Funding Value：Funds for Academic Lead

1. Core Objective

  • Each project will be awarded a stipend of amount of USD, granted to the Academic Lead as compensation for their work in coordinating contributions. As a special incentive, the Academic Lead of each selected project is entitled to publish one paper free of charge in a NASS-owned or partner journal (with the article processing charge (APC) covered).
  • There are no restrictions on where applicants come from or where they conduct their research work.

2. Key Support Dimensions

  • Financial Relief: Covers direct research costs incurred during project execution, e.g., article processing charges (APCs), ensuring resources are focused on research itself rather than financial constraints.
  • Academic Empowerment: Provides financial security to help scholars concentrate on organizing submissions under the selected project, accelerating the realization of innovative ideas.
  • Impact Enhancement: Supports the dissemination of research in NASS-owned journals and internationally high-impact journals, elevating the academic reputation and disciplinary influence of scholars and their teams.

Evaluation Criteria

A multi-dimensional assessment system is applied, focusing on the applicant’s academic leadership, track record, project feasibility, and expected impact. Specific requirements include:

Evaluation Dimensions

1. Academic Status & Tenure

Conditions:
The Academic Lead must meet either of the following critters:

  • Hold a Ph.D. degree and have ≥5 years of research experience in the relevant field;
  • Hold an associate professorship or higher academic title (e.g., full professor, chair professor) at a globally renowned university/research institute (e.g., institutions ranked in the top 200 globally or internationally accredited).

Focus: Academic accumulation and professional achievements.

2. Academic Impact Proof

Requirements:
The Academic Lead must meet either of the following critters:

  • Published ≥10 papers in Wos/Scopus - indexed journals in the last 5 years (must include first - author or corresponding - author roles);
  • Led international research projects (e.g., cross - border collaborations, national key initiatives, with proof of PI/Co - PI status).

Assessment: Actual contributions in academic output and project leadership.

3. Academic Network & International Collaboration

Criteria:
The Academic Lead must meet either of the following critters:

  • Serve on the editorial board of international journals (specify journal name, discipline, and tenure);
  • Have organized international conferences (e.g., as congress chair, session organizer, with evidence of scale/participating institutions).

Emphasis: Ability to connect with the academic community and collaborative experience.

4. Quantitative Academic Influence

  • Standard: Citations and index data must reflect consistent scholarly impact across the candidate's career.
  • Reflection: Citation influence and recognition of academic achievements.

5. Project Leadership & Execution

Expectations:

  • Proven experience in leading research projects and sub - projects (describe past project scale, team composition, and outcomes);
  • Commit to producing ≥10 high - quality academic articles during the project research period (Preference will be given to publishing these articles in WoS or Scopus jouenals).

Focus: Project management ability and feasibility of phased output goals.

6. Project Proposal Quality

Requirements:

  • Research plan is logically clear (specific goals, feasible methods, strong innovation);
  • The timeline (approximate period) is well - structured (detailed task breakdown, controllable milestones).

Assessment: Scientific nature of the plan and rigor of the execution path.

Note: The research project evaluation committe evaluates the applicant’s overall academic trajectory (e.g., long-term contributions and recent activity) rather than relying on a single metric. Projects aligned with NASS strategic priorities (e.g., digital technologies, ecological sciences) will be prioritized.

Career Break Statement (If Applicable)

To ensure the continuity and success of research projects, the following policy outlines the procedure and expectations for Project Leaders who experience a short-term career interruption during the project term.

Notification Requirement

As the Academic Lead, if you anticipate or experience a career interruption (e.g., parental leave, medical recovery, urgent personal/family matters, or transition following an international academic visit), you must notify the Research Project Evaluation Committee in writing within five working days​ of the interruption occurring or being foreseen.

Submission of Explanation
The Academic Lead shall submit a one-page Career Break Statement covering:

Interruption Background: Nature of the interruption (e.g., 2025: Medical recovery) and exact timeframe.

Impact on Research Continuity: Description of how the interruption affects project milestones, data collection, or team activities.

Project Readiness: Plan for resuming full commitment.

Optional Temporary Replacement: Where applicable, nomination of a qualified person (with affiliation and expertise) to temporarily assume leadership or coordination duties, with justification.

Assessment Focus

The Committee will assess the explanation to understand the impact on project continuity and determine feasible mitigation measures. The aim is to uphold fair evaluation while safeguarding project progress. Where possible, the Committee may recommend adjustments to timelines or task allocation to accommodate the interruption without compromising

Commitment to Project Completion

Academic Lead is expected to resume his/her responsibilities promptly upon conclusion of the interruption. If the interruption threatens the project’s ability to meet its objectives within the six-month period (no longer than 12 months), a revised plan must be submitted for approval.

Purpose

This policy enables the Committee to holistically evaluate an Academic Lead’s current capacity, mitigate potential biases from temporary interruptions, and maintain fairness and transparency in project assessment while protecting research integrity.