Promoting the Return of Researchers to ERA

Project Information

WELCOME II

Grant agreement ID: 246542

Closed project

Start date 1 October 2010

End date 30 September 2015

Funded under

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost € 7 065 135,94

EU contribution € 2 826 054,38

Coordinated by

FUNDACAO PARA A CIENCIA E A TECNOLOGIA
Portugal

Final Report Summary - WELCOME II (Promoting the Return of Researchers to ERA)

Summary:

Marie Curie Actions Call: FP7-PEOPLE-COFUND-2008
GRANT AGREEMENT PCOFUND-GA-2009-246542
Coordinator: The Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal
Type of Mobility: Reintegration
Purpose: Career Development of Experienced Researchers
Research Area: All scientific fields
Evaluation: International Peer Review
Website: http://www.fct.pt/welcome2
Number of Fellows funded: 40
Project start date: 1st of October 2010
End date of the project: 30th of September 2015
Logo: No specific logo was created for this Programme: FCT used the Marie Curie, FP7 and FCT logos to identify the Programme.
Calls: One single call, launched on the 15th of December 2010, with a deadline on 14th of March 2011

By launching the Welcome II Programme the Foundation aimed to encourage experienced researchers of any MS/AC nationality to reintegrate in a research centre or company in Portugal, and to propose their own research projects, in view of their career development.
The programme intended to attract young post-docs that had left Europe for a third country to obtain their PhD degrees years ago, or Post-Docs that left for a third country to be in contact with more advanced scientific environments, or to acquire knowledge that was not available in their country of origin.
The programme addressed two levels of PhD experience: young Post-Docs (fellows A) and Post-Docs with at least 5-year research experience after obtaining their PhD (fellows B).
The Foundation invited Portuguese institutions to welcome these highly qualified researchers and sign 3-year employment contracts with them, thus reinforcing Portugal’s as well as the ERA’s research potential.
In line with the Commission Recommendation stated in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, the programme contributes to the
structuring effect that Cofund aims at:
Due to be achieved by means of open recruitment and a wide promotion campaign at national and international level, by means of international evaluation panels for the recruitment of fellows, thus introducing a novelty in the Foundation’s evaluation process, and the hiring of Post-Docs under employment contracts.

After an extensive promotion campaign inside and outside of Portugal, the Foundation has selected and funded 40 Post-doc researchers of all research fields, previously residing outside Europe, mainly in the USA, and that were reintegrated in R&D institutions in Portugal. The Welcome II Programme represents a clear added value not only for Portugal but also for the European Research Area.

Number of applications received regarding the first and only call:
- Total number of applications: 67
- Number of fellows: A (Phd-holders): 29; B (5 years of research experience after having obtained the PhD): 38
- Number of host institutions involved: 31
- Type of Institutions: All research institutions, including 2 private Foundations; no companies.
- Nationalities of the applicants: French (4), Germany (2), Hungary (1); Italy (4); Netherlands (1);
Portugal (38); Serbia (3); Spain (4); Sweden (1) Switzerland (1); UK (8)

Of the 40 fellows funded under the Welcome II Programme, 21 of them had obtained their PhD more than 5 years ago, at the deadline of the project. 22 of the contracts have been signed in 2011, 18 in 2012.

The Board of Directors of the Foundation decided not to launch a second call. Due to the fact that a considerable number of successful fellows decided to quit, and not sign a contract, the goal of hiring 54 fellows under the Programme was not fully fulfilled.

Due to salary pay cuts implemented in Portugal, the original Community contribution negotiated with REA had to be lowered. In July 2014, after the renegotiation phase, the project was extended to a new duration of 60 months, being the 30th of September 2015 the end date of the project.

A few of the fellows cancelled their employment contracts before the initially stipulated end, however in some of the cases due to the fact that they obtained employment contracts under other calls officially launched to the scientific community by the Foundation of Science and Technology, namely the Investigador FCT call. Thus, the objective of the WelcomeII programme, which is to attract and retain researchers in Portugal and therefore the European Research Area, has nevertheless been concreted.

As the program had faced quite a lot of difficulties since the beginning, with the late launching of the call and the late signature of contracts, salary cuts imposed to the employment contracts by the national Law FCT is subjected to, the Board of Directors of FCT decided to compensate the Welcome II fellows for the difficulties faced. This compensation was given in form of a bridging support through an Invited Scientist Grant, after the completion of their 36-months employment contracts, and in case they were interested in prolonging their stay at their host institution. Thus, FCT offered them a fellowship of 6 months duration, immediately after the end of their employment contracts.