The EGPRN research strategy has been developed to promote research in primary care.
The research funding available from the EGPRN supports the strategy in encouraging the exchange of theory, methods and results of research in Europe, including both junior and senior researchers, individuals and research groups. Multinational, collaborative research and research between different academic disciplines is particularly encouraged
In order to promote research in general practice, a stepwise strategy has been adopted by EGPRN:
Projects that do not yet have the gravitas associated with a collaborative study are encouraged. Young researchers and researchers from countries where general practice/primary care is developing as a scientific discipline, will be encouraged to perform good research.
Researchers must have presented their project idea, at least as a one-slide five-minute presentation, at an EGPRN conference in order to be eligible to apply for funding.
Where research has been done on a local level, and the conclusions could be interesting if the research was undertaken in a wider context, the local results can be presented at EGPRN with a proposal for a collaborative project involving two or three countries. Some projects may go on to develop into Europe-wide projects.
Each project can come to EGPRN at any of the different steps. However, the further forward a project is, the more the researchers should be involved in EGPRN.
At several stages in the stepwise progression, EGPRN may provide funding, or support the researcher in seeking funding. This may include co-funding on a European level including special projects funding from the European Society of General Practice (Wonca) and funding from the European Community.,
The following criteria have been agreed for any research proposal seeking funding from EGPRN.
Applications are only accepted on the official EGPRN application form.
Proposals should be submitted to the EGPRN secretariat before 1st of April or 1st of September for the subsequent meeting in May and October respectively. The applications for project funding will be reviewed, by a selection committee, at the next EGPRN meeting (at October meeting for the applications arrived before 1st of September and at the May meeting for the applications arrived before the 1st of April). A decision will be reached by regular members of the RSC. For each proposal, an EGPRN member with expertise in the research methodology and/or the research topic will be asked to review the proposal and advise the selection committee.
The leading researcher of the project must be an individual member of EGPRN or a delegate of an institutional member of EGPRN. The applicant or the institution that holds the leading position in the project can be granted finances for one study at a time until the study ends. The lead applicant, co-applicants and collaborators who are members of the RSC at the time a decision is being made regarding funding must absent themselves.
Criteria for selection will include:
The selection committee can:
The committee may also encourage people to apply for other European funds. The RSC may also suggest mentoring provided by EGPRN.
It will be a condition of funding for any project that the results are presented at an EGPRN meeting. EGPRN also suggest that in other presentations or in publications of projects, the support of EGPRN is mentioned.
The funding can be used for the following: