Final Report Summary - FCFP (FCFP FRIAS COFUND Fellowship Programme)
The University of Freiburg, one of the strongest research universities in Germany and member of LERU (the League of European Research Universities), offers the Marie Skłodowska Curie “FRIAS COFUND Fellowship Programme (FCFP)”. About 20 incoming or reintegration fellows per year (juniors and seniors) from all disciplines are given the opportunity of spending three to twelve months working on their own research project at the university’s research college, the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS). The university welcomes top researchers from abroad to give their input to its scholarly community, both in terms of research expertise and benefitting the university’s vibrant research culture and diversity.
Since its inauguration in 2008, more than 550 fellows have stayed at FRIAS. The Institute supports internationally outstanding researchers with academically excellent and innovative research projects through individual or group fellowships. FRIAS unites research in the humanities and social sciences, the natural and life sciences, engineering and medicine. It is the philosophy of FRIAS to support the career development of its fellows by integrating them into ambitious research communities here in Freiburg, as well as by supporting the international network of FRIAS fellows and alumni.
The Marie S. Curie FCFP has contributed significantly to the overarching aims of supporting researchers at crucial points in their careers and making research careers more attractive. For the fellows, the programme offers outstanding research opportunities, not only in the research environment of an internationally highly competitive university, but also with the added advantage of being part of a community of fellows from different disciplines at FRIAS. They are free to pursue their own research projects and are given the means to really push forward with their ideas.
Offering fellowships with a focus on the needs of individual researchers, their individual mobility strategies and their personal research projects is an important support to building scientific networks. Fellowship stays of up to a year are the ideal instrument for building relationships of trust between like-minded researchers. Relationships of trust can form the basis for future collaborations and thus help to form ever more and closer links for cooperation and exchange.
The FCFP comprises one scheme directed at junior researchers (junior fellows, JF, completed PhD plus one to six years post-doctoral experience) and one scheme directed at senior researchers (external senior fellows, ESF, completed PhD plus a minimum of six years post-doctoral experience or a tenured professorship or equivalent permanent position). In general, the senior scheme supports fellowships of three to ten months duration. In the junior scheme, researchers can apply for fellowships of 12 months.
FRIAS is committed to supporting junior researchers at a critical step in their career through a fellowship. However, one of the preconditions for the success in this respect is a diverse community of excellent fellows, including established and internationally renowned senior researchers from all over the world.
FRIAS published four annual calls for applications for the academic years 2014/15 until 2017/18 since the beginning of the programme in November 2013. The calls were published nationally and internationally via online announcements, mailing lists as well as notification of partner institutions, networks, multipliers, etc. and leaflets. Details on the programme, eligibility requirements and application procedure with the link to the application portal, the selection procedure, financial aspects, ethical issues, a contact address and FAQs were provided at the FCFP website at: www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/funding-programmes/cofund.
Applications were invited from academics of all nationalities. In total FRIAS received 303 (169 JFs, 134 ESF) applications in the first, 130 (67 JFs, 63 ESF) in the second, 152 (80 JFs, 72 ESF) in the third call and 218 (99 JFs, 119 ESF) in the fourth call.
The fellowships were awarded through a highly competitive, strictly merit-based multi-stage selection process (success rate: 1st call - 6 %, 2nd call - 12 %, 3rd call – 11 %, 4th call – 11 %) comprising the following selection steps:
1. Basic eligibility check
2. International peer-review of eligible applications
3. Information gathering concerning suitable support
4. Formal selection by the international Scientific Advisory Board
The determining selection criteria in the selection procedure were the academic excellence of both the applicant and the project proposal. A personal qualification with regard to international expertise, leadership skills and interdisciplinary interest was also taken into account during the evaluation of the applications.
For the academic year 2014/15 the FRIAS Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) selected 41 researchers (14 JFs, 27 ESFs) for the final ranking list, 19 (6 JFs, 13 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. Three senior researchers cancelled the FCFP fellowship for professional or private reasons in the course of the academic year. For the academic year 2015/16 the SAB selected 29 (12 JFs, 17 ESFs) researchers for the final ranking list, 16 (4 JFs, 12 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. One senior researcher cancelled the FCFP fellowship for professional reasons in the course of the academic year. Two selected senior researchers could not be funded through the FCFP as they had to shorten their stays in Freiburg and did not stay three months (minimum duration for an FCFP ESF). For the academic year 2016/17 the SAB selected 31 researchers (12 JFs, 19 ESFs) for the final ranking list, 17 (5 JFs, 12 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. For the academic year 2017/18 the SAB selected 40 researchers (10 JFs, 30 ESFs) for the final ranking list, 23 (4 JFs, 19 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. One senior researcher cancelled the FCFP fellowship for private reasons.
