Office for the Promotion of Research Projects
The Office for the Promotion of Research Projects (OFIR) provides specialized support in identifying competitive funding opportunities and in the preparation of research proposals.
OFIR supports University researchers by promoting and facilitating their participation in competitive and strategic funding calls for the development of research projects, through specialized assistance in identifying funding opportunities and in the promotion and preparation of proposals, with the aim of increasing resource acquisition and fostering the development of research projects aligned with the institutional strategy.
- Office for the Promotion of Research Projects (OFIR)
- 977 55 8184
- ofir@urv.cat
- Lorena Tomás Laudo
Acting Coordinator - 683 424 288
- lorena.tomas(ELIMINAR)@urv.cat
- Anna Estellés Palanca
Pre-award officer. Social Science and Humanities Area - 650 612 237 (ext.: 20878)
- ana.estelles(ELIMINAR)@fundacio.urv.cat
- Daniel Ferrer Guallar
Pre-award officer. Business Administration and Law Area
Regional funding officer - 690 940 838 (ext. 28192)
- daniel.ferrer(ELIMINAR)@fundacio.urv.cat
- Isabel Parreu Alberich
Pre-award officer. Science and Technology Area - 630 721 238
- isabel.parreu(ELIMINAR)@fundacio.urv.cat
- Jordi Solé Ferré
Pre-award officer. Bioscience and Technology Area - 977 55 8184
- jordi.solef(ELIMINAR)@urv.cat
- Marta Ventosa Rosquelles
Pre-award officer - 977 55 8184
- marta.ventosa(ELIMINAR)@urv.cat
- Vanesa Ruana Pascual
Pre-award officer - vanesa.ruana(ELIMINAR)@urv.cat
Services
At the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, OFIR plays a strategic role in strengthening the university's research and innovation capacity by supporting researchers throughout the entire proposal preparation phase, from opportunity identification to submission.
Its mission is to maximise success rates, ensure institutional compliance, and align funded projects with the URV Research and Innovation Strategy.
1. Strategic monitoring and identification of funding opportunities
- Systematic monitoring of regional, national, European and international funding programmes (Horizon Europe, ERC, MSCA, national R&D plans, Catalan and international agencies).
- Analysis of calls in relation to URV's strategic priorities, research strengths and emerging areas.
- Targeted dissemination of opportunities according to researcher profile, career stage, discipline and type of action.
2. Strategic advice to researchers
- Guidance on the strategic fit of each call and the most appropriate participation model (coordinator vs. partner).
- Support in defining the project concept, objectives, ambition level and expected impact.
- Early-stage advice to enhance scientific, technological and societal positioning, particularly in competitive European calls.
3. Proposal preparation support
- Technical support in drafting and structuring proposals, with particular focus on non-scientific sections: Impact and exploitation pathways, Implementation and work plan structure, Governance, risk management and quality assurance.
- Verification of eligibility conditions, evaluation criteria and formal requirements.
- Coordination of transversal institutional inputs (innovation, knowledge transfer, gender equality, ethics, open science).
4. Consortium building and management
- Support in identifying and assessing strategic partners.
- Advice on consortium composition, balance and complementarities (academic, industrial, public sector).
- Assistance in defining URV's role, leadership responsibilities and work package contributions.
5. Budget preparation and financial validation
- Preparation and validation of project budgets in accordance with funding rules and URV internal regulations.
- Calculation of direct and indirect costs, staff planning and resource allocation.
- Assessment of financial and institutional risks prior to submission.
6. Legal, ethical and compliance aspects
- Identification of ethical, legal and regulatory requirements (data protection, AI, ethics, gender, dual use, open science).
- Preliminary review of commitments related to consortium agreements and institutional responsibilities.
- Ensuring coherence with URV internal policies and applicable regulations.
7. Institutional coordination and final validation
- Coordination with internal services (legal office, finance, HR, international relations).
- Management of institutional approvals, declarations and letters of commitment.
- Final quality control and formal submission of proposals on behalf of the institution.
8. Results analysis and continuous improvement
- Monitoring of proposal outcomes, success rates and funding return.
- Analysis of evaluation reports and feedback to researchers.
- Contribution to institutional indicators supporting URV's research and innovation strategy.
Institutional Added Value
At URV, the Pre-Award Office acts not only as an administrative support unit but as a strategic partner for researchers and the institution by:
- Increasing competitiveness in highly selective funding schemes,
- Reducing legal, financial and reputational risks,
- Professionalising proposal development processes,
- Strengthening URV's visibility and positioning at European and international level.
