EURAXESS Links USA NEWS – June 2011
EDITORIAL MESSAGE
Welcome to the June issue of our newsletter.
"Horizon 2020" is the winner of the "You Name It" online vote for new name of the future EU Funding Program for Research and Innovation. Horizon 2020 will replace the term "Framework Program," which is currently in its 7th edition (FP7), covering the years 2007-2013. FP7 is the largest trans-national cooperative research program.
FP7 is currently preparing a new round of calls for proposals to be published on 20 July 2011. Nearly 8.5 billion Euro will be made available for joint research projects covering a vast range of scientific disciplines, public policy areas, and commercial sectors. Participants from European research organizations, universities and industry, including SMEs can take advantage of the upcoming opportunities. Furthermore, the 7th EU Framework Program is open to organizations from outside Europe. This year’s calls for proposals have a particular focus on stimulating cooperation with the U.S. We will keep you informed about the new calls. You can also find them on-line on and after 20 July at http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/
In addition, this issue’s News in Brief section details the increase in this year’s total applications submitted to the European Research Council’s Advanced Grant Call, and reports on the rising trend in U.S. colleges and universities in offering European-style dual- and joint-degree programs. We also bring you news of Germany’s new law facilitating the residence and employment of foreign researchers, cover the British Royal Academy’s recent findings on the increased frequency and benefits of international collaboration, and bring attention to the progress made by US graduate schools in response to last year’s alarming report from the Council of Graduate Schools on the future of graduate education.
The In Focus section highlights findings from the Innovation Union Competitiveness Report.
Please check the Past Events section for brief reports from several events last month. Among them we cover the Austrian Scientist of the Year celebration at the Austrian Embassy, European participation in the BIO Convention, as well as our own European Researchers’ Get-Together, "The European Research Council and Its Funding Schemes," that was held at the Embassy of Poland on 28 June and featured speakers from the ERC.
The Forthcoming Events section brings you information about several conferences that will be held later this year in Europe. EURAXESS Links events are put on hold for the summer, but we are already planning our presence this November at the North Carolina Career Fair at Duke University.
The Funding Opportunities and Fellowships section presents several European funding schemes, including opportunities in Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Norway, Turkey, Switzerland, as well as funding from several European agencies such as ERCIM, EMBO, EMBL and ESF.

We also continue showcasing the Marie Curie Incoming, Outgoing and Career Integration schemes. Please note that deadlines for proposals for the Marie Curie Incoming and Outgoing Fellowships are approaching on 11 August.
In the Research Careers and Other Employment Opportunities section you will find expanded listings of research career sites, where we have just added TalentScotland and Academics.com. The EURAXESS Jobs portal currently lists 1660 openings in research and 428 fellowships across Europe and Associated Countries. Don't hesitate to use this resource as your first step in searching for a job or funding in Europe.
We wish you a great summer!
The EURAXESS Links USA team
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/usa/index_en.htm
http://www.eurunion.org/policyareas/science.htm
NEWS IN BRIEF
HORIZON 2020: New Name for the Future EU Funding Program for Research and Innovation
The selection began with over 1,600 suggestions, later narrowed to three shortlisted names: DISCOVER 2020, HORIZON 2020 and IMAGINE 2020. The chosen name will be followed in the extended version of the title by the words: "Framework Program for Research and Innovation". HORIZON 2020 will replace FP7, i.e., the Seventh Framework Program.
Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) Presented by the European Commission for the 2014-2020 Period
Among others, significantly more money has been proposed for Research and Innovation to invest in Europe's competitiveness. The overall amount proposed for the next seven years is €1,025 billion in commitments (1.05% of the EU GNI) and €972.2 billion (1% of EU GNI) in payments. Spending on research and innovation would rise by about 45%, from €55 billion (US$80 billion) over the current 2007–13 period to €80 billion in 2014–20. A reduction in farm subsidies would help to pay for science, and spending in other major areas of the budget would remain flat.
The final amount and breakdown of the EU budget will be decided jointly by the European Parliament and the Council (Member States) based on the proposal. It covers only headline figures for each policy area - the € 80.2 billion is for the new Horizon 2020 program as a whole and that amount is not broken down into sectors or types of project, etc. The Commission will set out towards the end of 2011, in its legislative proposal for Horizon 2020, indicative figures for each sub-area within the overall financial allocation for research and innovation. That proposal, too, will be subject to approval by the European Parliament and the Council.
Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Maire Geoghegan-Quinn commented on the budget proposal: "This is an anti-crisis budget, a pro-jobs budget and a budget for tackling our biggest challenges – things like climate change, energy and food security, health and our ageing population. It's a pro-growth budget and more growth means less austerity for less long. I am delighted that we are today putting the research and innovation portfolio at the heart of the EU's pro-jobs agenda. The figure we have set out for research and innovation for 2014-2020 is € 80.2 billion. Comparing like-for-like, that is 46 per cent more than under the current seven–year programme, which is itself estimated to create nearly a million jobs.
This will be funding available for research institutions, universities, innovative private companies and SMEs. All sectors of the European economy will benefit - to list just a few: agriculture, fisheries and food, health, transport, energy - especially renewables - and information and communication technologies. I've earmarked €4.5 billion for agri-food research. That will boost agriculture and food production and make the rural economy greener and more competitive.What is more we will be streamlining our research and innovation funding, under the new Horizon 2020 program, to get even better value for taxpayers."
Currently, administration expenditure accounts for 5.7% of the total EU budget. The Commission proposed that there be no increase of administrative expenditure for the next financial period.
Please find below links on the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) presented by the European Commission for the 2014-2020 period.
29/06/2011 - Investing today for growth tomorrow
29/06/2011 - Remarks by President Barroso on the Commission's proposals for the 2014-2020 Multi-Annual Financial Framework
29/06/2011 - Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF): Questions and answers
29/06/2011 - Money where it matters – how the EU budget delivers value to you
29/06/2011 - Myths about the EU budget and the Multiannual Financial Framework
"Europe lines up hefty science-funding hike", Nature, 5 July 2011 http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110706/full/475014a.html?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20110707
European Research Council Advanced Grant: Applications Up
The ERC Advanced Grants target researchers who have already established themselves independent research leaders in their own right. They allow exceptional candidates in any field of science, engineering and scholarship to pursue frontier research of their choice. Funding is provided for up to 5 years to the tune of €3.5m. This was the fourth such call under the scheme and brought in a total of 2,284 proposals. Under the three eligible research domains, the following numbers of proposals were received:
- Physical Sciences and Engineering: 917 proposals
- Life sciences: 789 proposals
- Social Sciences and Humanities: 578 Proposals
Overall, there was a 13% increase in applications in comparison to the previous call in 2010 with a total of 2009 proposals (see here). Following peer review, the results of the selection are expected to be published towards the end of 2011 or early 2012. In previous years the acceptance ratio has been around 13% (see here for 2010 data).
Further Information:
European Research Council Press Release
ERC Advanced Investigators Grant Outline
New Law in Germany to Broaden Legal Conditions for Residence and Employment for Foreign Researchers
Researchers’ families will also benefit. These changes are envisaged in a bill introduced by the Federal Government for accelerating the issuance of visas by the embassies. It will no longer be necessary that the component foreigners’ authority has to approve the issuance, and in any case the researcher has to contact the responsible foreigners’ authority after his/her arrival. A second important change concerns access to the labor market for researchers’ spouses, who should find it easier to take up employment in Germany in the future.
An amendment to the legislation on foreigners will allow researchers’ partners to freely engage in gainful employment in Germany either as an employee or self-employed. As a result, the Federal Employment Agency will no longer have to check whether there are any unfavorable working conditions before a job can be taken. The Federal Cabinet’s bill to implement the European Union directive on residence rights will enable Germany to amend its national legislation – after approval by the Bundestag and Bundesrat – to comply with the EU Visa Code that came into effect in April 2010. (SOURCE: Research in Germany, June 2011)
A Year After an Alarming Report, the U.S. Council of Graduate Schools Marks Progress
“The Path Forward” warned that the United States risks losing its eminence in doctoral education, and it encouraged new public and private investment to increase degree production. The new white paper praises, among other things, the passage of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2010, which will support several new programs intended to improve doctoral education in the sciences. The report also lauds Intel Labs’ plan to invest tens of millions of dollars in university research. (SOURCE: The Chronicle of Higher Education – 4 April 2011)
Research Sans Frontières
Scientists used to interact with colleagues based abroad mainly at conferences. These days they are increasingly meeting at the lab bench, says a report by the Royal Society, Britain's national academy of science. More than 35% of all articles published in international journals are now the product of such collaboration, an increase of 10% in 15 years, says the study, Knowledge, Networks and Nations: Global Scientific Collaboration in the 21st Century.
The report notes that "the scientific superpowers of the 20th century remain strong". But it warns these governments against viewing multinational research efforts as "easy targets" for spending cuts during tight fiscal times. Doing so, it says, could isolate national science activities, threatening their quality and impact.
