could contribute to more controlled and affordable access to these medicines.

You will be on the frontline of developing a cyclic HTA approach to OMPs. Your work will focus on:

• mapping current international activities on cyclic HTA for OMPs. The emphasis will be on which elements of cyclic HTA approach, such as horizon scanning, scientific advice, assessment of efficacy and cost-effectiveness, and appropriate use, should have an initial priority in establishing cyclic HTA of OMPs;
• assessing whether and how the available national and international horizon scanning programmes maybe used to facilitate cyclic HTA of OMPs;
• evaluating current scientific methods for determining the value of OMPs (relative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness) and considering whether new, more experimental methods might be used in the future;
• determining the role of international patient registries for orphan diseases in monitoring appropriate care and using managed entry arrangements for OMPs.

The methods you will apply to study these questions include comparative document analyses, quantitative descriptive and association studies, and complex systems analyses.

This PhD position is part of the Academic Research Network HTA, a collaboration between the National Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland (ZIN)), Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Utrecht University. The network aims to closely bridge HTA research and HTA policy by supporting specific HTA research projects closely linked to policy questions. That means you will work closely with other PhD candidates within this network and structurally interact with the HTA policy officers at ZIN. Moreover, your work will entail close collaboration with stakeholders such as patients, clinicians and health technology developers on a national and international level.

Your qualities

We are looking for a candidate who meets the following criteria:

• an MSc in pharmaceutical or (bio)medical sciences, health economics and/or health technology assessment, epidemiology, or another relevant field;
• the ability and enthusiasm to learn quantitative and qualitative methods within Health Technology Assessment;
• an interest in cross-disciplinary work within Health Technology Assessment;
• the ability to work independently, be self-reflective, and take initiative and responsibility for your projects.
• good oral and written communication skills in English and Dutch are essential to ensure effective collaboration and communication with the Dutch health technology assessment stakeholders’ community.

We consider it a plus if you have experience with:

• complex health systems (i.e. international health policies);
• data analyses; qualitative (e.g. NVivo) and/or quantitative (e.g. R, SAS, or SPSS);
• working with different types of stakeholders, such as HTDs, clinicians, and healthcare decision-makers from public institutes or governments;
• working in a dynamic environment on multiple projects simultaneously;
• teaching graduate students and supervising bachelor and master research projects within the pharmaceutical policy domain. 
• a position (1.0 FTE) for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon successful assessment;
• a full-time gross salary between €2,770 in the first year and €3,539 in the fourth year of employment in scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities (CAO NU);
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition to the employment conditions from the CAO for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements. These include agreements on professional development , leave arrangements, sports and cultural schemes and you get discounts on software and other IT products. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment through the Employment Conditions Selection Model. This is how we encourage you to grow. For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University .

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At  Utrecht University , the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major  strategic themes . Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability.  Sharing science, shaping tomorrow .

At the  Faculty of Science  there are six departments to make a fundamental connection with: Biology, Chemistry, Information and Computing Sciences, Mathematics, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Physics. Each of these is made up of distinct institutes that work together to focus on answering some of humanity’s most pressing challenges. More fundamental still are the individual research groups – the building blocks of our ambitious scientific projects. Find out more about us on  YouTube .

You will be employed within the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology , one of the five divisions of the Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS). This is the research institute of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Utrecht University.

The Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology comprises a multidisciplinary team of young, internationally oriented-researchers. The research programme is directed at several epidemiological, therapeutic, and policy aspects of chronic drug use, focusing on advanced, affordable biomolecular and cellular therapies. The PhD position falls under the Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy & Regulation (one of the three Centres of the Division). The Centre aims to develop, assess, and apply innovative methods in pharmaceutical policy, drug regulatory science, and health technology assessment (HTA). For this, an integrated approach to the drug life cycle and the context in which medicines are developed, assessed, and used is taken. Necessary research spearheaded by the Centre includes questions on authorisation, access to, and affordability of medicines. One of the unique features of the Centre is that it works closely with experts from the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB), the Dutch National Health Care Institute (ZIN), and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). The WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation is embedded in the Centre, which focuses on global access to medicines in pharmaceutical systems—the centre partners with the Regulatory Science Network Netherlands (RSNN) and the Academic Research Network HTA.

