Funding international research in Basque
The Ikerbasque Foundation was established in 2011 to encourage the nascent Basque Science System by attracting senior researchers. Through this foundation, the Basque Government hopes to consolidate Basque Country as a European Reference Point for research excellence. The 'Attracting international visiting fellows to the Basque Country in any research field' (SMARTFELLOWS) project provides funding for international researchers to spend a one-year research fellowship in a Basque Country institution. SMARTFELLOWS has called for applications once per year since 2011. Applicants are expected to demonstrate experience in experimental sciences, engineering and technology, life sciences, social sciences or human sciences. Thus far, the project has funded 37 fellowships through two different calls, with an overall work period of 266 fellow months at Basque institutions. SMARTFELLOWS estimates that the entire project will fund 66 fellows for 684 fellow months over the 4-year period. The research funded by Ikerbasque Foundation and SMARTFELLOWS will improve visiting researchers' skills and careers, and boost the general research standard of Basque Country.