The Royal Society's study, published on 28 March, finds that collaboration involving US scientists has grown the most during the past 15 years. The number of papers published with lead authors based in the United States and collaborators abroad has risen from about 50,000 in 1996 to around 95,000 in 2008. But the new total represents just 29% of the US research output. By contrast, almost half of all Germany's research output in 2008 involved international collaborations (see 'A world of collaboration').
The numbers are not rising across the board, however. Although collaboration with China is increasing overall, it is "not keeping pace with the even more dramatic rise in its overall publication productivity," according to the report. As a proportion of China's annual national output, papers based on international collaboration fell from around 18% in 1996 to 15% in 2008. Other nations with a rapidly growing science base, such as Brazil, show similar trends.
Each collaborating country increases a paper's impact up to a tipping point of about ten countries, the report says. In some cases the effect can be dramatic. Compared with papers by authors in Mexico alone, those with authors in both Mexico and Germany had three times the impact. For authors in Russia, collaboration with researchers in Canada boosted impact by a factor of almost five. (SOURCE: Nature Magazine – 28 March 2011)
IN FOCUS
Commission Report Highlights Europe's Innovation Emergency and Analyses Member States' Progress
Europe needs more and "smarter" investment in both public and private research and development. Not only does this boost growth in the medium-term, it also has a counter-cyclical effect in times of crisis. More research cooperation is needed within the EU and internationally, along with the better use of research results and a stronger intellectual property regime. Education systems need to be adapted to business innovation needs.
Innovative and fast-growing SME's need more encouragement. A concerted effort is necessary to build on Europe's promising record in innovation and tackling global challenges such as climate change. The gender gap in science and research must be closed.
"This Report underlines that the road to the Innovation Union is long and challenging with big obstacles along the way. But it confirms that the EU has agreed the right policies to get to the end of that road. Putting the Innovation Union into practice at European and national levels is an economic 'must', as important for sustainable growth as sorting out public finances," said European Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.
The Report analyses the strengths and weaknesses of national research and innovation systems and provides solid facts on which to base national policy choices. It builds on the Innovation Union Scoreboard and includes a factsheet detailing each country's research and innovation performance.
Key findings from the report
- Europe needs to accelerate investment in research and innovation. The EU is slowly advancing towards its target of investing 3% of GDP in research and development (2.01% in 2009) but the gap between leading competitors is widening notably due to weaker business R&D investment. In 2008, 24% of the total world R&D expenditure was performed in the EU (29% in 1995). Relative to GDP, business invests twice as much in Japan or in South Korea as in Europe.
- In times of economic crisis, accumulated investment in research and innovation has a counter-cyclical effect. Countries that have increased their investments in research and innovation have better prospects of getting out of crisis. Seventeen Member States were able to maintain or increase their R&D budgets in 2009 and sixteen in 2010.
- Investments in innovation have to be "smarter". The most successful innovation performers have focused their investments in a smart specialization strategy combining supply-side policies (such as public subsidies to higher education, business R&D, venture capital and scientific & technological infrastructures) and demand-side ones (such as public procurement of innovative products, performance-based standardization and pro-competitive product market regulations).
- The development of highly-skilled people needs to be matched with the needs of business. Only 46% of EU researchers work in the business sector (80% in the US). Member States should adapt their education systems to keep increasing numbers while ensuring a better match with business needs.
- Integration and internationalization of research increases returns on investments. Internationalization and efficient production of scientific excellence are mutually reinforcing. Knowledge flows (i.e. of students, co-publications, co-patenting cooperation) inside Europe are a strong asset and will be further enhanced by the completion of the European Research Area. However, they are concentrated among a few Western European countries.
- Weak framework conditions prevent knowledge from being transformed into marketable products and services. Europe is losing ground in the exploitation of research results. The EU is the first producer of peer-reviewed scientific publications in the world (29% in 2009) but the rate of growth of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent applications in Japan and South Korea almost doubles that of the EU. Half of the Member States do not produce high-tech European Patent Office (EPO) patents at all. Further steps are needed to offer more cost-efficient intellectual property protection and management. The EU patent, currently in negotiation, will be an important start.
- Europe has strong potential in technological inventions tackling societal challenges. In 2007, the EU accounted for 40% of patents related to climate change technologies. This shows that targeted research and demonstration investment in key areas combined with measures to support market development can lead to new technologies and innovations. This is the spirit of the European Innovation Partnerships launched by the Innovation Union.
