FRIAS COFUND Fellowship Programme
The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) is the University of Freiburg’s international research college. The Institute supports innovative research projects through individual fellowships. It is at the centre of a very active research community and has since its creation in 2008 acquired an international reputation for academic excellence.
The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies announces the following
Individual FCFP fellowships for the academic year 2017/18
- Junior fellowships (completed PhD plus initial – one to six years - of post-doctoral experience)
(12 month fellowships between September 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018)
- Senior fellowships (completed PhD plus a minimum of six years of post-doctoral experience or a tenured professorship or equivalent permanent position)
(3 to 10 month fellowships between September 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018)
About 25 FCFP fellowships are available to researchers regardless of their nationality and field of research. According to the EU mobility rule, applicants may not have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) or have had their main residence in Germany for more than a total of 12 months during the 3-year period prior to the application deadline; compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into account. We especially encourage the following to apply: Returnees from phases of international, inter-sectoral and/or non-academic mobility (such as research stays outside of Germany, working for industry, or after a career break, e.g. due to family reasons).
Fellowships of 3 to 10 months in the Senior scheme and of 12 months in the Junior scheme may be applied for. They will allow researchers to conduct their own research projects.
In general, all fellowships will be awarded to individuals with challenging and innovative research projects of top academic quality through a highly competitive, strictly merit-based selection process (expected success rate: ~20% of eligible applications). The all-important selection criteria are the academic excellence of both the applicant and the project proposal. Personal qualifications with regard to international expertise, leadership skills, and interdisciplinary interest will also be taken into account during the evaluation of the applications.
Applications are welcome from all disciplines that can be supported at the University of Freiburg. Applicants are encouraged to learn about the University of Freiburg’s profile of particular research strengths.
Successful applicants will become FRIAS fellows with all the corresponding rights and obligations for the requested funding period. Each fellow will receive a mobility allowance and a research cost contribution (humanities and theoretical sciences: up to 450 € per month, experimental sciences: up to 1.050 € per month). Fellows without a work contract at their home institution will obtain an internationally attractive salary (Junior: E 13 TV-L, ca. 54.000 € p. a. pre-tax; Senior: W3-equivalent professorial salary, ca. 80.000 € p. a. pre-tax). Senior fellows who stay on paid leave of absence from their home institution during the time of the fellowship will be provided with an additional living allowance of 1.000 €/month to cover extra costs resulting from the fellowship stay in Freiburg. A mentoring program is put in place for each Junior Fellow in her/his career development. Since one of the aims of FRIAS is to foster cross-disciplinary communication, full-time presence at FRIAS is mandatory.
FRIAS unites research in the humanities and social sciences, the natural and life sciences, engineering, and medicine. The Institute supports academic exchange across existing boundaries: between disciplines, between different cultures and countries, between established and younger researchers. Furthermore, FRIAS engages in activities opening the research community to society and politics. Fellows will be part of this community and profit from the lively research environment of the university and its eleven faculties.
The Institute provides its fellows with modern office space and an up-to-date infrastructure. Experimental scientists are required to identify a host laboratory in Freiburg where their research project can be carried out prior to submission of the application. Accommodation is available through the university guest house and additional centrally located apartments. Fellows have full access to all library services from one of the leading German university libraries. Special attention is given to fellows who plan to come to Freiburg together with their families. FRIAS makes every effort to provide tailor-made solutions with regard to suitable accommodation, child care and educational facilities.
FRIAS lies geographically close to both France and Switzerland and actively takes advantage of the rich intellectual resources of this truly European region, with close research links to the universities of Basel (Switzerland) and Strasbourg (France), including the “Joint Fellowship Programme Freiburg-Strasbourg”, a joint initiative between FRIAS and the University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS).
The FCFP call for applications is co-financed by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program (FP7) “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – People” (co-funding of regional, national and international programs) and the State of Baden-Württemberg. The rules and ethical principles for the FP7 and the state regulations apply.
