Funding Assistant

Ask questions about research funding and get answers directly from official documents.

The Funding Assistant allows researchers to ask questions about various funding schemes. It is built using Google’s NotebookLM and uses official funding documents and webpages as its sources.

Available Notebooks

Unifr Funding – Ask about the Centenary Research Fund, the Research Pool and Doc.Mobility.

More coming soon...

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Funding Assistant?

  The Funding Assistant is an AI-powered tool that allows researchers to ask questions about internal research funding opportunities at the University of Fribourg. It is built using Google’s NotebookLM and uses official funding documents and webpages as its sources.

• What kinds of questions can I ask the Funding Assistant?

  You can ask questions about internal funding opportunities and related procedures and regulations. These questions can be complex and specific to your own case. Examples include:

  • What internal funding schemes are available at Unifr?
  • If I am a postdoctoral researcher employed at Unifr but affiliated with another institution for part of my project, am I still eligible to apply for internal funding?
  • Can equipment purchased with internal funding also be used for projects funded by other grants?
  • If a funding programme covers travel expenses, does this include conference registration fees and accommodation, or only transportation?
  • If a project involves collaborators from another university, can part of the internal funding be used to cover their expenses?
• How accurate are the answers generated by the Funding Assistant?

  The Funding Assistant generates answers based on the official documents provided to it. While it generally provides accurate summaries of this information, it may occasionally produce incomplete or incorrect answers, for example if the documents it uses are not up-to-date.

• What language can I use when asking a question to the Funding Assistant?

  You can use any of the 80+ languages supported by NotebookLM, including English, French, and German. Unless instructed otherwise, the assistant will respond in the same language as the question.

• What sources of information does the Funding Assistant use to generate answers?

  The Funding Assistant uses a curated set of official documents related to internal funding at the University of Fribourg. These include official funding guidelines, call documents and internal webpages describing funding schemes.

• How often is the information used by the Funding Assistant updated?

  The documents used by the Funding Assistant are updated whenever new funding calls are published or when existing documentation changes. However, updates may not always be instantaneous.

• Who operates the Funding Assistant?

  The Funding Assistant is operated by the Research Promotion Service at the University of Fribourg. The service is responsible for maintaining the underlying documentation and ensuring that the information used by the assistant remains up to date.

  The system itself runs on Google’s NotebookLM platform. Google provides the technical infrastructure and AI models that process user questions and generate responses based on the documents provided to the system.

• Do I need a Google Account to use the Funding Assistant?

  Yes. Because the Funding Assistant is built using Google’s NotebookLM platform, users need to sign in with a Google account in order to access the tool.

• Is the Funding Assistant free to use?

  Yes. The Funding Assistant can be used freely by anyone with a Google Account.

• Are there usage limits?

  Yes, the usage limits set by Google as part of the NotebookLM service apply. Without a paid plan, you can send 50 chat messages every day.

• Can Google know that I am using the Funding Assistant or read my conversations?

  Because the Funding Assistant runs on Google’s NotebookLM platform, user interactions are processed by Google in order to generate responses. Users should therefore assume that their queries are handled according to Google’s Terms of Service for NotebookLM.

  Google claims they do not use or access your content for generative AI foundational model training or share your data with third parties. We have no way to verify if this claim is true.

• Can anyone at Unifr know that I am using the Funding Assistant or read my conversations?

  No. Neither the Research Promotion Service nor anyone else at the University of Fribourg can access your chat history or know that you have used the Funding Assistant.

• Will the Funding Assistant replace human support in the future?

  No. The introduction of the Funding Assistant does not change the Research Promotion Service's current support offer in any way. Personal meeting, advice, and case-specific guidance will continue to be provided as before.

• Can I enter or upload confidential or personal information into the Funding Assistant?

  Users are responsible for the information they choose to share when using the Funding Assistant. The tool relies on a third-party service (Google NotebookLM), and any information you enter may therefore be processed by external providers. You should ensure that your use complies with the data protection laws and obligations applicable to you.

• How can I suggest improvements or report issues with the Funding Assistant?

  If you encounter incorrect information, technical issues, or have suggestions for improvement, please contact the Research Promotion Service.

• Will the Funding Assistant evolve or include additional features in the future?

  Yes. The Funding Assistant is an evolving service. In the future, it may include additional information sources such as external funding programmes (e.g., SNSF or EU funding).