- We need more innovative and fast-growing SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). The EU needs to catch up with the US in the research intensity of high-tech and medium high-tech industries. In other words, it needs structural change both within and between sectors. Some European countries such as Austria and Denmark have achieved a structural change to a more knowledge-intensive economy. Many of these countries have also recovered better from the economic crisis. Common features behind this success are innovative and fast-growing SMEs benefitting from scientific excellence in public research and favorable framework conditions for bringing new knowledge to the market. (SOURCE: EC Rapid Press Release, 9 June 2011)
Background
Every two years, the Innovation Union Competitiveness Report – covering all 27 Member States and six Associated Countries – will contribute to the Europe 2020 Strategy by providing an in-depth statistical and economic analysis covering the main features of an efficient research and innovation system. This is the first edition under the Innovation Union initiative (IP/10/1288) and replaces the former Science, Technology and Competitiveness Report.
Innovation Union Competitiveness Report: http://ec.europa.eu/iuc2011
Innovation Union: http://ec.europa.eu/innovation-union
Europe 2020 http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
European and National Strategies for Service Innovation - Service Innovation as a Driver of Value Creation, 6 - 7 September 2011, Hamburg, Germany
The aim of the 2nd EPISIS Conference is to contribute to a better understanding of service innovation policy and to provide European, National and Regional policy makers and stakeholders with more knowledge on service innovation as a driver of value creation. The conference will build on the latest theory and policies on service innovation, company cases and best practice in policy making from all over Europe.
At the EPISIS Conference you will have the opportunity to:
- Meet and share experiences with the best policy makers on service innovation in Europe
- Discuss current issues of service innovation, such as:
- How can service innovation promote value creation?
- How is service innovation linked to economic growth in advanced economies?
- How can a more effective service innovation policy accelerate value creation?
- How is service innovation policy implemented in different European countries?
- How can service innovation be the solution of wider societal challenges such as the ageing population, welfare services under pressure, climate change and sustainable growth?
- What are the main challenges of establishing specific service innovation instruments and strategies?
- How can the impact of service innovation policy be measured?
Register and read more about the conference program on http://www.proinno-europe.eu/episisconference2011/
EPISIS (European policies and instruments to support innovation in services) is a project under the PRO-INNO Europe initiative of the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry. It promotes the development of service innovations at policy, strategic and operational levels through transnational cooperation between policy-makers and innovation agencies.
The EPISIS project is carried out by a consortium of leading European public authorities from Finland (Coordinator), Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the UK. To ensure wider validation, EPISIS has established a European Service Innovation Think Tank representing the partners and 8 additional European public authorities responsible for the design and implementation of service innovation support activities in their countries.
PRO INNO Europe® is an initiative of the European Commission’s Directorate General Enterprise and Industry. It aims to become the focal point for innovation policy analysis and policy cooperation in Europe, with the view of learning from the best and contributing to the development of new and better innovation policies in Europe. www.proinno-europe.eu
Naturejobs Career Expo, 22 September 2011, London
...will be held on 22 September 2011 from 09.00 to 17.00 at the Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH.
More information: www.naturejobs.com/careerexpo
Marie Curie Researchers Symposium: "SCIENCE - Passion, Mission, Responsibilities" - 25-27 September 2011, Warsaw
...will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Marie Curie Actions and the 100th anniversary of Maria Skłodowska-Curie’s Nobel Prize in chemistry. The event will gather politicians, stakeholders and about 300 Marie Curie researchers. The symposium will include poster sessions and a contest of the most innovative ways of promoting science.
More information
International Scientific Conference on "Energy and Climate Change," 13-14 October 2011, Athens, Greece
Until now the organizers have received more than sixty (60) abstracts from thirty two (32) countries. Papers presented in the Conference may be published in the bi-lingual journal, "Euro - Asian Journal of Sustainable Energy Development Policy," following a peer review. Accepted abstracts are uploaded to the PROMITHEASnet website (http://www.promitheasnet.kepa.uoa.gr).
The review procedure is still open. You will find more details regarding this event (i.e. venue, members of the Scientific Committee, themes and topics, registration fees, accommodations) on the event website. For any questions please contact promitheas@kepa.uoa.gr
Euroscience Open Forum, ESOF 2012, 11-15 July 2012, Dublin, Ireland
Over the 5 days of July 11th-15th 2012, Dublin will host the Euroscience Open Forum, Europe’s largest general science conference. www.esof2012.org
EURAXESS LINKS USA REPORTS
Lecture by the Austrian Scientist of the Year, 14 June 2011, Embassy of Austria, Washington, DC
... hosted a lecture titled 'Clever and Socially Complex Geese, Ravens and Wolves - The New Vienna School of Cognitive Ethology' by Prof. Kurt Kotrschal, the Austrian 'Scientist of the Year 2010.'Prof. Kotrschal was elected Austrian Scientist of the Year 2010 by the Austrian Club of Education and Science Journalists for his cutting-edge research in cognitive ethology and for his efforts to communicate science to the general public.
