Final Report Summary - START (Support for Transnational Mobility and Research Training)
START Postdoctoral Fellowships – Cofunded by Marie Curie Actions
The aim of the START Fellowship Programme was to offer a mobility scheme to support transnational mobility of researchers. The scheme was open to applicants from all over of the world within five years after receiving their doctorates. The training must include one of the following mobility elements: a) incoming, b) outgoing and c) reintegration. Eligible applicants were required to identify a host institution in Iceland and in cases of outgoing fellowships a co-host abroad where part of the research training would be carried out. Applicants who respected FP7 and Icelandic ethical rules could otherwise select their destinations and research topics freely in collaboration with their hosts
The START scheme was managed by the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS) which is a public research funding agency in Iceland. RANNIS is responsible for managing several research funds on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture as well as the Ministry of Industry and Innovation. It is, furthermore, responsible for coordinating Iceland's participation in FP7 and hosts a EURAXESS service centre for mobile researchers. RANNIS has participated in a number of successful projects supported by the Framework Programmes in the last 20 years.
Two calls have been published widely around Europe during the lifetime of the START programme. The calls were publicized in English and Icelandic using traditional communication channels such as the website of RANNIS, EURAXESS, leaflets distributed at conferences and information meetings. 13 fellowships were awarded, each with a maximum duration of 2 years. All fellows had, furthermore, an option of applying for a one year extension before the end of the second project year. The financial contribution includes a living allowance, travel allowance and a contribution to research costs and management. Evaluation processes was based on international peer-review and follow the "European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment", which all universities in Iceland are committed to. Evaluation was primarily focused on excellence.
Two calls have been published, in 2011 and 2012 and both have been completed:
Call 2011 results
Number of proposals 37
Success rates 16.2%
Ratio of non-Icelandic applicants 54%
Gender balance 51/49% F/M
6 Fellows were selected in this call; 4 females and 2 males. All of the appointed Fellows have signed their contracts with RANNIS.
All applicants were informed of the results by e-mail in January 2012 and the results of the selection published on the START Fellowship dedicated website.
Call 2012 results
Number of proposals 27
Success rate 25,9%
Ratio of non-Icelandic applicants 51,8%
Gender balance 67/33% F/M
7 Fellows were selected in this call; 6 females and 1 male. All of the appointed Fellows have signed their contract with RANNIS.
All applicants were informed of the results by e-mail in January 2013 and the results of the selection published on the START Fellowship dedicated website.
All three mobility schemes were represented in the selections for both calls.
Conclusion
The Co-funding of this programme has lent additional value to the European community as no programme specially dedicated to researchers' mobility has ever existed in Iceland. The progamme rules and procedures are substantially aligned with those of the People programme and the longer-term objective was to set up a sustainable programme beyond Community support.
The START programme included all mobility elements addressed in the People programme (incoming, outgoing and re-integration). Each element addresses certain objectives with the overall aim of increasing researchers’ mobility and linking the Icelandic research environment further with other parts of the European Research Area and the rest of the world. Mobility has, indeed, been a very important feature of the Icelandic research environment as a high proportion of Icelandic students have traditionally sought education and training abroad. This international aspect has long been considered beneficial for the Icelandic research community where experts with different backgrounds and ideas come together after enjoying education and training in other countries. It has, however, always been a challenge for academia as well as industry to attract post-doctoral researchers back to the country, especially the most talented, with no mobility scheme, such as the START Programme, in place.
The high quality and international distribution of the START Fellows from the two calls in this programme indicate that it has been an important first step in achieving this goal for the rapidly expanding research community in Iceland and that it has had an impact within the Icelandic funding bodies and on local policy makers on the importance of mobility for young researchers.
A survey of the START Fellows conducted by RANNIS indicated a high level of satisfaction with the programme were the average rating of the programme on a scale of 1-10 was 8,9.
Host Institutions include the two primary research universities in Iceland and the majority of the most active research institutions in the country.
Host Institutions:
University of Iceland
Reykjavik University
MATIS ( Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D)
Arni Magnusson Institute for Icelandic Studies
DeCODE genetics
Marine Research Institute
University of Cambridge
Iceland Hearth Association
Contact details:
Dr. Katrin Valgeirsdottir , katrin.valgeirsdottir@rannis.is