We are pleased to announce two new winners in the MOZART international bilateral call for Polish-Austrian research projects carried out jointly with the Austrian Science Fund (Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, FWF). The winners are Dr Tomasz Goliński from the University of Białystok and Prof. Dr hab. Jerzy Kochanowski from the University of Warsaw.

Ranking list

The project of Dr Tomasz Goliński, entitled Banach Poisson-Lie groups and integrable systems, will receive a total of 198,169 PLN in funding and will analyse Poisson structures and new integrable systems related to the Sato Grassmannian with the use of advanced geometry tools. Previous results in the area have revealed some interested structures and a hierarchy of integrable equations; further research will allow better understanding of the geometry and finding new connections to other known problems. The other winner, Prof. Dr hab. Jerzy Kochanowski, was awarded 906,905 PLN for the implementation of A Chink in the System. “Polonia” Companies in 1976-1994. The research will consist of five smaller projects using the tools of social, economic and cultural history to discuss the social and economic consequences of so-called “Polonia” (Polish Diaspora) companies, against the backdrop of the accelerating processes of socialist globalization, economic transformation and social stratification in the final decades of real socialism.

We would also like to remind you that the first winner was Dr hab. Karol Nartowski from the Wroclaw Medical University. You can find more about the project he will carry out under the MOZART call here.

Grants awarded under the scheme can go toward the costs of remuneration for the research team, including scholarships for under- and post-graduate students, the purchase or manufacturing of research equipment and for other costs crucial to the research project. With a total budget of 5.5 million PLN, the call was targeted at Polish research teams working with Austrian partners. To qualify as a principal investigator in a MOZART project, applicants need to hold at least a PhD degree; the project must take 24 or 36 months to complete. The merit-based evaluation of submitted proposals is based on guidelines adopted by the FWF. The terms and conditions of the call set by the FWF can be found in the documents of the “Stand-Alone Projects” programme, and, in the case of clinical trials, in “Programme Clinical Research” (KLIF).

The MOZART call was carried out pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure (“LAP”) and proposals were accepted on an ongoing basis until 21 February 2020. The results are announced within 12 months from the submission of the NCN proposal, which means that successive ranking lists will be gradually published here.

The results of the eighth ETIUDA call are now in. The National Science Centre will fund 84 scholarships for PhD students who carry out basic research at the outset of their academic careers.

Ranking list

ETIUDA is addressed at individuals who are doctoral school students or have initiated PhD dissertation proceedings at a Polish research or institution authorised to award PhD degrees. 448 young PhD students submitted proposals in the eighth edition of the call and 84 were awarded funding, which gives a success rate of 18.75%. Early stage researchers will receive scholarships of PLN 5,000 per month for as long as they work on their PhD dissertation and complete a 3- to 6-month fellowship at a foreign research institution of their choice. The amount awarded to cover foreign living expenses equals PLN 12,000 per month, multiplied by the correction rate for a given country; in addition, up to PLN 10,000 can be awarded for travel expenses. Early stage researchers will thus receive a total of PLN 10,112,948.

Funding under the ETIUDA 8 call was available to researchers from different disciplines, divided into three basic domains: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Physical Sciences and Engineering; and Life Sciences. The proposals were subject to an eligibility check and merit-based evaluation by scientific coordinators and expert teams. The final verdict depended on the following criteria: compliance with the basic research criterion, the quality of research or tasks, research achievements of the applicant and appropriate choice of the foreign fellowship location as well as the development of the proposal, merit-based review and interview.

ETIUDA 8 researchers must earn their PhD degree within 12 months of the scholarship end date and not earlier than 6 months from the scholarship start date. The foreign fellowship should be completed during the period in which the scholarship is collected or within a year from its end. The funding of the PhD scholarship will start on 1 October 2020.

You can find the ranking list of ETIUDA 8 here.