The lecture focused on social intelligence in various species, and how evolution shapes sociality and cognition. Social intelligence enables individuals to live, cooperate and compete in complex social systems. The New Vienna School of Cognitive Ethology, of which Prof. Kotrschal is one of the founders, looks at those issues from a comparative-evolutionary approach, trying to understand how variability in behavior, perception, physiology, communication and cognition is connected with individual efficiency and success in the social domain.
A lively Q&A session and a networking reception concluded the event.The lecture was offered in cooperation with EURAXESS Links USA and the Austrian Consulate General New York.

Prof. Kurt Kotrschal,
Austrian Scientist of the Year 2011
(Photo: © 2011 Office of Science & Technology)

Audience at the Lecture
by the Austrian Scientist of the Year 2011
(Photo: © 2011 Office of Science & Technology)
European Presence at the BIO Convention, 27-30 June 2011, Washington, DC

Dr. Vaida Bankauskaite, ERC,
and Stephane Hogan, Directorate Health, DG Research,
talk with a visitor at the EU booth
(Photo: EURAXESS Links USA)
The BIO International Convention is the largest global event for the biotechnology industry, offering networking and partnering opportunities with policymakers, scientists, CEOs and newsmakers, and hundreds of sessions covering biotech trends, policy issues and technological innovations. The Convention also features the BIO Business Forum, a unique platform for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, academic research institutions, and investors from around the world to gather and discuss strategic opportunities.
Keynote speeches were given by Former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Tony Blair (via satellite) as well as U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD), Governor Howard Dean and Republican political strategist Karl Rove discussing the implementation of health care reform. The Convention program featured more than 125 breakout sessions across 15 tracks, which included Global Innovations and Markets, Health Policy and Reimbursement, Biosecurity, Business Development, Food and Agriculture, and Biofuels and Biobased Chemicals.
The event attracted 11 U.S. Governors and more than 100 international public officials. The top 10 largest international delegations included (in order): Canada, UK, Germany, France, Korea, Belgium, China, Japan, Spain and Australia.
The BIO Business Forum hosted a record breaking 21,183 partnering meetings between 2,410 companies and featured 157 company presentations. The BIO Exhibition featured more than 1,800 exhibitors with 61 state and international pavilions. Among them was the EU pavilion staffed by representatives of Directorates General Research and Enterprise. EURAXESS Links USA was also represented at the booth.

Monique Bossi, APRE,
led the "Legal Discussion Workshop" at the EU booth
(Photo: EURAXESS Links USA)
European-sponsored sessions at the convention included: "How will we afford personalized medicines?"; "EU/US Cooperation to support research on rare diseases"; "Collaboration between FDA and EMA"; "Innovation Union in Europe: "Fostering innovation in life sciences. Current developments in innovation and research funding, regulations"; "European patent and unitary EU patent: The changes ahead".
In addition, a workshop devoted to Existing Instruments, Regulations and Obstacles for the Participation in the 7th Framework Program was offered at the EU stand by BILAT USA on 29 June.
The 2012 BIO International Convention will take place June 18-21 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Mass. For more information, please visit
http://convention.bio.org/2012.aspx.
European Researchers' Get-Together: "The European Research Council and Its Funding Schemes," 28 June 2011, Embassy of Poland, Washington, DC

Mr. Massimo Gaudina, Head of Communication, ERC
(Photo: Embassy of Poland)
... was held on 28 June at the Embassy of Poland (in conjunction with the BIO conference in Washington, DC). The event, co-organized by EURAXESS Links USA, the Embassy of Poland, the Foundation for Polish Science and the European Research Council, was attended by over 60 representatives of the European research community from the Washington DC metropolitan area and Baltimore, as well as representatives of the official delegation of Poland to the BIO Convention.
The event was opened with remarks by Professor Marek Konarzewski, Science Counselor, Embassy of Poland, and featured representatives of the European Research Council: Mr. Massimo Gaudina, Head of Communication, with a presentation on “Opportunities of the 7th Framework Program for EU Research: The European Research Council and its funding schemes”; Dr. Eleni Zika, Research Program Officer, who introduced the "ERC Starting Grant"; and Dr. Vaida Bankauskaite, Research Program Officer, who discussed the "ERC Advanced Grant" ERC.