The completed FCFP application form together with the required documents has to be uploaded on the application webpage for Senior Fellowships or Junior Fellowships and submitted by September 15, 2016; 24.00 h CET.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
The University of Freiburg, one of the strongest research universities in Germany and member of LERU (the League of European Research Universities), offers a fellowship programme, the Marie S. Curie “FRIAS COFUND Fellowship Programme (FCFP)”. About 25 incoming or reintegration fellows per year (juniors and seniors) from all disciplines are given the opportunity of spending three to twelve months working on their own research project at the university’s research college, the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS). All fellows funded by the FCFP distinguish themselves by qualifying as Marie S. Curie Fellows. The university welcomes top researchers from abroad to give their input to its scholarly community, both in terms of research expertise and benefitting the university’s vibrant research culture and diversity.
The current call invites applications for fellowships for the academic year 2017/18. Application deadline is September 15, 2016. Successful applicants will conduct their fellowship between September 2017 and September 2018.
Since its inauguration in 2008, more than 450 fellows have stayed at FRIAS. The Institute supports internationally outstanding researchers with academically excellent and innovative research projects through individual or group fellowships. FRIAS unites research in the humanities and social sciences, the natural and life sciences, engineering and medicine. Both the University of Freiburg and FRIAS take pride in a specific institutional culture that encourages and supports exchange and collaboration. It is the philosophy of FRIAS to support the career development of its fellows by integrating them into ambitious research communities here in Freiburg, as well as by supporting the international network of FRIAS fellows and alumni.
The Marie S. Curie FCFP is intended for current or future leaders in their fields. The fellowships are awarded through a highly competitive, strictly merit-based selection process (expected success rate: ~20% of eligible applications). Applications are invited from academics of all nationalities. Note, however, that during the 3-year period prior to the application deadline, applicants may not (a) have resided or (b) have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in Germany for more than a total of 12 months. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into account.
For the fellows, the programme offers outstanding research opportunities, not only in the research environment of an internationally highly competitive university, but also with the added advantage of being part of a community of fellows from different disciplines at FRIAS. Furthermore, they receive support for research mobility and become more familiar with the German and Upper Rhine research landscapes, thus enhancing their opportunities for continuing their career in the heart of Europe.
The Marie S. Curie FCFP is co-financed by the European Union through the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action, People, Co-funding of regional, national and international programs (COFUND)" and the state of Baden-Wurttemberg. The rules and ethical principles for the FP7 and the state regulations apply.
Programme objective
The Marie S. Curie FRIAS COFUND Fellowship Programme (FCFP) contributes to the overarching aims of supporting researchers at crucial points in their careers and making research careers more attractive. Doing so, the objectives of the Marie S. Curie FCFP are in line with the objectives of the European Research Area (ERA) and the EU’s People Programme.
Offering fellowships with the focus on the needs of individual researchers, their individual mobility strategies and their personal research projects is an important addition to scientific networking. Fellowship stays of up to a year are the ideal instrument for building relationships of trust between like-minded researchers. Relationships of trust can form the basis for future collaborations and thus help to form ever more and closer links for cooperation and exchange. In this context, the Marie S. Curie FCFP especially benefits from the close proximity of Freiburg to France and Switzerland. FRIAS is an important cornerstone in strengthening both regional and international collaboration within the EUCOR network of universities in the Upper Rhine area. This is particularly true with respect to the universities of Basel and Strasbourg. FRIAS fellows enjoy every opportunity to engage with colleagues at these universities and have the possibility to participate in established research networks in many fields with colleagues from these institutions.
Programme detail
The Marie S. Curie FCFP addresses excellent researchers from all disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, medicine and engineering. Under the Marie S. Curie FCFP, incoming fellows are placed within the strongest and most competitive research areas of the University of Freiburg. They are free to pursue their own research projects and are given the means to really push forward with their ideas.
The programme comprises one scheme directed at junior researchers (completed PhD plus one to six years post-doctoral experience) and one scheme directed at senior researchers (completed PhD plus a minimum of six years post-doctoral experience or a tenured professorship or equivalent permanent position). FRIAS is committed to supporting junior researchers at a critical step in their career through a fellowship. A precondition for the success in this respect is a diverse community of excellent fellows, including established and internationally renowned senior researchers from all over the world. This mix of different career levels and backgrounds proves very attractive for excellent, open-minded researchers.