In relation to the NCN’s decision to adopt the Policy of Open Access to publications resulting from research projects funded or co-funded by the National Science Centre (hereinafter referred to as the “Policy”), we wish to inform you that drawing up a Rights Retention Strategy by the members of the cOAlition S was the next step in the implementation of Plan S.

The strategy is designed to safeguard researchers’ intellectual property rights to publications and allow authors to retain the right to decide to publish their research results without the time embargo imposed by the publisher.

One of the three publication paths compliant with the provisions of Plan S and the Policy involves publication of research results in open-access repositories where, as a minimum requirement, the author must submit the Author Accepted Manuscript with a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence at the time of publication in a closed-access journal. The Rights Retention Strategy is geared specifically toward protecting the authors’ right to publish their manuscripts in open-access repositories based on a CC BY licence.

Today, the members of cOAlition S sent out a letter informing publishers of the Rights Retention Strategy adopted by research-funding agencies and calling upon them to respond to these new conditions, which contradict their normal publishing policy.

The letter to publishers, the details of the Strategy, and the FAQ can be found here.

The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) encourages scientists who could support the fight against the coronavirus to return to Poland. They can expect attractive remuneration funded by NAWA as well as a starting grant from the National Science Centre (NCN) in Poland.

The efforts of numerous research teams around the world focus on developing a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 or inventing successful ways of treating the infected. In addition, researchers specialising in various scientific domains try to find solutions which will lessen the social and economic consequences of the pandemic. In response to the challenges related to COVID-19, the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) is announcing a dedicated call for applications under the programme Polish Returns 2020 – COVID-19 edition.

‘The entire world today is looking to scientists with hope that they will stop the COVID-19 pandemic,’ says Prof. Wojciech Maksymowicz, deputy minister of science and higher education. ‘The health crisis we are currently witnessing affects almost all areas of social and economic life. We must concentrate all our efforts to combat it. For that purpose, we need doctors, outstanding scientists. In the past years, medical doctors chiefly left Poland. We are taking another measure to reverse this process. We should remedy the shortages in health care by looking to our own people who had left. This programme is the first step in the right direction. I can say that we are working on the next ones,’ the deputy minister adds.

The call for applications in the special edition of the Polish Returns programme is directed at scientists of Polish origin who work abroad and whose research can help broaden our knowledge of and find a solution to the vital problems caused by the COVID-19 epidemic and its consequences.

‘The aim of this action is primarily to bring back scientists in the areas of medicine, pharmaceutics, broadly defined biomedical sciences and health sciences. This human capital is extremely valuable at the moment and we must take action to bring these people back,’ says Dr. Grażyna Żebrowska, Director General of NAWA.

The programme offers funds for: remuneration for the returning scientist, remuneration for the members of the project group, and resettlement costs. Also the costs of adaptation and organisation of the workplace and preparation of research facilities are eligible for funding.

In addition, the National Science Centre (NCN) in Poland covers the costs of fundamental research in the form of the so called research component. This funding takes the form of a starting grant, which enables the scientist to launch their research right after their arrival.

‘I am happy about the developing cooperation between NAWA and the NCN. This is yet another programme in which the two agencies have joined forces. Thanks to the Polish Returns, experienced researchers will come back from abroad. Their return can not only help expand our knowledge of COVID-19 and help fight the coronavirus, but also strengthen Polish science in the areas in which it is most needed. It will boost the diversity, the degree of internationalisation and the mobility of research teams at Polish universities and research institutes,’ says NCN Director Prof. Zbigniew Błocki.

Under the Polish Returns 2020 – COVID-19 edition, NAWA finances projects that will last between 3 and 4 years with a maximum amount of PLN 2,270,000 per project if the project does not involve the so called research component. Otherwise, i.e. if the project does include the so called research component, the maximum amount of the grant is PLN 2,220,000 from NAWA’s resources and PLN 200,000 from NCN’s resources.

