ERS Long term research Fellowships are available to carry out basic, translational or clinical research projects. Fellowship must be undertaken in a (European) country other than the candidate’s own. Fellowships to go outside Europe are also available for European based candidates. ERS Fellowships offer the opportunity for the exchange of a candidate between two groups, from a home unit of origin to a receiving host unit, collaborating with an individual and robust research project, with the aim of learning and applying a research technique not available in the Home Institute. The deadline for submission of applications is 31 January 2015.
Study Subject(s): Fellowships are awarded to support clinical research, translational research, basic science and advanced research.
Course Level: Fellowships are available to conduct research.
Scholarship Provider: European Respiratory Society
Scholarship can be taken at: Foreign European country other than the candidate’s own country (fellowships to go outside Europe are also available for European based candidates)
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( votes)Eligibility: Qualifications & Experience:
-Candidates should be actively engaged in respiratory research/science/practice that is relevant to respiratory medicine; they must possess appropriate scientific, medical and/or professional qualifications and experience according to the specific Fellowship project applied for.
-Applicants must be postgraduates holding a university degree in any field related to respiratory medicine (MD, MSc, PhD, MD-PhD). As a minimum requirement, applicants need to have graduated with an MD, MSc or equivalent at the time of application.
-Postgraduate scientists active in any field related to respiratory science such as immunologists, biologists, geneticists, pharmacologists, biophysicists, chemists, etc. involved in respiratory science, are entitled to apply for an ERS Long-Term Fellowships. As a minimum requirement, applicants should hold a university degree and have graduated with an MSc or equivalent at the time of application.
-Applicants who are qualified healthcare professionals (non-MD) working in respiratory health/medicine (nurses, physiotherapists, respiratory function technologists, allied respiratory professionals, etc.) are entitled to apply for an ERS Long-Term Fellowship. As a minimum requirement, applicants need to have graduated with an MSc or equivalent at the time of application.
-Candidates must have adequate fluency in a language that permits effective communication at the Host Institute.
Age & Career: The ERS does not apply an upper age-limit on candidates. Instead, priority is given to applicants in the early-stage of their research career.
-Geographic location: ERS fellowships promote research in Europe and internationally. All nationalities, European and non-European based candidates are allowed to submit a project for a European country (Turkey and Israel included). The International Fellowship scheme enables Europe-based applicants to submit a proposal for a Host Unit outside of Europe (non-European country).
-ERS membership: Candidates must have an ERS membership when applying for an ERS Long-Term Research Fellowship. Candidates under the age of 35 years old can benefit the free of charge “Under 35 Silver” membership
Scholarship Open for International Students: Citizens of all nationalities can apply for these fellowships.
Scholarship Description: Research Fellowships are established to enable investigators and clinicians in the early stages of their career to carry out basic, translational or clinical research projects and to acquire and apply advanced research procedures and techniques not available in the Home Unit; they must be undertaken in a (European) country other than the candidate’s own. Fellows are encouraged to return to the Home Unit at the end of the Fellowship. Priority is therefore assigned to applications where the appropriate facilities and resources to apply the newly acquired skills are available in the Home Unit. Fellowships to go outside Europe are also available for European based candidates.
Number of award(s): Approximately ten applications are selected annually. Up to two International Fellowships per application round are available for European based scientists going to a country outside Europe.
Duration of award(s): ERS Long-Term Research Fellowships are intended for work periods between 6 and 12 months in a foreign country in Europe. Exception is for the International Research Training Fellowship, which enable Europe-based applicants to go to a non-European country. The research project outlined in the fellowship is to be carried out in a continuous time period and may not be split nor reduced. The fellowship is to be carried out in a full time basis (100% working time appointment at the Host Unit dedicated to work on the suggested fellowship research project). The Fellows may not be engaged in any paid or salaried activities other than those related to the ERS research project during the course of their fellowship.
What does it cover? The grant amounts are indicated per month in EURO (depending on the host country), pending that the Fellow does not receive other sources of income (salary, funding, travel grant, etc.). A fixed amount is calculated by the ERS for the fellowship at the beginning of the research project. The fellowship provides a subsistence allowance to cover the Fellow’s living costs and a flat rate for travelling expenses to the Host Unit. The total ERS grant amount cover travel (lump sum) and accommodation costs and should be sufficient for living costs during the fellowship. Therefore only subsistence rates are supported by the ERS grant. The ERS fellowship does not cover any other expense during the stay at the Host Unit (country). A one off travel flat rate of €200 will be granted for distances between Host and Home Unit below 5,000km. For distances above 5,000km the one off travel flat rate will be €700.
Selection Criteria: Experts evaluate and grade applications based on the following criteria:
-Scientific merit of candidate
-Relevance & innovativeness of the project (originality/innovativeness, relevance to the respiratory field and added value to research, relation to the previous background and relevance to the career development, qualifications, news value)
-Quality of research project (needs, aims, objectives, hypothesis, methodology, workplan with schedule/timelines, deliverables, milestones, realistic timeframe, etc.
-Quality of Host Supervisor/unit for the project
-Quality of Home Unit and research plan upon return (applies only to fellowships with a mandatory return to the Home Unit, or for onsite continuation/extension): quality of research project/development plan upon return, availability of funds/facilities/resources to implement research developments back, projected value/benefits for the Home Institute, added value and feasibility of the transfer of the newly acquired research skills back, etc.
-For the ERS PAH Fellowships Programme supported by an unrestricted grant by GSK detail of eventual clinical training that will be attended, associated and relevant to the research project’s needs should be outlined too.
-The realism and feasibility for achieving the project within the set time period (6-12 months) is particularly important.
-During the interview, experts will question the candidates about the rationale and different aspects cited in 3.2.c. During interviews, experts will evaluate soft skills competencies such as communication, leadership, etc.
Notification: Applicants can usually expect a decision as from the second week of May.
How to Apply: Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted in English and online.
Scholarship Application Deadline: The deadline for submission of applications is 31 January 2015.