Their Power Point Presentations are available here:
- ERC Presentation_June 2011_M.Gaudina
- ERC Presentation_June 2011_Starting Grant
- ERC Presentation_June 2011_Advanced Grant

Dr. Eleni Zika, Research Program Officer, ERC
(Photo: Embassy of Poland)
The meeting concluded with a lively Q&A session and a networking reception hosted by the Embassy.
Please take a look at videos highlighting one of ERC-funded research projects on breast cancer and discussing the ERC's grants and its benefits: http://erc.europa.eu/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&topicID=553
For more information on co-organizers visit:
ERC: http://erc.europa.eu/
EURAXESS Links USA: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/index_en.htm
FNP: http://www.fnp.org.pl/

The Q&A session
(Photo: EURAXESS Links USA)

Audience at the European Researchers' Get-Together
(Photo: Embassy of Poland)
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND FELLOWSHIPS
European Molecular Biology Laboratory Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships
Up to 30 fellowships will be supported and funded by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Marie Curie Actions.
Duration: 3 years.
Further information: EMBL
EMBO Long Term Fellowships
... will seek applications for its long term fellowships until 15
August. The fellowships are awarded for a period of two years.
Deadline: 15 August.
Further Information: EMBO
ERCIM Alain Bensoussan Fellowship
... offers a fellowship for PhD holders
from anywhere in the world. Subjects: computer science, information technology and applied mathematics.
Deadline: 30 September.
Further Information: ERCIM
European Science Foundation: Research Conferences
It acts as a catalyst for creating new synergistic contacts throughout Europe and the rest of the world. The conference will take place in 2013 and should be in the following scientific domains: molecular biology, physics/biophysics and environmental sciences; social sciences and humanities.
Deadline: 15 September.
Further Information: ESF
Germany: 2012 Sofja Kovalevskaja Award
The award is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and is valued at 1.65 million Euros.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants the award to young international scientists and scholars in any discipline who have distinguished themselves through a special talent and a creative approach to research.
For a period of five years, award winners can build up a working group at a research institution in Germany of their own choice and conduct an ambitious research project there.
Applicants should have completed their doctorate with an outstanding result no more than six years ago and already have publications published by recognized international journals or publishers. The award seeks to engage talented international scientists and scholars in collaboration with German researchers at the beginning of a promising career.
The deadline for applications is 1 September 2011.
More information
Germany: New Fellowship Program to Attract Top Young Researchers
The Leibniz-DAAD Research Fellowship Program enables up to 15 outstanding international postdoctoral scholars to conduct research at one of the Leibniz Association's 87 institutes.
The Leibniz Association is one of Germany’s leading research organizations with some 7,800 researchers and an annual budget of roughly 1.4 billion Euros. With humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, life sciences and engineering sciences, it covers almost the entire research spectrum.
The Leibniz-DAAD Research Fellowship Program is aimed at postdoctoral researchers from all over the world who completed their doctorate less than two years ago.
They can apply directly to the DAAD for a scholarship.
More information
Holland: Visiting Professors Program (VPP)
Deadline: 15 September.
Further Information: KNAW
Human Frontier Science Program: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Long-Term Fellowships (LTF) are reserved for applicants with a Ph.D. in a biological discipline to embark on a new project in a different field of the life sciences. Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (CDF) are open to applicants with a Ph.D. from outside the life sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering or computer sciences) who propose a significant departure from their past research towards HFSP research areas.
Following registration (by August 25), applications will then be sent by 8 September.
Further Information: HFSP
Kauffman Foundation: 2011 Startup Open Competition
The "GEW 50" will be announced on Oct. 15, 2011, with those companies then competing for the top honors and prizes.
The Startup Open is a featured competition of GEW, an initiative founded by the Kauffman Foundation to spur new ideas, ingenuity, and firm creation through local, national, and global activities in more than 100 countries. The competition, now in its second year, is open to entrepreneurs who have a "startup moment" between GEW 2010 and GEW 2011 (Nov. 22, 2010 to Nov. 20, 2011). A startup moment is defined as any action related to launching a new business, such as incorporating a company, officially opening the doors for business, completing a first sale, or securing outside funding.
Startup Open applicants will be judged on concept, growth projections, and knowledge of their industry. A handful of companies winning the top honors and prizes will be announced on Nov. 14 as GEW 2011 gets underway.
Startup Open applicants will have until Sept. 15 to submit their startup moment. For more information on how to enter and the 2010 winners, please visit www.startupopen.com.
