Call for Case Studies on Curiosity-Driven Research

Case Study Booklet & Case Study Session

Submission Deadline: 11 December 2026

The 2027 GRC Annual Meeting will focus on Curiosity-Driven Research (CDR) under the working theme of ‘Making a Case for Curiosity-Driven Research’. The discussion will be structured around the following three dimensions outlined in the Discussion Paper:

Understanding CDR and its role in research ecosystems
Considering the role of public funders in relation to CDR
Considering making the case for and communication of CDR

With these three dimensions, the Discussion Paper provides a comprehensive framework on the current state of CDR, highlighting key developments and their implications at various levels. This Call for Case Studies seeks to complement the discussion around CDR by bringing practical experiences and perspectives from GRC participating organisations and research systems in various regional contexts into the conversation.

The case studies will provide an opportunity for organisations to share how CDR is envisioned, valued, supported and communicated in practice. Contributions may highlight approaches that have worked well, as well as challenges, lessons learned and experiences that may be of interest to other research funding organisations.

The case studies will serve two purposes. Firstly, a curated collection of case studies will be published as a CDR Case Study Booklet, which will be launched during the Annual Meeting as a lasting resource for the GRC community, capturing the diversity of approaches and experiences in supporting CDR across different regions and research systems. Secondly, to enrich the 2027 GRC Annual Meeting main programme and stimulate discussions, selected case studies will be featured in a dedicated session providing practical examples and experiences to complement the discussions on CDR.

Who is invited to submit?

GRC participating organisations from all regions are strongly encouraged to submit case studies to ensure that both the case study collection as well as the Annual Meeting programme reflect the variety and breadth of approaches and experiences in supporting CDR globally.

What types of case studies are we looking for?

Case studies may illustrate practical experiences in supporting and enabling CDR through, for example:

Dedicated CDR funding programmes – funding programmes specifically designed to support curiosity-driven research.
Funding programmes with CDR embedded – broader funding programmes that incorporate or enable curiosity-driven research alongside other research priorities.
Individual research projects or discovery – examples of individual research projects or discoveries that demonstrate the value, processes or outcomes associated with CDR.
International collaboration – approaches that support CDR through international research partnerships and collaboration.
Research assessment/evaluation –approaches that are implemented in order to review the CDR programmes and projects.
Policy deliberation approaches – processes through which CDR is considered, discussed or incorporated into research, science or funding policy.
Public engagement or advocacy initiatives – initiatives aimed at communicating, building support for or advocating for the value of CDR.
Capacity-building initiatives – approaches that strengthen the capabilities, skills or environments needed to undertake or support CDR.
Research infrastructure – infrastructure, facilities, centres or institutional arrangements that enable CDR.

The intention is not to prescribe a single model of supporting CDR, but to build a collection of diverse experiences that can stimulate learning, exchange and discussion across the GRC community.

Submission Format

To be accepted, submitted case studies must use the template provided. Case studies should not exceed 3 pages (Calibri, 11 pt), excluding the guiding questions. Please answer the questions in the template as fully as possible in the fields provided, insofar as they are relevant to your case study. Please also remember to include images (including copyright details) or graphics for illustrative purposes. These should not form part of the text but should be submitted in high-resolution format as separate attachments with clear file names (max. 3 per case study). Case studies must be submitted in Word and PDF formats.

Selection and Use of Case Studies

The co-hosts, NRF South Africa and DFG, will contact the organisations whose case studies have been selected for the case study booklet and/or a dedicated case study session in the main programme of the 2027 GRC Annual Meeting. For case studies selected for a session, NRF South Africa and DFG will work closely with the respective GRC participating organisations to jointly develop and organise the session, drawing on their case studies and experiences.

The selection of case studies for the 2027 GRC Annual Meeting main programme will be subject to the number of available slots and will seek to ensure diversity in terms of geographic region, research system, institutional context and approach to supporting CDR.

Submission

Please submit your case study, images and organisation logos to the GRC Secretariat (grc@ukri.org) no later than 11 December 2026.