Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IFatULB (Individual Fellowships at the Université libre de Bruxelles) Reporting period: 2018-09-01 to 2020-08-31 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project IF@ULB is a European postdoctoral programme, COFUNDed by the Université libre de Bruxelles and the European Commission within the framework of MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE actions (H2020). The programme will enable the Université Libre de Bruxelles to recruit 63 international postdoctoral researchers between 2018 and 2023, in three calls. At each call, IF@ULB will offer 21 positions in one of the ULB research centres. The positions are open to researchers in all fields, according to a bottom up approach. This comprehensive fellowship programme provides excellent Experienced Researchers with the opportunity to conduct frontier research and receive broad training in an environment of scientific excellence, under the supervision of renowned academics, and to benefit from an extensive collaboration network with academic and non-academic institutions. Moreover, researchers recruited in the Programme receive extensive support to maximize the impact of their research by bringing Research & Innovation (including social innovation) results closer to industrial exploitations or societal applications. IF@ULB aims also at communicating the activities of research projects to non-scientific audience and by promoting public engagement. Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far In order to maximise visibility of the project and insure the recruitment of top level researchers, ULB created a dedicated website containing a description of the IF@ULB programme and its objectives and all the information relevant for applicants and potential supervisors. The program and the calls were also advertised through a wide communication campaign. Up to August 31st 2020, 42 fellows have been recruited through two calls. Fellows benefit from an extensive training and career development programme, which responds to the specific needs of postdocs. Activities are offered at the level of both their research unit and the university:• Individual career development support and coaching• Research-based training • Transferable soft skills training Furthermore, support is offered to the fellows needing help to manage, protect and valorise the intellectual property involved in research activities. Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far) Several IF@ULB fellows are developing international collaborations, scientific dialogues, and/or secondments in the framework of their project, thus enhancing the international reach of their host group and opening the path for potential further collaborations. ifulb-0.jpg