Luxembourg: AFR Postdoctoral Grants
The AFR scheme is managed by the Fonds National de la Recherche and is co-funded under the Marie Curie scheme. The AFR program has no thematic limitations and is open to all researchers, regardless of their nationality, wishing to engage in research training in Luxembourg or abroad. Applicants should possess a PhD.
Grants will be provided for 2 years.
Deadline: Further Information: AFR/FNR
Norway: Personal Visiting/Overseas Researcher Grant
Successful candidates complete stays of up to 12 months in Norway. Applications should be submitted from a Norwegian research institution.
Deadline: 31 August.
Further Information: Research Council of Norway
http://www.forskningsradet.no/en/Personal_visiting_researcher_grant/1195592883125
Swedish Research Council: Grants for Visiting Researchers
The amount awarded is intended to finance travel and living expenses for a Swedish researcher who is visiting at a foreign institution, or to host a foreign researcher at a Swedish institution.
Deadline: 1 October.
Further Information: Swedish Research Council
Switzerland: Funding for Lecture Tour of Switzerland for Postdocs
The Foundation is especially interested in applications from gifted postdocs who can demonstrate that:
- they are qualified for and intend to pursue an academic career, and
- have already spent part of their education in Switzerland or have other strong ties to Switzerland.
Deadlines: 31 July and 31 October 2011.
Further information: http://www.swissbiomedical-foundation.ch/travel.html
Turkey: Incoming & Outgoing Fellowships
will support applications in the following schemes over coming months:
- PhD Fellowships for Foreign Citizens (any field of research for students to pursue a PhD in Turkey). Duration: 5 years maximum. Deadline: 16 September
- International Research Fellowship Program (for PhD students at Turkish institutes to spend time at an overseas institute). Deadline: 23 September
Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship (IIF)
The application process is open to researchers with at least four years of full-time postgraduate research experience or a doctoral degree. The action welcomes proposals from all areas of scientific and technological research of interest to the European Community.
Proposals are submitted by the researcher in liaison with the organization that will host him/her in a Member State or Associated Country. The proposals are then evaluated by external independent experts against a series of predetermined criteria. Financial support will be provided to the best proposals for a period of one to two years, with the possibility of an additional return phase of one year if the researcher originates from an international cooperation partner country.
Funding includes, in particular, a salary for the researcher and a contribution towards research-related costs.
The call opened on 16 March 2011 and applications are due on 11 August 2011.
More information can be found at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/ (click on PEOPLE).
Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship (IOF)
Applications are open to researchers from a Member State or Associated Country in possession of a doctoral degree or at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience following the successful completion of a program of study qualifying them to pursue a doctorate. However, it is expected that researchers will have more experience.
Proposals are welcome from all areas of scientific and technological research of interest to the European Community. Proposals are submitted by the researcher in liaison with the return host organization in a Member State or Associated Country and evaluated by external independent experts against a series of predetermined criteria. Financial support will be provided to the best proposals for a period of up to three years, including an initial outgoing phase (one to two years) in a third country and a mandatory reintegration phase.
Funding is provided for advanced training on the basis of a “personal career development plan” established by the researcher with his/her supervisor in the host organization. It includes a salary for the researcher and a contribution towards research-related costs.
The call opened on 16 March 2011 and applications are due on 11 August 2011.
More information can be found at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/ (click on PEOPLE).
Marie Curie Career Integration Grants (CIG)
Aimed at experienced researchers (with at least 4 years full-time postgraduate research experience or a doctoral degree) of any nationality who have spent less than 12 months of the last 3 years outside the country of their proposed host organization. The applicant should apply with the proposed host organization.
Applications are due on 6 September 2011.
More information can be found at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/ (click on PEOPLE).
Calls for Proposals from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research: Overview
Call for proposals |
Launched |
Deadline |
Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship |
16 March 2011 |
11 August 2011 |
Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship |
16 March 2011 |
11 August 2011 |
Marie Curie Career Integration Grants (CIG) |
20 October 2010 |
6 September 2011 |
Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development (IEF) |
16 March 2011 |
11 August 2011 |
The following calls are currently open under the Ideas program.
Call for proposals |
Launched |
Deadline |
Call for proposals for ERC Proof of Concept |
29 March 2011 |
15 June 2011 |
The following calls are open under the Cooperation program:
- Information and Communication Technologies / 1 Open call
- Joint Technology Initiatives (Annex IV-SP1) / 3 Open calls
Participants from the United States are eligible to join research proposals under the Cooperation scheme. These programs require at least three partners in three different EU or associated countries plus a partner in the United States. With the exception of Health proposals, there is no funding from the European Union for U.S.-based partners unless the participation of the U.S. partner is deemed necessary for the success of the program. Cooperation schemes in the area of Health provide for full funding of the U.S.-based partners.