More information

For more information, please contact Prof. dr. Wim G. Goettsch at ( [email protected] ).

Do you have a question about the application procedure? Please send an email to [email protected] .

As Utrecht University, we want to be a  home  for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

If you are enthusiastic about this position, just apply via the "Apply now" button! Please enclose:

• your letter of motivation;
• your Curriculum Vitae;
• the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least two references.

If this specific opportunity isn’t for you, but you know someone else who may be interested, please forward this vacancy to them.

Some connections are fundamental – Be one of them

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The application deadline is 1 July 2024.

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Project 2025 partner claims Trump's conviction was the result of witchcraft

Senior reporter and editor at the Family Research Council’s blog cites “ancient Egypt” and “Babylon” to claim “dark arts” are aligning against Trump

Written by Sophie Lawton

Published 06/05/24 9:13 AM EDT

The Family Research Council’s news outlet, The Washington Stand, posted a June 3 commentary claiming “the Left” used witchcraft and ancient spiritual warfare tactics to secure 34 guilty verdicts in former President Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial last week. FRC, which has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its anti-LGBTQ activism, is a partner of The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 , a large-scale effort to provide staff and policy proposals for the next GOP presidential administration. 

The blog titled “ The Spiritual Warfare behind the Trump Conviction ” was written by senior reporter and editor Ben Johnson, who opens by claiming he is a “prophet” for predicting in 2021 that “the Left” would go after Trump with lawfare in the Southern District of New York. 

Johnson explains his view on how witchcraft factored into the prosecution and conviction of Trump in his New York City trial, claiming Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg “pulled off an act of voodoo jurisprudence”:

Just as Christians’ spiritual warfare usually takes place without dramatic manifestations and apparitions of angels and demons, so too can witchcraft manifest itself without cauldrons and hexes — possibly even without TikTok and Teen Vogue. In a secular age that trusts government as its “god,” modern witchcraft means using the State to harass and control, to loose and to bind, and to impose a dark will on a subdued populace.

Johnson also describes the ways that “spiritual warfare of our age manifests itself.” The first is apparently related to the “dark arts” of “ancient Egypt, where Pharaoh imposed the dictates of his hardened heart on God’s people with the help of his official advisors, the ‘wise men and sorcerers’ and magicians.” Johnson concluded this “gaudy occultism” has returned, as seen by pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQ protesters yelling “Hail Satan” and using other satanic references. 

Johnson also refers to a period when “self-described witches attempted to place a ‘hex’” on Trump, adding: “Wiccan practitioners on TikTok — which they have aptly dubbed ‘WitchTok’ — also exerted their spiritual energies against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy.” Johnson later claims that “Christians consistently living out their faith have little to fear from demonic attacks” but infers that American Christians are likely at risk due to their acceptance of sex outside of marriage, linking to a Pew Research Center study on religious attitudes toward casual sex. 

Johnson also cites ancient Babylon to support his argument, recounting a story about an alleged spiritual weakness during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar that left the public vulnerable to a “battle against God’s people through the instrumentality of government.” 

Echoing Christian nationalist rhetoric used by Trump allies and other Project 2025 partners, Johnson concludes that Christians are in danger from the left's spiritual warfare and should “consecrate their political action” around removing such dangers from society, telling readers:

The next era of Christian politics must expel the army of career bureaucrats and politicized prosecutors who bend the law to their master’s will. In its place, we must reestablish one binding rule of law for all people (Numbers 15:16). And if those who abused the legal process broke any applicable laws or statutes in the process, perhaps they should learn the truth of the Scriptures: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

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Seed Grant Successes: How Five Funded Research Projects Will Address The Challenges And Opportunities Of An Ageing Society

The UNSW Ageing Futures Institute has funded five interdisciplinary projects that aim to address the complex issues of an ageing population.