In total FRIAS hosted 68 Fellows (49 ESFs, 19 JFs) over the whole project period of the FCFP, corresponding to 497 fellow months.
Selected applicants were offered an External Senior or a Junior Fellowship at FRIAS with all the corresponding rights and obligations for the duration of the fellowship. During the time of the FRIAS fellowship they also held the status of a Marie S. Curie fellow of the European Union.
Fellows received a living allowance, mobility allowance and a research cost contribution.
The Institute provided its fellows with modern office space and an up-to-date infrastructure. Fellows had full access to all library services from one of the leading German university libraries. Special attention was drawn to supporting fellows who came to Freiburg with their families.
Fellows enjoyed the opportunity of being connected with larger research projects and centres at the University of Freiburg, as well as to the FRIAS research focus. To support networking of the FCFP fellows with the other FRIAS fellows, FRIAS organized numerous events such as academic colloquia, conferences and workshops, dinner speeches, and after hours conversations. Beyond these mostly academic events FRIAS also offered events for a more public audience such as the lunch lectures, the Staudinger Lectures by Nobel Laureates, and the Freiburger Horizonte.
For the younger researchers in the Marie S. Curie FCFP junior scheme the advantages of a research stay at FRIAS were secured through a mentoring system: researchers in post-doctoral career phases were paired with senior Freiburg-based researchers. FRIAS offered its fellows the opportunity to present their research, or even to teach, at the faculties of the University of Freiburg. Furthermore, FRIAS and the University of Freiburg offered fellows a range of non-scientific training and skills programmes.
The programme was implemented successfully and has right from the start attracted applications by very strong researchers from many different disciplines both from within and outside Europe. Publications supported through this scheme, monographs and articles in high-ranking journals, testify to the academic success of the fellowship programme. The impact on the junior fellows’ career was also very promising. All junior fellows went on to attractive academic positions. The feed-back of the FCFP-fellows was extremely positive as the institute not only looks for the standard support but offers integration into a lively community of fellows, thereby offering opportunities for academic exchange and novel collaborations. Several co-operations with Freiburg faculty members developed.
At the national level, the programme clearly added to the general attractiveness of the German research landscape. Fellows were being introduced to a German university and the specifics of doing research in Germany. Many newly acquired or improved their German language skills. A fellowship in Germany gave a favourable impression of doing research in Germany and increased the chances that researchers will return to Germany in the future – for shorter or longer periods. The FCFP was also particularly attractive for German expatriate researchers wishing to spend some time in their country of origin.
By significantly enhancing its fellows’ individual career perspectives, the FCFP contributed to strengthening the human resources within the European research system as a whole. In nearly all cases fellows continue their career outside of Freiburg, either going back to their home institution or taking up a new position somewhere else in the world. The European Research Area as a whole will profit in any case, either by retaining highly skilled researchers or – if researchers continue their career outside of Europe – by connecting people to European research.
In sum, there can be no doubt that the programme gives support to outstanding researchers, optimally supports mobility and exchange across disciplines and countries, and thereby clearly adds to the attractiveness of the European Research Area.
Developing and administering the FCFP was an important learning experience for FRIAS as well as for the university as a whole. The policy principles set out by the EU for human resources development in R&I (most importantly the Charter and the Code of Conduct) provided guidance for implementing the different aspects of the programme. The different lessons learnt through the FCFP directly fed into quality improvements for other programmes at FRIAS and the university.
While programmes and processes adhere to these principles to a high degree, the aim to provide the most researcher-friendly and researcher-supportive programmes continues to be an ongoing daily challenge.
In 2017, FRIAS was again successful in the COFUND competition and is currently conducting a continuation of the FCFP (phase 2, fellowships for academic years 2018/19 until 2021/22).
