Fellows of the Fulbright Senior Award programme, organised by the Polish-American Fulbright Committee, will now be able to continue working with their US colleagues after their return to Poland thanks to NCN funding, as per an agreement reached between the two institutions.
“We have created this joint programme to facilitate cooperation between researchers working in Poland and their colleagues in the United States”, said Dr Marcin Liana, Deputy NCN Director.
The framework agreement was signed in December last year. Under its terms, the NCN and the Fulbright Committee have agreed to launch joint initiatives to support research and international cooperation and work hand in hand to internationalise and promote Polish science. The first tangible product of the programme is the Fulbright Senior Award, scheduled to begin taking in proposals on 8 February 2024.
The Fulbright Senior Award programme allows researchers employed at Polish academic and research institutions to pursue independent research or research and teaching projects at US institutions. It is open to PhD holders at all career levels and from any discipline. They may spend from three to ten months at their host institution in the US.
The 2025/2026 academic year selection board will consist of experts appointed by the NCN; fellows will also be eligible to receive NCN funding to continue their research cooperation with their American peers once they return to Poland.
Research grants will go to ten researchers whose projects fall within the domain of basic research. Funding must be devoted to research activities directly related to the project. The grant can go toward funding, e.g. materials and small equipment, seminar fees and two-way travel costs for researchers involved in the research component.
It was the Fulbright Committee that came forward with the offer. “It can often be a challenge to maintain and develop Trans-Atlantic cooperation. Thanks to our programme with the NCN, many of our fellows will get the tools they need to continue working with their American partners”, stressed Justyna Janiszewska, Executive Director at the Polish-American Fulbright Committee.
The maximum budget the NCN has set aside for the programme is two million zlotys. Projects can take up to one year and a half from the moment the NCN signs a relevant agreement with the host institution. The maximum amount that can be awarded to any single project is 200 thousand zlotys.
“For the NCN, this programme is important, because it supports the international activities of Polish researchers. We already have projects with our American counterpart, i.e. the National Science Foundation, and the joint programme with the Fulbright Committee further reinforces our cooperation with the US”, added Dr Marcin Liana.
The intake of proposals under the Fulbright Senior Award programme will start on February 2024 and continue until 5 June. The results will be announced in January 2025.
The detailed terms and conditions of the programme will be published on the official website of the Polish-American Fulbright Committee.