The projects range from ageism in health, falls prevention in the home, assessing dementia risk and virtual rehabilitation and mobility for ageing in place. The Institute’s seed grant program, that has been running since 2019, supports the development of outstanding quality projects with demonstrated pathways to impact and longer-term research collaborations and impact across all facets of society. The awarded projects and lead investigators include: TCC-REHAB: The development of a telerehabilitation app to assess the mobility of older people and people with Parkinson’s disease This seed funding project will develop a smartphone app-based telerehabilitation system, also called TCC-REHAB. Using TCC-REHAB, the project team will create remote but reliable and valid assessments to examine mobility issues, among other measures of balance and gait of older people and people with Parkinson’s disease. This information will provide healthcare providers with robust tools for remote clinical assessments, reaching consumers in remote and rural areas where access to healthcare is scarce and challenging, reducing disparities in the care of older people and people with Parkinson’s disease. Lead Investigator: Dr Paulo Pelicioni conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of neurorehabilitation, human movement sciences and neuroscience, focused on preventing falls in people with neurological disorders. His fields of expertise and current areas of interest include developing and optimising clinical tools for neurological assessments and neurorehabilitation, understanding the mechanisms of falls in older people and people with Parkinson’s disease, equity in Parkinson’s care, and understanding the function of healthy and pathological brains. Lost in Translation: Does ageist and gendered language drive low male participation in health promotion research? Recent studies highlight significant challenges in engaging older men in Intergenerational Programmes (IGPs) due to societal stereotypes and perceived barriers around caregiving roles traditionally associated with women. Despite evidence that IPGs promote social, mental, and physical well-being among older adults and children alike, male participation remains low, underscoring the need for tailored engagement strategies. The project seeks to identify and test effective methods to increase male involvement, including what language is used to describe and promote IPGs, with the aim to expand the reach and efficacy of these programs. Lead Investigator: Dr Katya Numbers’ research explores how certain lifestyle choices are associated with dementia risk and how to detect early signs of dementia through behaviour. Specifically, Dr Numbers studies how older adults' self-reported cognitive and physical difficulties relate to their risk of developing dementia, how views on ageing impact mental and physical well-being in later life, and strategies for combating harmful stereotypes about ageing and age-related conditions like dementia. Development and pilot of a rapid-response, virtual, fall-risk assessment and management service for community-dwelling older aged care clients This project proposes a novel approach to falls prevention by developing a virtual, AHP-led, rapid-response fall-risk assessment and management service for community aged care clients, underpinned by the development of screening algorithms by which community aged care workers can readily identify those clients at highest risk of falling. This project is a critical stepping stone towards larger-scale initiatives, including a validation study of the risk stratification and identification algorithm and the virtually-delivered AHP rapid-response fall-risk assessment and management service. A broader study could involve additional aged care providers to support validation across more diverse populations and locations, and to compare the virtually delivered service model against the current ‘gold standard’ of face-to-face AHP assessment. Lead Investigator: Dr Lindsey Brett is a physiotherapist by background and has worked in a variety of aged care focused clinical and academic settings in Australia and the UK over the last 16 years. She completed her PhD in 2017 and her research and focuses on aged care and physiotherapy-related topics, such as community aged care services, falls, and dementia. Meeting the need for valid mid-life dementia risk assessment: Development and validation of risk scores for a midlife specific dementia risk tool The proposed project will provide a much needed dementia risk tool for middle aged adults with well validated and rigorous scientific measures, research methodology and implementation research. The current project will meet the consumer demand for having a risk score for the middle-aged population that is specific to risk profiles and modifiable factors at this age. Moreover, the current project will bring together highly regarded clinical scientists, developers of the existing CogDrisk tool, and consumer feedback from users to improve online and clinician’s assessments using the tool. This will improve online dementia risk assessment and contribute to dementia risk reduction by providing tailored guidance for users to improve lifestyle habits. The outcome of the project will benefit middle aged adults who are not only at risk of dementia but also cardiometabolic disease (e.g., stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes etc) by identifying risk factors that are common between dementia and these non-communicable diseases. Lead Investigator: Dr Md Hamidul Huque is a Research Fellow (statistician) at the School of Psychology, University of New South Wales. His research focused in dementia epidemiology, risk factors for dementia, risk tools development and methodological issues in large administrative datasets. Beyond Step Counts: Using Wrist-Mount Motion Sensors to Accurately Evaluate Mobility Information on movement quality, mobility level, and walking aid compliance can inform clinical decisions and facilitate rehabilitation. Our project aims to develop and validate a real-world mobility measurement method for walking aid users using wrist-worn motion sensors. The research output may apply to a wide range of commercial smartwatches and bands, optimizing recovery in geriatric and orthopedic patients. Lead Investigator: Dr. Lloyd Chan is an APA-titled research physiotherapist and a postdoctoral fellow at NeuRA. His research focuses on quantifying daily-life walking patterns and predicting age-related conditions using wearable devices. Read more about the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute’s seed grant program here

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Canada at the forefront of international research on climate change adaptation and mitigation

From: Canada Research Coordinating Committee

News release

Investments will leverage international expertise to tackle global challenges caused by climate change.