Contact details for the FCFP:
Dr. Britta Küst
FRIAS Scientific Coordinator
britta.kust@frias.uni-freiburg.de
Dr. Katrin Brandt
FCFP Coordinator
fcfp-fellowships@frias.uni-freiburg.de
FCFP website at: www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/funding-programmes/cofund
Since its inauguration in 2008, more than 550 fellows have stayed at FRIAS. The Institute supports internationally outstanding researchers with academically excellent and innovative research projects through individual or group fellowships. FRIAS unites research in the humanities and social sciences, the natural and life sciences, engineering and medicine. It is the philosophy of FRIAS to support the career development of its fellows by integrating them into ambitious research communities here in Freiburg, as well as by supporting the international network of FRIAS fellows and alumni.
The Marie S. Curie FCFP has contributed significantly to the overarching aims of supporting researchers at crucial points in their careers and making research careers more attractive. For the fellows, the programme offers outstanding research opportunities, not only in the research environment of an internationally highly competitive university, but also with the added advantage of being part of a community of fellows from different disciplines at FRIAS. They are free to pursue their own research projects and are given the means to really push forward with their ideas.
Offering fellowships with a focus on the needs of individual researchers, their individual mobility strategies and their personal research projects is an important support to building scientific networks. Fellowship stays of up to a year are the ideal instrument for building relationships of trust between like-minded researchers. Relationships of trust can form the basis for future collaborations and thus help to form ever more and closer links for cooperation and exchange.
The FCFP comprises one scheme directed at junior researchers (junior fellows, JF, completed PhD plus one to six years post-doctoral experience) and one scheme directed at senior researchers (external senior fellows, ESF, completed PhD plus a minimum of six years post-doctoral experience or a tenured professorship or equivalent permanent position). In general, the senior scheme supports fellowships of three to ten months duration. In the junior scheme, researchers can apply for fellowships of 12 months.
FRIAS is committed to supporting junior researchers at a critical step in their career through a fellowship. However, one of the preconditions for the success in this respect is a diverse community of excellent fellows, including established and internationally renowned senior researchers from all over the world.
FRIAS published four annual calls for applications for the academic years 2014/15 until 2017/18 since the beginning of the programme in November 2013. The calls were published nationally and internationally via online announcements, mailing lists as well as notification of partner institutions, networks, multipliers, etc. and leaflets. Details on the programme, eligibility requirements and application procedure with the link to the application portal, the selection procedure, financial aspects, ethical issues, a contact address and FAQs were provided at the FCFP website at: www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/funding-programmes/cofund.
Applications were invited from academics of all nationalities. In total FRIAS received 303 (169 JFs, 134 ESF) applications in the first, 130 (67 JFs, 63 ESF) in the second, 152 (80 JFs, 72 ESF) in the third call and 218 (99 JFs, 119 ESF) in the fourth call.
The fellowships were awarded through a highly competitive, strictly merit-based multi-stage selection process (success rate: 1st call - 6 %, 2nd call - 12 %, 3rd call – 11 %, 4th call – 11 %) comprising the following selection steps:
1. Basic eligibility check
2. International peer-review of eligible applications
3. Information gathering concerning suitable support
4. Formal selection by the international Scientific Advisory Board
The determining selection criteria in the selection procedure were the academic excellence of both the applicant and the project proposal. A personal qualification with regard to international expertise, leadership skills and interdisciplinary interest was also taken into account during the evaluation of the applications.
For the academic year 2014/15 the FRIAS Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) selected 41 researchers (14 JFs, 27 ESFs) for the final ranking list, 19 (6 JFs, 13 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. Three senior researchers cancelled the FCFP fellowship for professional or private reasons in the course of the academic year. For the academic year 2015/16 the SAB selected 29 (12 JFs, 17 ESFs) researchers for the final ranking list, 16 (4 JFs, 12 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. One senior researcher cancelled the FCFP fellowship for professional reasons in the course of the academic year. Two selected senior researchers could not be funded through the FCFP as they had to shorten their stays in Freiburg and did not stay three months (minimum duration for an FCFP ESF). For the academic year 2016/17 the SAB selected 31 researchers (12 JFs, 19 ESFs) for the final ranking list, 17 (5 JFs, 12 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. For the academic year 2017/18 the SAB selected 40 researchers (10 JFs, 30 ESFs) for the final ranking list, 23 (4 JFs, 19 ESFs) thereof being finally selected for an FCFP fellowship. One senior researcher cancelled the FCFP fellowship for private reasons.
