The programme aims to build strong researcher careers and to increase the participants’ proposal development skills, focus their research. The programme will make the participants better positioned and help them to be more successful in the competition for external funds.
We offer
- Development and follow-up of an individual career plan. This will be done after a review of the participant’s CV to identify each individual’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Mentoring by two mentors. An internationally renowned expert in the candidate’s academic field (academic mentor) and an experienced national researcher (career mentor) will guide and support the candidates’ career development. The mentors will regularly be invited to meet with the mentees. They will also take part in the development of the individual career plans and the follow-up of these. The Faculty has the responsibility to find the mentors, but it will be done in close cooperation with the participants in the programme.
- Invitations to regular gatherings. The participants will also attend a gathering in Brussels, where they will be given an introduction to EU funding.
- Priority places in the UiO research leadership programme.
- Reduced teaching duty corresponding to one semester for the duration of the programme.
- Up to NOK 100 000 per year in operational funds. The funds may be used for attending or organizing conferences, research stays, translation or copyediting work, publishing, research assistance and equipment. The funds may also be used for buying out the researcher from teaching or administrative tasks. All participants may also apply for additional funding from existing local schemes.
- Guaranteed exemption from teaching obligations in order to enable research stays abroad if the candidate obtains external funding for this, e.g. through the Marie Sk?odowska-Curie or the UiO guest researcher programmes. Any exemption from teaching obligations comes in addition to the normal sabbatical leave, which all participants will earn as usual in accordance with Faculty guidelines.
Criteria
Potential candidates should:
- Be employed at the Faculty of Educational Sciences in an academic position with research time included in the position or
- Be employed in a fixed-term position as postdoctoral fellow
- Meet the eligibility criteria for experience after completion of PhD for the ERC Starting or Consolidator Grant before the completion of the programme
- Wish to build a successful research career and aim for a ERC Starting or Consolidator Grant application
- Have shown independence in their research and (co)publication in level 2 publications in the Norwegian system or in high-ranking international journals
- Have experience with project applications
- Have an international network
- Be able to commit to research stays abroad.
Expected results
The ERC programme is a long-term commitment that is divided into two parts (2+3 years). The criteria for part I must be met in order to continue on the second part of the programme. Postdoctoral fellows admitted to the programme are expected to have sent their ERC applications before the expiration of their employment period.
Part I (year 1-2)
- The researcher has participated in programme’s common activities
- The researcher has had regular meetings with both mentors
- The researcher has sent at least one application for external research funds (national and/or international)
- The researcher is publishing actively in high-ranking international journals
Part II (year 3-5)
- The researcher has participated in programme’s common activities
- The researcher has had regular meetings with both mentors
- The researcher has completed the UiO research leader programme
- The researcher has had at least one research stay abroad
- The researcher is publishing actively in high-ranking international journals
- The researcher has applied for an ERC Starting and/or Consolidator grant
Application and admission
Researchers that meet the criteria may submit an application. Applications are to be sent to the applicant’s home department. All departments may nominate up to 3 candidates and send them to the Faculty (attn. Hanna Karv) no later than 3 March 2017 at 12.00.
The application must be written in English and contain the following:
- Letter of motivation (1-2 pages)
- CV and track record (following the ERC template)
- Draft concept note for application for external funding (up to 5 pages). In the draft, please identify:
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The main ideas that you will work on
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Why this needs to be done and the possible societal impact
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The feasibility of the project
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Why you have the right qualifications and competences for the work
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Suggestions for potential academic and career mentors
The applications will be evaluated by external experts in cooperation with the deanship. The Faculty may request additional information from the applicants if need be. Potential candidates will be invited to an interview. The deanship will make the final decision on who is admitted to the programme.
The programme is a pilot running for 2+3 years. After the first two years, the programme will be evaluated. Based on the outcome of the evaluation, it will be decided if the programme will continue for the full term.
Information meeting
The Faculty invites everyone that is interested in the programme to an information meeting on 12 December at 14:15-16:00. The meeting will provide potential applicants with more information about the programme and the application process. The Faculty has also invited representatives from NTNU and the Faulty of Humanities to share their experiences with their respective career programmes.