The objective of the Polish Returns programme is to enable Polish scientists to return to their home country and take up employment at Polish higher education institutions, scientific units or research institutes. The programme offers the returning scientists optimal conditions to carry out world-class research or developmental work in Poland. The funds obtained under the Polish Returns programme cover the salary of the returning scientist and the costs of establishing a project group (research team). Thanks to the programme, Polish universities and scientific institutions gain experts with international experience and expertise in the area of the newest research trends.

So far, NAWA has launched three editions of the Polish Returns programme (the evaluation of the applications in the third edition is currently in progress). 40 scientists have launched or will launch their research projects at Polish universities and institutes in the years 2018–2020 under the Polish Returns programme. These researchers have returned from among others American, British, French, Danish, Spanish, German, Austrian, Swiss, Japanese, Singaporean and South Korean academic and research institutions. They do research among others in Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kraków, Poznań, Wrocław and Szczecin.

Applications under the Polish Returns 2020 – COVID-19 edition may be submitted by universities and other scientific institutions that are planning to employ a returning scientist.

Applications under the programme can be submitted from 15 July 2020 until 31 August 2020. They may be submitted solely through NAWA’s electronic application submission system.

Projects under the Polish Returns 2020 – COVID-19 edition have to begin: no earlier than on 1 January 2021 and no later than on 30 September 2021.

The announcement of the call for applications as well as other documents can be found HERE  (Polish language)

On 15 September 2020, we are going to launch the OPUS 20 call, open to researchers at all stages of their academic careers, who are planning:

OPUS 20 +LAP announcement

• research projects without the participation of foreign partners;

EXAMPLE: a research project carried out by a research team affiliated with a Polish university;

• research projects implemented by Polish research teams with the use of large international research equipment;

EXAMPLE: a research project carried out by a research team affiliated with a Polish university, using data from the Gaia space mission launched by the European Space Agency in 2013.

• research projects with the participation of foreign partners that are not applying for funding for that purpose within the framework of programmes launched by partner institutions and organised in cooperation with the NCN pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure (however, the foreign teams may apply for funding under other research-funding programmes that are not co-organised by the NCN pursuant to the LAP);

EXAMPLE: a research project carried out by a team affiliated with a Polish university (applying for NCN funding for the Polish part of the research project) with the participation of Spanish partners, who independently seek funding for the Spanish part of the research project from other sources;

• research projects within the framework of LAP cooperation, i.e. with foreign research teams that apply for funding to their relevant research-funding agencies under programmes organised in partnership with the NCN pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure;

EXAMPLE: a research project carried out by a research team affiliated with a Polish university (applying for NCN funding for the Polish part of the research project) in cooperation with a German research team applying to the DFG within the framework of a LAP partnership between the NCN and the DFG;

• research projects within the framework of LAP, with the participation of foreign partners who are not applying for funding under programmes announced by partner institutions, organised in cooperation with the NCN pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure;

EXAMPLE: a research project carried out by a research team affiliated with a Polish university (applying for NCN funding for the Polish part of the project) in partnership with a German research team applying DFG funding, within the framework of the LAP cooperation between the NCN and the DFG, as well as with Spanish partners independently applying for funding for the Spanish part of the project from other sources.

LAP – Lead Agency Procedure

The Lead Agency Procedure (LAP) is a new proposal review standard adopted by European research-funding agencies, designed to make it easier for international research teams to seek funding for joint research projects, as well as to streamline the process of proposal review by research-funding institutions. The procedure rests on the following key principles:

• the use of domestic calls carried out by partner agencies to perform merit-based evaluation not only of domestic, but also bilateral and multilateral proposals, which compete on equal terms with national proposals;
• a basis of trust in the quality of peer review among agencies undertaking such cooperation. This allows for funding proposals for joint projects that involve at least two research teams from different countries to be reviewed only at one institution, known as the lead agency, relevant to one of the teams, under a scheme from its regular call portfolio. The results of merit-based evaluation performed by the lead agency are approved by all the other institutions, which then award funding to research projects recommended for funding in the course of such evaluation.