In general, the senior scheme supports fellowships of three to ten months duration. Special reasons should be given for fellowships exceeding six months duration. In the junior scheme, researchers may apply for fellowships of twelve months.
The determining selection criteria in the merit-based, internationally oriented, peer-review selection procedure are the academic excellence of both the applicant and the project proposal. A personal qualification with regard to international expertise, leadership skills and interdisciplinary interest is also taken into account during the evaluation of the applications.A thematic proximity between the project and the research profile of the University of Freiburg is expected to guarantee an added value for conducting research within the Marie S. Curie FCFP.
Selected applicants are offered an External Senior or a Junior Fellowship at FRIAS with all the corresponding rights and obligations for the duration of the fellowship. During the time of the FRIAS fellowship they also hold the status of a Marie S. Curie fellow of the European Union. Fellowships will be awarded for the period between September 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018.
Fellows receive a living allowance, mobility allowance and a research cost contribution.
The Institute provides its fellows with modern office space and an up-to-date infrastructure. Accommodation is available through the university guest house and additional centrally located apartments. Fellows have full access to all library services from one of the leading German university libraries. Special attention is drawn to supporting fellows who plan to come to Freiburg together with their families.
Fellows enjoy the opportunity of being connected with larger research projects and centers at the University of Freiburg, as well as to the FRIAS research focus. The research focus gathers a certain number of fellows around a topic of common interest, but other topics and research areas have their place in FRIAS as well.
For a comprehensive list of excellence clusters, priority programs, research centers, collaborative research centers (SFBs), EU-projects, graduate schools and research training groups as well for further information on the 11 faculties and their research profile please consult www.uni-freiburg.de/forschung-en.
For the younger researchers in the Marie S. Curie FCFP junior scheme the advantages of a research stay at FRIAS are systematically secured through a mentoring system: researchers in post-doctoral career phases are paired with senior Freiburg-based researchers who work as facilitators for the fellows. Besides research, teaching is a core requirement for researchers pursuing a career at a university. FRIAS has, from the beginning, offered fellows the opportunity to teach at the faculties of the University of Freiburg. This is of special importance for the qualifications profile of young researchers. However, decisions on whether or not to teach are left up to the fellow. For those who wish to teach, FRIAS offers comprehensive support.
Furthermore, FRIAS and the University of Freiburg offer fellows a range of non-scientific training and skills programmes (e.g. project management, leadership skills, presentation techniques, language courses). These are either provided through a dedicated service unit of the university, the Freiburg Academy of Continuing Education (FRAUW), or through professional trainers commissioned by FRIAS.
The expectations that accompany a Marie S. Curie FCFP fellowship include a clear commitment of the researchers to the proposed project, full-time presence at the institute and active participation in the institute’s academic and cultural events. Longer periods of absence require the directors’ approval. These expectations are clearly set out in the fellowship agreement signed by the fellow and the FRIAS.
Important information relating to the Marie Curie Programme
It is very important to be aware that an individual researcher cannot benefit, at the same time, from more than one EU funding action.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible, candidates must fulfill all of (1) the basic formal eligibility criteria and (2) the basic academic quality criteria.
1. Basic formal eligibility criteria
- Applicants must be in possession of a doctoral degree at the time of the application deadline;
- Junior scheme: completed PhD plus one to six years post-doctoral experience (Time off for family or medical reasons or non-academic professional activities may be added to the six years.)
- Senior scheme: completed PhD plus a minimum of six years post-doctoral research experience or a tenured professorship or equivalent permanent position.
- Mobility rule: Researchers from all countries are eligible for the Marie S. Curie FCFP; however, applicants may not have resided or have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in Germany for more than a total of 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the application deadline. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into account.
- Applicants must submit the complete application dossier by the specified deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Page limits may not be exceeded.
- The English the proposal is written in must meet the standards of Academic English in international research.
