Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BP3 (Beatriu de Pinos-3 Postdoctoral Programme)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2020-09-01 do 2024-08-31
The Beatriu de Pinós programme (BP) is an international postdoctoral fellowship programme run by the Government of Catalonia since 2005. The 3rd COFUND Project (BP3) aims to support the career development of postdoctoral researchers, by enabling them the opportunity to train and conduct an independent research career in a Catalan institution for 36 months, boosting their career perspectives from a three-dimensional perspective: leadership, independence and consolidation.
The BP fellowship programme is open to all researchers, regardless of nationality, with a bottom-up approach in any field of research. Fellows are selected under peer-review through an Open and Transparent Merit-based selection procedure. Besides the scientific research training, researchers receive additional training allowance for transversal skills development. Eligible researchers have from two to seven years of postdoctoral experience and must fulfil the MSCA mobility rule. Exceptions to this rule for candidates with any leave of absence in the research career for reasons such as parental leave, sick, family care leave, military service or refugee science are included.
The main objectives of the BP3 project are:
1. Enabling the transition towards a consolidated research career attracting 120 junior postdoctoral researchers over 5 years, multiplying their skill sets and networks via targeted Career Development Plans.
2. Improving the quality of postdoctoral research training, more targeted to the researchers and societal needs.
3. Enhancing cooperation and knowledge transfer between sectors and disciplines.
4. Enabling outstanding junior researchers from all nationalities to develop their research careers to an advanced and more independent level in a leading research group or institution in Catalonia.
5. Increasing the competitiveness of the Catalan scientific community and, by extension, the European one.
The BP programme is managed by the Agency for Management of Universities and Research Grants (AGAUR), affiliated to the Department of Universities and Research of the Government of Catalonia.
The BP fellowship programme is open to all researchers, regardless of nationality, with a bottom-up approach in any field of research. Fellows are selected under peer-review through an Open and Transparent Merit-based selection procedure. Besides the scientific research training, researchers receive additional training allowance for transversal skills development. Eligible researchers have from two to seven years of postdoctoral experience and must fulfil the MSCA mobility rule. Exceptions to this rule for candidates with any leave of absence in the research career for reasons such as parental leave, sick, family care leave, military service or refugee science are included.
The main objectives of the BP3 project are:
1. Enabling the transition towards a consolidated research career attracting 120 junior postdoctoral researchers over 5 years, multiplying their skill sets and networks via targeted Career Development Plans.
2. Improving the quality of postdoctoral research training, more targeted to the researchers and societal needs.
3. Enhancing cooperation and knowledge transfer between sectors and disciplines.
4. Enabling outstanding junior researchers from all nationalities to develop their research careers to an advanced and more independent level in a leading research group or institution in Catalonia.
5. Increasing the competitiveness of the Catalan scientific community and, by extension, the European one.
The BP programme is managed by the Agency for Management of Universities and Research Grants (AGAUR), affiliated to the Department of Universities and Research of the Government of Catalonia.
The Beatriu de Pinós (BP3) project has achieved significant milestones in advancing research and supporting talented fellows. The project launched two calls for funding - BP 2018 and BP 2019 - which were extensively promoted through various channels including websites, social media, newsletters, international job portals, and email distribution lists. These calls garnered substantial interest, attracting 561 applications in total. The evaluation process for both calls was conducted with rigor, and transparent peer-review, involving internationally recognized experts. The two calls led to the successful placement of 114 fellows at their selected host institutions under this project. For both cohorts, comprehensive ethical assessments of their research projects were completed and documented.
The project has performed its commitment to provide more targeted training addressed to strengthening fellow's skill sets to collaborate across disciplines and enhance leadership. A comprehensive training plan focusing on transversal skills and competencies has been developed between January 2021 and November 2023, comprising nine training workshops which attracted approximately 300 participants, above those offered by their host institutions. These workshops have been tailored to address fellows' specific common needs according to their Career Development Plans (CDP), helping researchers enhance their career prospects, communication abilities, and research impact. Other support activities comprise Welcome sessions, which were organised in June 2020 and October 2022 and the development of extensive support materials. These include comprehensive guides to perform their projects such as 'Manage your BP Grant' and 'Good practices in research' for host groups, the 'Communication and Dissemination Guide' and support for setting up 'Secondment procedures and collaboration opportunities'.
Various initiatives have been implemented to enhance fellows' communication and outreach activities, including an innovative program involving school students, a dedicated blog, and special events promoting women fellows' careers and networking opportunities. Broader Intersectoral opportunities have been pursued through AGAUR's pilot programme with a focus in public administration, promoting an experience for the practical application of scientific knowledge in policymaking.
