Periodic Reporting for period 2 - LEaDing Fellows (LEaDing Fellows)
Reporting period: 2019-01-02 to 2022-05-01
The LEaDing Fellows Programme offered postdoctoral positions to ambitious and excellent researchers to perform research in a challenging, internationally esteemed and multi-disciplinary environment, helping them to develop new research skills and a view on future career options.
The programme was a joint initiative of Delft University of Technology (TUD), the beneficiary, and the partners Leiden University (LEI), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR, Erasmus University Medical Centre (ErasmusMC) and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). For many years, these partners work closely together on solutions relevant to complex, global, 21st-century challenges. These correlate with many themes on the European research agenda.
Special opportunities of the programme were the following:
- Work on interdisciplinary and intersectoral projects of fellows’ own choices in multidisciplinary teams in the field of Physical Science and Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Life Sciences and Health;
- Explore new career options following partners’ cooperation with non-academic organizations evolved in public-private partnerships;
- Training in a wide range of transferable skills to further boost career opportunities in industry or public institutions;
- Options for visits, internships and collaboration at the partner institutions and their co-operators.
The objective of the LEaDing Fellows Programme was to attract 90 postdoctoral researchers each for a 24 month period. Fellows had the opportunity to work in the challenging, internationally esteemed and multidisciplinary environment of the project partners. Internships and collaboration at the partner institutions and their public and industrial collaborators were part of the fellowships and fellows had also access to courses offered by the institutes. The overall objective of the programme was to contribute to enhancing the career development of the fellows.
The programme was a joint initiative of Delft University of Technology (TUD), the beneficiary, and the partners Leiden University (LEI), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR, Erasmus University Medical Centre (ErasmusMC) and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). For many years, these partners work closely together on solutions relevant to complex, global, 21st-century challenges. These correlate with many themes on the European research agenda.
Special opportunities of the programme were the following:
- Work on interdisciplinary and intersectoral projects of fellows’ own choices in multidisciplinary teams in the field of Physical Science and Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Life Sciences and Health;
- Explore new career options following partners’ cooperation with non-academic organizations evolved in public-private partnerships;
- Training in a wide range of transferable skills to further boost career opportunities in industry or public institutions;
- Options for visits, internships and collaboration at the partner institutions and their co-operators.
The objective of the LEaDing Fellows Programme was to attract 90 postdoctoral researchers each for a 24 month period. Fellows had the opportunity to work in the challenging, internationally esteemed and multidisciplinary environment of the project partners. Internships and collaboration at the partner institutions and their public and industrial collaborators were part of the fellowships and fellows had also access to courses offered by the institutes. The overall objective of the programme was to contribute to enhancing the career development of the fellows.
The coordinator installed a LEaDing Fellows programme office which is responsible for the day-to-day management and execution of the programme. The programme office coordinates the management of the programme and takes care of the govenance of parties and bodies involved in the programme.
During the first reporting period all 3 calls have been launched. After a careful selection process 60 fellows have been selected from the 1st and 2nd call, of which 50 fellows have been appointed in the period covered by this report: 5 fellows started their activities at Erasmus Medical Center, 8 at Erasmus University Rotterdam, 11 at Leiden University, 9 at Leiden University Medical Center and 17 at Delft University of Technology. 10 candidates will start their activities after the reporting period, agreements have been made with regard to their start date. Each appointment is a result of a careful an strict evaluation and selection process in which a lot of (external) reviewers were involved. The selection process of the 3rd call is still in progress. The outcome of the 3rd call will be announced by 1st of May 2019.
The LEaDing Fellows Programme and all relevant information for applicants amongst which a comprehensive guide for applicants were published on a website: www.leadingfellows.eu. Each call was also advertised on jobboards of international journals and on a wide variety of relevant websites and networks to attract as many candidates as possible. Each fellow applied with a research proposal of their own design related to the research agenda of the potential host group.
For each batch of newly appointed fellows, a fellow meeting was organised. During these meetings fellows were informed about specific aspects of the LEaDing Fellows programme and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie programme in general. Part of these meetings were workshops on Intellectual Property and Intercultural Communication. These meetings also contribute to community building. The website contains an item 'Meet the fellows', where information about the fellows and their projects is available. It is difficult to describe each fellows' project and progress in general terms. However, fellows succeeded to produce journal articles and to submit draft articles, to establish new bottom-up collaborations and are involved in new grant applications. Fellows attend courses, colloquia and (international) conferences and carry out visits or internships to academic or industrial partners. This contributes to the enhancement of their career prospects.
