Final Report Summary - ICIQ-IPMP (ICIQ International Postdoctoral Mobility Programme)
The aim of the ICIQ-IPMP was to set up a training programme addressed to highly talented and motivated experienced researchers to give them the opportunity to develop their research career at the Institute. We created a distinctive logo and a template design for documents to highlight the project and make it visible (See attachment 1 for logo and template).
Postdoctoral researchers had the opportunity to join one of the research groups at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), and to follow an individual research project under the supervision and mentoring of an internationally renowned group leader in a stimulating and multidisciplinary scientific environment. They had access to the Institute scientific facilities and scientific life and followed hands-on training activities on the use of scientific instrumentation. Training oriented to providing non-scientific skills of key importance for a successful scientific career and to broadening the researcher’s career development was a fundamental aspect of the programme.
The programme consisted of 4 calls for an average of 11 positions for a minimum of a two year postdoctoral stay (a total of 88 postdoctoral years). There was the possibility to open an extraordinary call in the middle of the 4th year to compensate early withdrawal of postdoctoral fellows. Postdoctoral early withdrawals could also be compensated by the extension of other postdoctoral fellow’s stay.
Finally, five calls were published for a total of 53 positions. The first call incorporated 10 fellows between December 2012 and June 2013. We received 160 applications, an average of 16 applications per available position. The second call incorporated seven fellows between October 2013 and February 2014. We offered eight positions and we had 113 applications. In April 2014, the third call opened with 10 positions available. We had 114 applications and incorporated seven candidates. In 2015, we published the fourth and fifth calls. The fourth call opened in February 2015 and offered 10 positions. We had 53 applications and we incorporated 8 candidates. In the fifth call, we offered 15 positions and it opened in September 2015. We had 86 applications and incorporated 13 candidates.
The positions were actively and internationally promoted and were open to worldwide researchers on an equal opportunity basis. Eligibility for the programme required geographical mobility and other mobility experiences were positively evaluated. The application procedure was done on-line through the web page of the programme (http://ipmp.iciq.es). It was simple, clear and applicant-friendly. The web page also displayed all the information regarding the programme (call fiche, guide for applicants...). After the first call, the Selection Committee proposed to create a CV form template as a mechanism to unify the information submitted in the different CVs of all the applicants.
The evaluation had two stages (previous scientific achievements and research project) and the selection criteria were based on the excellence of candidates. The evaluation process was done by the Selection Committee, which was mainly composed of external members and was chaired by an internationally recognised scientist. In the first two calls, the Chairperson was Prof. Jean-Pierre Sauvage, chemistry Nobel laureate in 2016. In the third and fourth calls, the Chairperson was Prof. Enrico Dalcanale, an internationally well-known, supramolecular chemist with a wide experience in European projects. For the fifth call, the Chairperson was Prof. Vincent Artero a renowned chemist holding an ERC consolidator grant.
After the success of the ICIQ-IPMP programme we decided to continue with our international post-doctoral programme and applied to a new Marie Skłodowska Curie COFUND action in the 2017 call. We were granted with a new project “I2: ICIQ Impulsion” that will boost the professional career of 12 highly talented international fellows through the development of an innovative research programme based on interdisciplinarity, internationality and intersectoriality.
Postdoctoral researchers had the opportunity to join one of the research groups at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), and to follow an individual research project under the supervision and mentoring of an internationally renowned group leader in a stimulating and multidisciplinary scientific environment. They had access to the Institute scientific facilities and scientific life and followed hands-on training activities on the use of scientific instrumentation. Training oriented to providing non-scientific skills of key importance for a successful scientific career and to broadening the researcher’s career development was a fundamental aspect of the programme.
The programme consisted of 4 calls for an average of 11 positions for a minimum of a two year postdoctoral stay (a total of 88 postdoctoral years). There was the possibility to open an extraordinary call in the middle of the 4th year to compensate early withdrawal of postdoctoral fellows. Postdoctoral early withdrawals could also be compensated by the extension of other postdoctoral fellow’s stay.
Finally, five calls were published for a total of 53 positions. The first call incorporated 10 fellows between December 2012 and June 2013. We received 160 applications, an average of 16 applications per available position. The second call incorporated seven fellows between October 2013 and February 2014. We offered eight positions and we had 113 applications. In April 2014, the third call opened with 10 positions available. We had 114 applications and incorporated seven candidates. In 2015, we published the fourth and fifth calls. The fourth call opened in February 2015 and offered 10 positions. We had 53 applications and we incorporated 8 candidates. In the fifth call, we offered 15 positions and it opened in September 2015. We had 86 applications and incorporated 13 candidates.
The positions were actively and internationally promoted and were open to worldwide researchers on an equal opportunity basis. Eligibility for the programme required geographical mobility and other mobility experiences were positively evaluated. The application procedure was done on-line through the web page of the programme (http://ipmp.iciq.es). It was simple, clear and applicant-friendly. The web page also displayed all the information regarding the programme (call fiche, guide for applicants...). After the first call, the Selection Committee proposed to create a CV form template as a mechanism to unify the information submitted in the different CVs of all the applicants.
The evaluation had two stages (previous scientific achievements and research project) and the selection criteria were based on the excellence of candidates. The evaluation process was done by the Selection Committee, which was mainly composed of external members and was chaired by an internationally recognised scientist. In the first two calls, the Chairperson was Prof. Jean-Pierre Sauvage, chemistry Nobel laureate in 2016. In the third and fourth calls, the Chairperson was Prof. Enrico Dalcanale, an internationally well-known, supramolecular chemist with a wide experience in European projects. For the fifth call, the Chairperson was Prof. Vincent Artero a renowned chemist holding an ERC consolidator grant.
After the success of the ICIQ-IPMP programme we decided to continue with our international post-doctoral programme and applied to a new Marie Skłodowska Curie COFUND action in the 2017 call. We were granted with a new project “I2: ICIQ Impulsion” that will boost the professional career of 12 highly talented international fellows through the development of an innovative research programme based on interdisciplinarity, internationality and intersectoriality.
