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National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF)
Parliamentary Replies

Proportion of Grant Applications Approved by National Research Foundation

3 August 2021

The National Research Foundation does not track unanimous grant approvals as expert panels are encouraged to debate rather than agree unanimously. Under the Competitive Research Programme, 16% of 412 applications over three years were shortlisted, with 61% of shortlisted applications receiving funding.

Date: For Parliament Sitting on 3 August 2021

Title: Proportion of Grant Applications Approved by National Research Foundation with Unanimous Agreement by Review Panelists over Past Three Years

MPs Speaking: Dr Tan Wu Meng,Mr Heng Swee Keat

QUESTION: Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Prime Minister with regard to grant applications considered by the National Research Foundation and its subsidiary entities over the past three years, how many and what proportion of grants have been approved with unanimous agreement by the review panellists.

RESPONSE: Mr Heng Swee Keat (for the Prime Minister): Under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) plan, grants are provided by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and other Government agencies to strengthen Singapore’s research and scientific capabilities. Panels of independent experts – both international and local – are typically convened to review such grant applications, with multiple panels convened for larger grant awards for added robustness. 

As part of the review process, the experts are encouraged to engage in frank and thorough debate on all grant applications. As the experts assess applications using their specialist knowledge, they may differ in their assessments. When this occurs, the experts will discuss their assessments with each other. NRF does not require the experts to be unanimous before awarding funding. Hence, NRF does not track the number or proportion of grants approved unanimously by the experts.

NRF’s robust governance of grant applications is reflected in the Competitive Research Programme (CRP). The CRP funds multi-disciplinary teams to perform cutting-edge research that is relevant to Singapore. Over the past three years, NRF has received 412 CRP applications. 

CRP applications first pass through the Whitepaper Stage, where panels of multi-disciplinary international experts shortlist applications for development into full proposals. 

Sixteen percent of CRP applications over the past three years were shortlisted. This reflects the selectivity of NRF’s review process.

Shortlisted CRP applications are then sent to subject-matter experts for peer review. The Principal Investigators (PIs) who lead the research teams are invited to respond to the peer reviews. Finally, a separate International Evaluation Panel considers each shortlisted CRP application alongside the peer reviews and PIs’ responses. Sixty-one percent of shortlisted CRP applications over the past three years received NRF funding.

(Question No. 942 in Notice Paper No. 567 of 2021)