June 3, 2024—Ottawa, Ontario—Canada Research Coordinating Committee

Interdisciplinary research collaboration helps address Canadian and international challenges, both present and future. It brings new perspectives and innovative solutions for the benefit of society, while cementing Canada’s position as a leader in interdisciplinary science and innovation.

Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced more than $92 million in funding through the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) to support 165 Canadian-led research projects through two initiatives: the  2023 International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation , and the  2023 Exploration competition .

Canada led the international joint initiative with an investment of $60 million to support 32 international interdisciplinary research projects, involving 424 researchers from 45 countries. These three-year projects focus on designing and implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies for vulnerable groups. These groups are currently the most impacted by climate change effects, because of their physical and socio-economic vulnerability. The initiative is also the result of a collaboration with research funders from Brazil, Germany, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, who together contributed a total of more than $30 million in additional funding to the research projects.

Each year, the NFRF Exploration competition supports research that brings various disciplines together in new ways and from bold, innovative perspectives. Exploration grants support research with a range of impacts—economic, scientific, artistic, cultural, social, technological, environmental or health-related. This year, $33 million was awarded to 133 research projects that focus on topics such as exploring the outer reaches of Earth’s atmosphere and the cosmos from a high-Arctic perspective, transforming AI software concepts into smart mechanical systems, and using liquid biopsies to better detect breast cancer.

“Science and research are essential to combating climate change, one of the most significant threats to the future well-being and prosperity of our planet. The investments announced today help bring world-leading researchers together to work on innovative research projects that could have significant impacts. By bringing disciplines together in unexpected ways, we are responding to the challenges Canada and the world are facing.” —The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Climate change and the disasters it causes, like wildfires which produce toxic smoke, pose significant challenges to public health. The research we are investing in today will examine the urgent action required to mitigate climate change and protect the health and well-being of people living in Canada.” —The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health

“Climate change and its various economic and social impacts are observed globally. By supporting game-changing interdisciplinary research and fostering international collaboration for innovative projects, our government is committed to finding innovative solutions that could have a significant impact on some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.” —The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue

“Supported by Government of Canada investments, these research teams are solidifying Canada’s position as a leader in collaborative, interdisciplinary research that addresses global priority areas. The NFRF grants also show the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s commitment to keeping our research at the forefront of the international research ecosystem.” —Alejandro Adem, Chair, Canada Research Coordinating Committee; and President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

Quick facts

The International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation required that projects address at least two of the eight representative key risks identified in the  Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . The report highlights the unprecedented changes in Earth’s climate that are being observed in every region, impacting all ecosystems and societies, and that will continue to intensify with further warming.

The NFRF Exploration stream supports projects that bring disciplines together to reach beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches by research teams. Researchers are encouraged to undertake research that would defy current paradigms; bring disciplines together in unexpected ways and from bold, innovative perspectives; and have the potential to be disruptive or deliver game-changing impacts.

NFRF supports world-leading interdisciplinary, international, high-risk / high-reward, transformative and rapid-response Canadian-led research.

The NFRF program is under the strategic direction of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, a body designed to advance priorities and coordinate policies and programs of Canada’s research funding agencies and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. NFRF is managed by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, which is housed at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) , on behalf of Canada’s three federal research funding agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and SSHRC.

Associated links

• Award Recipients: 2023 International Joint Initiative
• Award Recipients: 2023 Exploration competition
• New Frontiers in Research Fund
• Canada Research Coordinating Committee

Audrey Milette Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry [email protected]

Media relations Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada [email protected]

Media relations New Frontiers in Research Fund [email protected]

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