The project has established a strong presence through a newly designed website featuring a fresh visual identity for the Beatriu de Pinós programme and supporting fellows' visibility by showcasing researchers' profiles and projects on its website, while an Outreach Blog served as a platform for sharing their research findings. The project activities, workshop outcomes, and success stories have been disseminated through the BP3 project website and other social media channels, ensuring continuous engagement with the scientific community and the public.
The project has performed its commitment to provide more targeted training addressed to strengthening fellow's skill sets to collaborate across disciplines and enhance leadership. A comprehensive training plan focusing on transversal skills and competencies has been developed between January 2021 and November 2023, comprising nine training workshops which attracted approximately 300 participants, above those offered by their host institutions. These workshops have been tailored to address fellows' specific common needs according to their Career Development Plans (CDP), helping researchers enhance their career prospects, communication abilities, and research impact. Other support activities comprise Welcome sessions, which were organised in June 2020 and October 2022 and the development of extensive support materials. These include comprehensive guides to perform their projects such as 'Manage your BP Grant' and 'Good practices in research' for host groups, the 'Communication and Dissemination Guide' and support for setting up 'Secondment procedures and collaboration opportunities'.
Various initiatives have been implemented to enhance fellows' communication and outreach activities, including an innovative program involving school students, a dedicated blog, and special events promoting women fellows' careers and networking opportunities. Broader Intersectoral opportunities have been pursued through AGAUR's pilot programme with a focus in public administration, promoting an experience for the practical application of scientific knowledge in policymaking.
The project has established a strong presence through a newly designed website featuring a fresh visual identity for the Beatriu de Pinós programme and supporting fellows' visibility by showcasing researchers' profiles and projects on its website, while an Outreach Blog served as a platform for sharing their research findings. The project activities, workshop outcomes, and success stories have been disseminated through the BP3 project website and other social media channels, ensuring continuous engagement with the scientific community and the public.
The BP3 postdoctoral fellowship programme has implemented a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to enhancing the career perspectives of granted researchers and fostering their development as independent research leaders. The project has strategically promoted various measures and activities to achieve the expected impact of developing fellows' greater autonomy, promoting leadership skills.
The establishment of sustainable improvements in grant conditions is a cornerstone of the programme, ensuring the competitiveness of the grants and aligning with European standards. A structured Career Development training programme has a direct impact on fellows' career goals, with particular emphasis on developing transversal skills that are valuable across different sectors and roles. Additionally, this fellowship has made significant strides in widening career perspectives by encouraging researchers to explore collaborations with public administration and other international secondment opportunities, allowing researchers to gain experience across different sectors and geographic regions. This approach has helped broaden their professional networks and enhance their understanding of various research and application contexts. The outreach activities also allowed fellows to raise social impact and interest in science among teenagers, with special actions addressed to STEM students and women.
The BP3 programme has contributed to the recognized shortage of postdoctoral researchers in different fields, helping to create a pipeline of highly qualified researchers who can contribute to academic and non-academic sectors. It has a significant regional impact in Catalonia, attracting talent in 38 different host institutions, with an organizational commitment to providing a consistent and high-quality research environment that supports researcher development while maintaining standards for research excellence and career development principles established by the European Union.
The outcomes from the fellowship projects show 133 open access publications, and a high participation of fellows in trainings, conferences, workshops and outreach events, with a strong effort in communication and dissemination activities through press releases and social media.
The establishment of sustainable improvements in grant conditions is a cornerstone of the programme, ensuring the competitiveness of the grants and aligning with European standards. A structured Career Development training programme has a direct impact on fellows' career goals, with particular emphasis on developing transversal skills that are valuable across different sectors and roles. Additionally, this fellowship has made significant strides in widening career perspectives by encouraging researchers to explore collaborations with public administration and other international secondment opportunities, allowing researchers to gain experience across different sectors and geographic regions. This approach has helped broaden their professional networks and enhance their understanding of various research and application contexts. The outreach activities also allowed fellows to raise social impact and interest in science among teenagers, with special actions addressed to STEM students and women.
The BP3 programme has contributed to the recognized shortage of postdoctoral researchers in different fields, helping to create a pipeline of highly qualified researchers who can contribute to academic and non-academic sectors. It has a significant regional impact in Catalonia, attracting talent in 38 different host institutions, with an organizational commitment to providing a consistent and high-quality research environment that supports researcher development while maintaining standards for research excellence and career development principles established by the European Union.
The outcomes from the fellowship projects show 133 open access publications, and a high participation of fellows in trainings, conferences, workshops and outreach events, with a strong effort in communication and dissemination activities through press releases and social media.