Call for ICO Fellows to revise the ICO Project Proposal form
We are looking for two to three ICO Fellows to join a small working group to revise the ICO Project Proposal form.
The aim of this revision is to make the form clearer and more supportive for PhD candidates and supervisors, while ensuring that it continues to serve its core functions: admission to ICO, safeguarding the quality standards of ICO, and providing constructive feedback on proposals without taking over the formal responsibilities of employers.
The working group will be asked to:
- Develop clear guidance for proposals in quantitative and qualitative research, and check whether additional guidance for mixed-methods projects is needed.
- Review the structure of the form and suggest improvements (for example, how questions are ordered and how they relate to the research questions).
- Propose the addition of a concise question on data management, in line with requirements used in other funding schemes.
- Recommend an appropriate word range (minimum and maximum) for key sections, to encourage sufficiently informative yet concise answers.
- Consider to what extent existing project proposal formats from local graduate schools could meet ICO requirements and, where possible, replace the ICO form.
- Ensure that the form encourages active involvement of ICO Fellows and other supervisors in completing it.
We expect the work to involve a few short (online) meetings and some preparatory reading and drafting. The exact planning will be agreed within the working group. The exact planning will be agreed within the working group, with the aim of finalising its recommendations by December 2026 at the latest.
Decisions on the revisions of the form and their implementation will be taken by the ICO Board. Â For any questions from the working group during the process, Jeroen Janssen (Scientific Director of ICO) can be contacted.
Participation in the working group will count as an active contribution to ICO. In order to give all ICO members the opportunity to contribute actively to ICO, we will give priority to ICO members who have not yet had the chance to make an active contribution.
If you are interested in contributing, please send a short e-mail to Caroline Vonk (c.vonk@uu.nl) Â 15 August at the latest, briefly outlining your motivation and relevant experience with (ICO) project proposals.
Kind regards,
Jeroen Janssen – Scientific director of ICO
Tim Mainhard – Educational director of ICO
Caroline Vonk – Executive Secretary of ICO