LAP cooperation under the OPUS 20 call

In the case of OPUS 20, the LAP cooperation relies on cooperation agreements between the NCN and the following partner institutions:

• FWF – Austrian Science Fund;
• GAČR – Czech Science Foundation;
• ARRS – Slovenian Research Agency;
• DFG – German Research Foundation;
• SNSF – Swiss National Science Foundation.

Pursuant to the cooperation agreements, the NCN as the lead agency under OPUS 20 will perform the merit-based evaluation of OPUS LAP proposals for research projects to be carried out by research teams from Poland, as well as the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Germany or Switzerland.

If the research project is recommended for funding, the NCN will provide funds for the Polish research team, while the partner institutions (FWF, GAČR, ARRS, DFG or SNSF) will fund the foreign partner teams.

PLEASE NOTE: The OPUS 20 call is also open to proposals (including OPUS LAP proposals) carried out with partners from foreign research institutions, who do not apply for funding to the FWF, GAČR, ARRS, DFG or SNSF within the framework of programmes organised in cooperation with the NCN pursuant to the Lead Agency Procedure. For these proposals, the foreign research teams need to obtain funding from other sources.

International cooperation is not obligatory under the OPUS 20 call and proposals submitted together with foreign partners will not be given preferential treatment over those that do not involve such partnerships.

How to submit an OPUS LAP proposal under the OPUS 20 call?

OPUS 20 is also open to funding proposals submitted within the framework of the LAP cooperation (hereinafter referred to as OPUS-LAP proposals):

• bilateral or trilateral cooperation between a Polish research team and teams from Austria, Slovenia or the Czech Republic (under the Central European Science Partnership – CEUS), in all research disciplines, whereas the Polish research team must apply to the NCN:

• for at least 40% of the total project budget, as outlined in the budget table (applies to bilateral projects)

or

• for at least 25% of the total project budget, as outlined in the budget table (applies to trilateral projects);

PLEASE NOTE (1) If a proposal under OPUS LAP is submitted to the NCN as the lead agency and the above conditions are not met, the proposal will be rejected by the NCN and the partner institutions relevant for the foreign teams involved in the project on the grounds that it does not meet the eligibility criteria.

PLEASE NOTE (2): At the NCN, calls for proposals involving projects to be carried out as bilateral or trilateral cooperation by research teams from Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia, where FWF, GAČR or ARRS act as the lead agency, are launched within the framework of the CEUS-UNISONO call.

• bilateral cooperation between research teams from Poland and Germany only in the field of Life Sciences and Physical Sciences and Engineering;
• bilateral cooperation between research teams from Poland and Switzerland – in all research disciplines.

The OPUS 20 call accepts OPUS LAP proposals:

• drafted by the Polish research teams in cooperation with foreign teams, in compliance with the requirements outlined in the OPUS 20 call announcement, which will be published on the NCN website on 15 September 2020;
• involving basic research that has not been funded by the NCN or from other sources;
• based on an equal and complementary contribution by all research teams. This is to say that the contribution of each team involved in the project must be significant and necessary and their respective tasks should complement one another to create a coherent joint research project. Any OPUS LAP proposal deemed by the Expert Team not to meet this requirement will not be eligible for funding.

In accordance with the requirements specified in the OPUS call announcement, the OPUS LAP proposal drafted by a Polish research team in cooperation with foreign research teams must be submitted to the NCN by the Polish research team via the ZSUN/OSF submission system available at: https://osf.opi.org.pl, by 15 December 2020, 4 p.m..

In addition, each foreign research team involved in the project must submit a funding proposal to the relevant research-funding agency, including a set of required documents, before the deadline and in accordance with the terms and conditions; the proposals are submitted by:

• Austrian research teams – to the FWF;
• Czech research teams – to the GAČR;
• Slovenian research teams – to the ARRS;
• German research teams – to the DFG;
• Swiss research teams – to the SNSF.