During the period covered in the 2nd and final report (from January 2019 on), the selection process of the third call was completed and all fellows were appointed. Each appointment was the result of a careful and strict selection process in which the eligibility of the candidates was checked, as well as an extensive review of their CV, motivation letter, their research and training plan. After all fellows had been selected much effort has been put into monitoring the fellows, their projects and interactions with the host groups, organizing events for the fellows, managing the project budget and distribution of budget among the partners, preparing and submission of project deliverables and resolving unforeseen issues.
During the first reporting period all 3 calls have been launched. After a careful selection process 60 fellows have been selected from the 1st and 2nd call, of which 50 fellows have been appointed in the period covered by this report: 5 fellows started their activities at Erasmus Medical Center, 8 at Erasmus University Rotterdam, 11 at Leiden University, 9 at Leiden University Medical Center and 17 at Delft University of Technology. 10 candidates will start their activities after the reporting period, agreements have been made with regard to their start date. Each appointment is a result of a careful an strict evaluation and selection process in which a lot of (external) reviewers were involved. The selection process of the 3rd call is still in progress. The outcome of the 3rd call will be announced by 1st of May 2019.
The LEaDing Fellows Programme and all relevant information for applicants amongst which a comprehensive guide for applicants were published on a website: www.leadingfellows.eu. Each call was also advertised on jobboards of international journals and on a wide variety of relevant websites and networks to attract as many candidates as possible. Each fellow applied with a research proposal of their own design related to the research agenda of the potential host group.
For each batch of newly appointed fellows, a fellow meeting was organised. During these meetings fellows were informed about specific aspects of the LEaDing Fellows programme and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie programme in general. Part of these meetings were workshops on Intellectual Property and Intercultural Communication. These meetings also contribute to community building. The website contains an item 'Meet the fellows', where information about the fellows and their projects is available. It is difficult to describe each fellows' project and progress in general terms. However, fellows succeeded to produce journal articles and to submit draft articles, to establish new bottom-up collaborations and are involved in new grant applications. Fellows attend courses, colloquia and (international) conferences and carry out visits or internships to academic or industrial partners. This contributes to the enhancement of their career prospects.
During the period covered in the 2nd and final report (from January 2019 on), the selection process of the third call was completed and all fellows were appointed. Each appointment was the result of a careful and strict selection process in which the eligibility of the candidates was checked, as well as an extensive review of their CV, motivation letter, their research and training plan. After all fellows had been selected much effort has been put into monitoring the fellows, their projects and interactions with the host groups, organizing events for the fellows, managing the project budget and distribution of budget among the partners, preparing and submission of project deliverables and resolving unforeseen issues.
In total 94 postdoctoral research fellows have been selected in the LEaDing Fellows Programme. All fellows together spent 2148,2 months (of the available 2160 months) in the programme. From the 94 fellows 57% were female fellows. The fellows originated from 31 countries. 37 fellows were from countries outside the European Union.
The LEaDing Fellows Programme was constructed to ensure great flexibility so that fellows had freedom to pursue their own research and career goals. Fellows were able to freely choose and approach the department that best accommodated their specific scientific needs. Fellows had the opportunity to participate in professional courses and trainings to the benefit of their careers and suited to their individual talents and preferences.
Interdisciplinary and intersectoral aspects and exposure to (or collaboration with) industry or societal partners was part of the programme through optional secondments, short interdisciplinary internships and research visits. T45% of the fellows have at some point during their fellowship implemented a secondment, internship or visit in either academia, industry or other sectors.
The employment status and sector of employment of the alumni-fellows shows that the majority of alumni (73%) have found jobs in academia.
The LEaDing Fellows Programme was constructed to ensure great flexibility so that fellows had freedom to pursue their own research and career goals. Fellows were able to freely choose and approach the department that best accommodated their specific scientific needs. Fellows had the opportunity to participate in professional courses and trainings to the benefit of their careers and suited to their individual talents and preferences.
Interdisciplinary and intersectoral aspects and exposure to (or collaboration with) industry or societal partners was part of the programme through optional secondments, short interdisciplinary internships and research visits. T45% of the fellows have at some point during their fellowship implemented a secondment, internship or visit in either academia, industry or other sectors.
The employment status and sector of employment of the alumni-fellows shows that the majority of alumni (73%) have found jobs in academia.