Carlo Alberto Research Grants

Call for Proposals

In order to foster high-quality and policy-relevant research in Italy, the Collegio funds research projects in the social sciences, both theoretical and empirical. All submitted proposals will be evaluated by a Selection Committee nominated by the Board of Directors. Availing itself of the help of external peer reviewers, the Selection Committee will assess: innovativeness, the likelihood of generating interesting and useful insights, the potential to give rise to top-quality publications, the degree of interdisciplinarity of the proposed research, the curricula of the researchers involved, and the appropriateness of the financial plan accompanying each research proposal.

Important deadlines

Submission period opens: January 15 2011
Submission period ends: February 15 2011
Publication of results: April 15 2011
Signing of formal contracts: May 1 2011

Project characteristics

Projects should be highly innovative and able to advance the understanding of social and economic behaviour, systems or policies.
Projects should be potentially able to yield papers publishable in top general or field international academic journals and books published by top international publishers.
Interdisciplinary and policy relevant projects are particularly welcomed.
Favourable treatment is given to projects that receive good rating in international calls.
The principle investigator must be a member of the resident research community of the Collegio. External researchers can be associated as co-principal investigators.

Description of Scientific Themes

Projects eligible for Collegio Carlo Alberto funding must fall within one of the areas listed below. As a general rule, the research areas identified by the board should be broadly considered. In particular, theoretical foundations of economics and other social sciences should be broadly construed to fit into most of the following areas.

Area 1: Demography, Labor Issues and Social Policies
This area encompasses all the social sciences and naturally leads to interdisciplinary research. The analysis of pressing 21st century social problems including population ageing, education and health, the evolution of labor markets and family organization should be the main focus of policy oriented research in this area. The financial market dimensions of the implementation and functioning of social policies are also relevant.

Area 2: Sustainability and Development
Sustainability and development represent nowadays two of the most innovative and challenging interdisciplinary research areas in social sciences. Beyond the obvious and important environmental issues, this research area is also inherently associated to the employment and long-run allocation of scarce resources at both the micro- and macro-economic levels. The design of appropriate legal systems in developing countries and the development of financial institutions also fit this research area.

Area 3: European Governance and Public Policies
The concept of European Governance applies to the political and the economic dimensions, both at the micro and macro-economic levels. Social and economic public policies, including for instance the harmonization of fiscal and monetary policies, may be analysed at both the theoretical and empirical levels. Comparative studies may also be included in this area, if they relate their findings to the European case.

Area 4: Industrial Organization and Innovation
Industrial Organization refers primarily to the functioning of imperfectly competitive product markets, including financial markets. It also includes the theory of the firm and, more generally, of any economically oriented organization. Innovation is broadly construed to refer to any kind of innovation that is relevant to economic activity and organization. Competition and industrial policies as well as the regulation of economic activities also fit this research area.

Project duration and funding

The total budget for the 2011 first call is around EUR 175,000 per year.
Maximum length is 3 years.
Maximum funding is EUR 100,000 per project/year.

Applications

Online application guidelines will be posted with the next call for proposals.