If the partner institution requires applicants to submit a copy of the OPUS LAP proposal, a complete English language version of the OPUS LAP proposal in PDF format must be generated in the ZSUN/OSF submission system and sent to the foreign research team.

PLEASE NOTE: OPUS LAP proposals submitted to the NCN must be the same as the one submitted to the partner institution.

More information:

Guidelines for the Polish research teams submitting proposals under OPUS LAP (draft version – to be updated on 15 September 2020)

NCN Contact Persons:

Scientific Coordinator:

Dr inż. Ewelina Szymańska-Skolimowska

e-mail:Ewelina.Szymanska-Skolimowska@ncn.gov.pl

General inquiries

Dr Magdalena Godowska

e-mail: Magdalena.Godowska@ncn.gov.pl                                  

Magdalena Dobrzańska-Bzowska

e-mail: Magdalena.Dobrzanska-Bzowska@ncn.gov.pl

Following up on their previous three successful rounds, the National Science Centre (NCN) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) continue their cooperation by launching joint funding initiatives for Polish-German research projects, now covering all fields of science and the humanities.

OPUS 20 +LAP announcement

BEETHOVEN CLASSIC 4 announcement 

For joint projects in the humanities and social sciences:

The “Beethoven CLASSIC 4” call will be a continuation of the “Beethoven CLASSIC 3” call with a joint peer review and selection process. It is open to research in the Humanities and Social sciences. This corresponds to the subject areas covered by

• DFG review boards/Fachkollegien
  • 101-113. Proposals in subject 317-02 are accepted if they have a clear humanities and social sciences focus.  

• and NCN panels
  • HS1- HS6.

For joint projects in life sciences, physical sciences and engineering:

Polish-German joint proposals in life sciences, physical sciences and engineering should be submitted to the NCN OPUS scheme and will be administered in accordance with the principles of the Lead Agency Procedure (NCN OPUS LAP). The NCN will act as the lead agency, i.e. assessment of all applications will be made by the NCN according to its rules for the OPUS scheme. The coverage of this initiative corresponds to the subject areas covered by

• DFG review boards 201-207, 307-318, 321-327, 401-410

(Proposals in subject 317-02 with a clear humanities and social sciences focus must be submitted to Beethoven Classic 4).

• and NCN panels ST1 – ST10 and NZ1-NZ9.

The aims of the joint funding initiative calls are:

• to support research in the above-named disciplines carried out by Polish-German teams;
• to strengthen cooperation between Polish and German researchers in basic (knowledge-oriented) research.

Proposals for research projects in the above-listed disciplines must be written in English and submitted by joint Polish-German research teams. The duration of the projects must be either 24 or 36 months.

The National Science Centre (NCN) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) will launch “Beethoven CLASSIC 4” on 15 September 2020.

The NCN OPUS LAP scheme open to Polish-German joint proposals in life sciences, physical sciences and engineering will be launched on 15 September 2020.

Information for German applicants in NCN OPUS LAP: On the German side of the proposal only one applicant/principal investigator (PI) is eligible per proposal. Other German researchers can collaborate with the PI but will not receive funding from DFG. Please note that a duty to cooperate (https://www.dfg.de/formulare/55_01/) applies to this call, therefore, researchers that must comply with these regulations are not eligible as PIs in the present call.

The submission deadline for proposals under “Beethoven CLASSIC 4” and the NCN OPUS LAP scheme will be on 15 December 2020. Further information will be made available on 15 September 2020 on the websites of both agencies.