The following calls are open under the Capacities program.
- No calls are currently open for this program
To access a full list of currently open calls for proposals launched by the European Commission and for full details of the calls, go to: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/
European and Other Funding and Grants with Open or Continuous Calls
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/index
Also visit our website: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/usa/funding_opportunities_en.htm
Calls for Tenders Related to the Directorate-General for Research
RESEARCH CAREERS AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Careers at CERN
... staff openings, and doctoral studentships.
Deadlines: Various.
Further information: CERN
Europe: Joint Research Centre
... 34 openings for postdoctoral researchers, and 2 openings for senior researchers. These openings are in fields related to land management, fisheries, climate change, and agricultural resources.
Deadlines: Various.
Further Information: JRC website: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/index.cfm?id=3720
Become an Expert Evaluator for FP7
The call for experts is open both for individuals and for organizations.
EURAXESS Jobs
There are 3 options:
- Do you want to upload your CV? Login into your account MyEURAXESS:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/res/index - Did you forget your password? Recover it with a simple click:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/passwordRecovery - Do you want to delete your account? Click here:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/res/deleteAccount
The European Job Mobility Portal
Other Research Career Sites
Find A Postdoc: http://www.findapostdoc.com/
Career.edu: http://www.career.edu/index.php
Nature.jobs: http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/index.html
Jobs.ac.uk: www.jobs.ac.uk
Research Jobs in the Netherlands: http://www.academictransfer.org/org/
Brainpower Austria: http://www.brainpower-austria.at/webfiles/home.asp
Euro Science Jobs: http://www.eurosciencejobs.com/
Elsevier Jobs: http://www.recruitment.elsevier.com/register/default.aspx
Academics.com job search: http://www.research-in-germany.de/research-career-in-germany/jobs/29640/academics-com-i-frame.html
Talent Scotland: www.talentscotland.com
RESOURCES
European Forward-Looking Activities: Building the Future of 'Innovation Union' and ERA
It answers to the two following questions: "What recent national forward-looking activities tell us on the future of science and technology?" and "What EU forward-looking activities tell us about societal challenges that need to be addressed by EU research and innovation?".
This publication provides a fresh insight on the main current trends and expected perspectives on the European Research Area and Innovation Union including citizens’ visions about science and technology.
European forward-looking activities: Building the future of 'Innovation Union' and ERA
Transport: Draft Work Program 2012 Available
It outlines the funding priorities for transport research under the FP7 program for the year 2012.
The main focus is on eco-innovation, safe and seamless mobility, and competitiveness through innovation. Calls for research proposals that are in line with this Program will be launched on 20 July 2011.
Researchers, universities, SMEs, large companies and research institutes are welcome to submit their proposals.
Proposed Priorities for Innovative Health Research, 2012
... outlining proposed priorities for the two forthcoming health calls:
- FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-1 with 32 topics and indicative deadline 04 October 2011
- FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-2 with 3 topics and indicative deadline 27 September 2011, and
- One ERA-NET topic for the single stage ERA-NET call with indicative deadline 28 February 2012.
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/health/
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/health/docs/fp7-health-2012-orientation-paper-20110506_en.pdf
It is a working document, and is not legally binding. Indicative publication date for all documents including the final work program is 20 July 2011. All related documents will then be accessible via http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm
Consultation on Future EU Research and Innovation Funding
... on the 'Common Strategic Framework for EU research and innovation funding' are now available on the web site.
Conference videos
New Issue of the ERC Monthly Newsletter
OpenAIRE: Database of EU-Funded Research Papers
OpenAIRE provides a network of open repositories providing free online access to knowledge produced by scientists receiving grants from the Seventh Framework program (FP7) and European Research Council (ERC), especially in the fields of health, energy, environment, parts of Information & Communication Technology and research infrastructures, social sciences, humanities and science in society.
This is an important step towards full and open access to scientific papers that could, for example, allow patients with rare illnesses to have access to the latest medical research results, or provide scientists with real-time updates about developments in their field.
Developing research infrastructures and e-infrastructures, including those for scientific research results, with a view to boosting Europe's competitiveness, is a priority of both the Digital Agenda for Europe and of the Innovation Union initiative. http://www.openaire.eu/