- The larger field of the applicant’s research project must be represented at the University of Freiburg. Furthermore, applicants must propose a research project that can be supported at the University of Freiburg (refers to infrastructural, technical and laboratory requirements).
- Prior to submission of the application, experimental scientists are required to identify a host laboratory in Freiburg where their research project can be carried out.
- The research project is not excluded from EU funding due to ethical issues.
2. Basic academic quality criteria
Minimum requirements for publications:
- Junior Fellows Natural Sciences:
At least 3 publications since January 1, 2014 listed in Web of Knowledge (Thomson Reuters).
- Junior Fellows Humanities and Social Sciences:
At least 5 publications since January 1, 2014 in peer-reviewed, internationally recognized journals or chapters in peer-reviewed edited volumes, or peer-reviewed monographs (counting three times).
- Senior Fellows Natural Sciences:
At least 10 publications since January 1, 2012 listed in Web of Knowledge (Thomson Reuters).
- Senior Fellows Humanities and Social Sciences:
At least 10 publications since January 1, 2012 in peer-reviewed, internationally recognized journals, or chapters in peer-reviewed edited volumes, or peer-reviewed monographs (counting three times).
Textbooks, reprints or submitted manuscripts not accepted for publication before the application deadline, book reviews or editorial publications do not count. Accepted manuscripts need proof of acceptance.
Minimum requirements regarding the international mobility of the candidate:
Depending on the length of career, the applicant’s development as evidenced by the CV should meet today’s standards of mobility/international mobility or some other sign of international outlook.
- Junior scheme: The applicant must have undertaken at least one academic stay of minimally two months duration abroad during the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral or postdoctoral phase.
- Senior scheme: The applicant must have spent at least two international research stays (each of at least two months duration) at international institutions during or after the doctoral phase.
Requirements regarding the internationality of the project:
The project should not be of local interest only, thus lacking sufficient potential for international transfer.
There is no age limit for applying to the Marie S. Curie FRIAS COFUND Fellowship Programme although the candidates’ achievements should be in line with their “academic age”.
Application Materials
Candidates apply exclusively through the online application portal (senior scheme, junior scheme). All required documents should be in pdf format. After submission of the documents applicants will receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
The following materials (in English) are required to submit the application:
Formatting: font Arial, 11 pt, line spacing 1.5, all margins 2.5 cm.
Page limits may not be exceeded.
Materials 1 – 4 are to be included in one pdf-file.
1. Cover page(max. 1 page).
- Title, name (last, first), e-mail address, link to webpage (optional)
- Date of doctorate (PhD defense)
- Current institution (Name of institution/city/country)
- Research field
- Project title
- Envisaged period of research stay at FRIAS (ESF only)
- The two most important reasons for choosing FRIAS at the University of Freiburg as a host for the research project.
- Established contacts at Freiburg University (name, department; where applicable: host laboratory).
2. Project proposal(max. 6 pages)
The compulsory structure of the project proposal is as follows:
- Research field, title and short abstract of the research project.
- Aims, theoretical framework and methodology of the project.
- Work plan and feasibility (time schedule and projected costs).
- Innovative potential, originality and relevance of the project.
- Added value of conducting research at FRIAS and the University of Freiburg (both for the applicant and the local research community).
- Issues concerning research ethics.
In exceptional cases and only after consultation the exposé can be formulated in German or French.
3. CV in tabular form (max. 2 pages), incl. contact details of two referees (only in the junior scheme).
For the compulsory structure of the CV please see the CV template
4. Publication list (in the senior scheme: especially of the last ten years) highlighting the most important publications and the most important project-specific publications (max. 2 pages).
5. Completed ethical issues table (mandatory for all disciplines).
We do not accept applications submitted by email or surface mail.
For further details please contact us at FRIAS under
Fcfp-fellowship@frias.uni-freiburg.de
By telephone: Dr. Katrin Brandt: +49 761 203 97351
Monday – Thursday: 10.00 – 12.00 (CET)
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/news/call-for-applications/call-for-applications-frias-cofund-fellowship-programme-fcfp-2017-18