Contact persons at DFG:

Beethoven  CLASSIC 4 Humanities and Social Sciences:

Humanities:

• Dr. Niklas Hebing,
  phone: +49 228 885-2949,
  niklas.hebing@dfg.de

Social Sciences:

• Dr. Tanja Kollei,
  phone: +49 228 885-2321,
  tanja.kollei@dfg.de

NCN OPUS LAP

Life Sciences:

• Dr. Katharina Hartmann,

phone: +49 228 885-2342,

k.hartmann@dfg.de

Natural Sciences and Engineering Sciences:

• Dr. Ilka Paulus,
  phone: +49 228 885-2021,
  ilka.paulus@dfg.de

General inquiries on cooperation with Poland:

• Dr. Annina Lottermann,
  International Affairs,
  phone: +49 228 885-2802,
  annina.lottermann@dfg.de

Contact persons at NCN:

Beethoven CLASSIC 4 Humanities and Social Sciences:

• Dr Małgorzata Jacobs

Phone: +48 12 341 9173

malgorzata.jacobs@ncn.gov.pl

NCN OPUS LAP

• Dr. Eng. Ewelina Szymańska-Skolimowska

Phone: +48 12 341 9155

ewelina.szymanska-skolimowska@ncn.gov.pl

General inquiries:

• Mrs. Magdalena Dobrzańska-Bzowska

Phone: +48 12 341 9094

magdalena.dobrzanska-bzowska@ncn.gov.pl

• Dr Magdalena Godowska

Phone: +48 12 341 9016

Magdalena.godowska@ncn.gov.pl

The first results are in for the MOZART international bilateral call for Polish-Austrian research projects, organised in cooperation with the Austrian Science Fund (Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, FWF).

Ranking list

The first winner is Dr hab. Karol Nartowski from the Wroclaw Medical University. His project, entitled Cocrystal Polymorphism in Theory and Experiment, will receive a total of more than a million PLN in funding. The research is to be conducted in partnership with Priv.-Doz. Dr. Doris E. Braun from the University of Innsbruck. The cooperation of Polish and Austrian researchers within the framework of the project will help achieve a comprehensive understanding of cocrystal formation both in theory and through experimental synthesis, as well as determine the properties of the structures obtained. The results will be used do draw up controlled screening guidelines for cocrystals and their polymorphs.

The grant awarded under the scheme can go toward the costs of remuneration for the research team, including scholarships for under- and post-graduate students, purchase or manufacturing of research equipment and for other costs crucial to the research project. With a total budget of 5.5 million PLN, the call was targeted at Polish research teams working with Austrian partners. To qualify as a principal investigator in a MAESTRO project, applicants need to hold at least a PhD degree; the project must take 24 or 36 months. The merit-based evaluation of submitted proposals is based on guidelines adopted by the FWF. The terms and conditions of the call set by the FWF can be found in the documents of the “Stand-Alone Projects” programme and, in the case of clinical trials, in “Programme Clinical Research” (KLIF).

The MOZART call was held in accordance with the Lead Agency Procedure (“LAP”) and proposals were accepted on an ongoing basis until 21 February 2020. The results are announced within 12 months from the submission of the NCN proposal, which means that successive ranking lists will be gradually published here.

Experienced researchers, scientists who wish to establish new research teams, and those planning to carry out a project in cooperation with Lithuanian partners – these are the addressees of the recently announced MAESTRO 12, SONATA BIS 10 and DAINA 2 calls with a total budget of 180 million PLN.

DAINA is a joint initiative of the National Science Centre and the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), targeted at Polish research teams that wish to submit a research proposal together with a Lithuanian partner. They will be eligible to receive funding for salaries, including scholarsips for students and PhD students, purchase or manufacturing of research equipment, as well as other costs related to the Polish part of the project. The total budget slated for Polish research teams equals 10 million PLN,

“DAINA 2 involves a parallel review process, which means that the NCN and the RCL will both conduct a parallel eligibility check and merit-based evaluation, and only projects recommended by both agencies will qualify for funding”, says Professor Zbigniew Błocki, NCN Director, “The first edition of the call attracted a lot of interest and confirmed that there is a demand for initiatives that aim to strengthen the Polish and Lithuanian research potential and develop Polish-Lithuanian research cooperation”, he adds.