In total FRIAS hosted 68 Fellows (49 ESFs, 19 JFs) over the whole project period of the FCFP, corresponding to 497 fellow months.
Selected applicants were offered an External Senior or a Junior Fellowship at FRIAS with all the corresponding rights and obligations for the duration of the fellowship. During the time of the FRIAS fellowship they also held the status of a Marie S. Curie fellow of the European Union.
Fellows received a living allowance, mobility allowance and a research cost contribution.
The Institute provided its fellows with modern office space and an up-to-date infrastructure. Fellows had full access to all library services from one of the leading German university libraries. Special attention was drawn to supporting fellows who came to Freiburg with their families.
Fellows enjoyed the opportunity of being connected with larger research projects and centres at the University of Freiburg, as well as to the FRIAS research focus. To support networking of the FCFP fellows with the other FRIAS fellows, FRIAS organized numerous events such as academic colloquia, conferences and workshops, dinner speeches, and after hours conversations. Beyond these mostly academic events FRIAS also offered events for a more public audience such as the lunch lectures, the Staudinger Lectures by Nobel Laureates, and the Freiburger Horizonte.
For the younger researchers in the Marie S. Curie FCFP junior scheme the advantages of a research stay at FRIAS were secured through a mentoring system: researchers in post-doctoral career phases were paired with senior Freiburg-based researchers. FRIAS offered its fellows the opportunity to present their research, or even to teach, at the faculties of the University of Freiburg. Furthermore, FRIAS and the University of Freiburg offered fellows a range of non-scientific training and skills programmes.
The programme was implemented successfully and has right from the start attracted applications by very strong researchers from many different disciplines both from within and outside Europe. Publications supported through this scheme, monographs and articles in high-ranking journals, testify to the academic success of the fellowship programme. The impact on the junior fellows’ career was also very promising. All junior fellows went on to attractive academic positions. The feed-back of the FCFP-fellows was extremely positive as the institute not only looks for the standard support but offers integration into a lively community of fellows, thereby offering opportunities for academic exchange and novel collaborations. Several co-operations with Freiburg faculty members developed.
At the national level, the programme clearly added to the general attractiveness of the German research landscape. Fellows were being introduced to a German university and the specifics of doing research in Germany. Many newly acquired or improved their German language skills. A fellowship in Germany gave a favourable impression of doing research in Germany and increased the chances that researchers will return to Germany in the future – for shorter or longer periods. The FCFP was also particularly attractive for German expatriate researchers wishing to spend some time in their country of origin.
By significantly enhancing its fellows’ individual career perspectives, the FCFP contributed to strengthening the human resources within the European research system as a whole. In nearly all cases fellows continue their career outside of Freiburg, either going back to their home institution or taking up a new position somewhere else in the world. The European Research Area as a whole will profit in any case, either by retaining highly skilled researchers or – if researchers continue their career outside of Europe – by connecting people to European research.
In sum, there can be no doubt that the programme gives support to outstanding researchers, optimally supports mobility and exchange across disciplines and countries, and thereby clearly adds to the attractiveness of the European Research Area.
Developing and administering the FCFP was an important learning experience for FRIAS as well as for the university as a whole. The policy principles set out by the EU for human resources development in R&I (most importantly the Charter and the Code of Conduct) provided guidance for implementing the different aspects of the programme. The different lessons learnt through the FCFP directly fed into quality improvements for other programmes at FRIAS and the university.
While programmes and processes adhere to these principles to a high degree, the aim to provide the most researcher-friendly and researcher-supportive programmes continues to be an ongoing daily challenge.
In 2017, FRIAS was again successful in the COFUND competition and is currently conducting a continuation of the FCFP (phase 2, fellowships for academic years 2018/19 until 2021/22).
Contact details for the FCFP:
Dr. Britta Küst
FRIAS Scientific Coordinator
britta.kust@frias.uni-freiburg.de
Dr. Katrin Brandt
FCFP Coordinator
fcfp-fellowships@frias.uni-freiburg.de
FCFP website at: www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/funding-programmes/cofund