June is also traditionally a month when the MAESTRO and SONATA BIS calls are announced. The former is open to advanced researchers who wish to conduct pioneering, sometimes interdisciplinary, research that goes beyond the current state of our knowledge. To qualify as a principal investigator in a MAESTRO project, applicants must be at least PhD holders with papers published in renowned Polish and/or foreign academic press/ journals in the last 10 years. In addition, they are expected to have carried out at least two other research projects selected within NCN or international calls for proposals. The MAESTRO call is entering its twelfth edition and has a total budget of 20 million PLN.

SONATA BIS is targeted at researchers with a PhD degree earned 5 to 12 years prior to the submission of the proposal. The objective of the call is to support the establishment of new research teams to conduct basic research. The funding can go toward the costs of research team salaries, including scholarships for students and PhD students, purchase or manufacturing of research equipment, as well as other necessary project expenses. The total budget of SONATA BIS 10 is 150 million PLN.

Proposals in all three calls must be submitted via the OSF system by 4 pm on 15 September 2020. Detailed information can be found on the website of the National Science Centre.

The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange announces a new programme – NAWA Chair. The programme offers universities and other scientific institutions a long-term financial package from NAWA that will cover the stay of a foreign scientist of world renown as well as funding for fundamental research, which will be financed by the National Science Centre.

The objective of the NAWA Chair programme is to support outstanding scientific and research as well as teaching activity of Polish academic and scientific entities.

‘The prestigious grants awarded under the NAWA Chair programme will be a form of supporting the strategy of internationalising Polish higher education and science by means of a long-term financial package,’ explains Prof. Wojciech Maksymowicz, deputy minister of science and higher education. ‘A long-lasting effect of participating in the programme will be establishing a research team whose scientific and teaching achievements will greatly increase the renown of Polish entities and the scientific disciplines they represent at home and abroad,’ the minister adds.

The first edition of the programme is directed at higher education institutions and other scientific entities which carry out research in the areas of humanities as well as social and theological sciences. The next editions of the programme in the following years will be dedicated to other scientific disciplines.

‘NAWA’s new programme makes it possible to invite to Poland world-class foreign scientists who work in the relevant disciplines. They will be hired as guest professors for a period between three and four years. In this time, as outstanding scientists they can become the hearts of strong scientific teams, do breakthrough research and help the entities apply for international grants,’ says NAWA Director Dr Grażyna Żebrowska.

A grant funded by NAWA can amount to as much as PLN 3 mln. It will cover the costs of the guest professor’s and their research teams’ remuneration as well as the professor’s mobility expenses. In addition, higher education establishments and other scientific institutions can apply for funds for fundamental research from the National Science Centre (NCN) in the form of the so called research component.

‘Analyses of the efficiency of similar programmes in Europe indicate quite clearly that it is crucial to enable the incoming scientists to begin research work as soon as possible after their arrival,’ says Prof. Małgorzata Kossowska, president of the NCN Council. ‘Of course we expect that the scientists will obtain funds for research through regular Polish and foreign grants. We are aware, however, that this will take considerable time. That is why we have decided to finance the ‘starting package’, which enables the teams to commence intense research works right away,’ Prof. Kossowska adds.

Applications under the programme can be submitted from 1 June 2020 until 31 July 2020. They may be submitted solely through NAWA’s electronic application submission system.

Projects under the programme have to begin: no earlier than on 1 February 2021 and no later than on 31 October 2021.

The announcement of the call for applications as well as other documents can be found here. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) carefully monitors the situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions on mobility between states. If any projects cannot be completed within the planned time limits, NAWA will adjust their schedules to the current situation, taking into account the safety of NAWA beneficiaries as well as Polish citizens.

We wish to invite you to a webinar on the rules of submitting grant applications and completing projects under the NAWA Chair programme. The webinar will be held on 9 June 2020 from 2 to 3 p.m. (Polish language)

Registration LINK