Call for applications no 16/2019 of 21.03.2019

Pursuant to Article 19(1) of the Act of 7 July 2017 on the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 1530, as amended) The Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange announces the call for applications to participate in the Professor Franciszek Walczak Programme.

Aim of the Programme

The aim of the Programme is to strengthen the potential of Polish scientific units and medical entities by supporting the international mobility of researchers in the fields of cardiology, oncology, allergology and infectious diseases. The Programme offers visits lasting between 3 to 6 months, with destinations being the best medical institutions located in the United States of America. Persons carrying out projects under the Programme will have an opportunity for scientific and professional development, as well as to gain valuable experience by working with the international scientific community in the field of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, tumours, allergies and infectious diseases, which in turn will contribute to the improvement of medical care in Poland.

The programme provides funding for the scholarship covering the scholarship holder’s living allowance related to the scientist's stay in a foreign host institution in the amount of PLN 12,000 paid for each month of stay in the said institution, as well as a one-off mobility allowance in the amount of PLN 10,000.

The Programme was commissioned to the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange by the Minister of Health pursuant to Article 2(5) of the Act on NAWA, who also secured funding for the aforementioned goal.

Thematic scope of activities implemented under the Programme

The Programme’s framework entails conducting visits whose purpose is to:

• conduct scientific research or development work (developing a new solution or improving an existing one);
• gain new professional and scientific experience, become acquainted with good practices and new methods of work used in the host institution (job-shadowing);
• gather materials for a scientific publication;
• other forms of scientific or academic activity.

Eligible applicants

The following individuals may apply for participation in the Programme:

• scientists holding at least a doctoral degree, at the moment of submitting their application employed, based on an employment contract or a civil law contract, at a Polish HEI, scientific institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, research institute, international scientific institute or another entity whose core activities are scientific, conducted independently and without interruption and who holds a scientific category, or at a medical entity

or

• doctoral students referred to in Article 2(1)(18) letter l) of the Act of 27 July 2005 – Law on higher education (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 2183, as amended) in connection with Article 279 (1) of the Act of 3 July 2018 - regulations implementing the Act - Law on higher education and science (Journal of Laws, item 1669 as amended), who have started the registration and conferment procedure for a doctoral degree no longer than 3 years ago as of the application submission date, at a Polish HEI, scientific institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, research institute or international research institute

or

• persons working on their doctoral dissertation, who, as of the end date of the call for applications have started the registration and conferment procedure for a doctoral degree no longer than 3 years ago and are employed, based on an employment contract, at a Polish HEI, scientific institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, research institute, international scientific institute or another entity whose core activities are scientific, conducted independently and without interruption and who holds a scientific category.

holding an invitation from the host institution and documented academic pedigree.

The Programme is addressed to scientists involved in research in the field of oncology, cardiology, allergology or infectious diseases, who have an expert command of the English language. Host institution may be located exclusively in the United States of America.

One Applicant may submit only one application for financing in a given call for applications under the Programme, covering a visit to one host institution. The Applicant shall be eligible for one time participation in the Programme.

Project implementation timeline

The project may be implemented for a period of 3 to 6 months, while the visit cannot commence earlier than on 15 October 2019 nor later than on 15 April 2020.

Date and form of submitting applications

The call for applications under the Programme will be conducted from 21 March to 20 May 2019 15:00 Central European Time (UTC+01:00) only in electronic form via the Agency’s ICT system. Submitting the application is possible following the registration in the system at: https://programs.nawa.gov.pl.

The application and its annexes shall be drawn up in English. With the exception of the following:

• copies of the Applicant’s most important publications (in their original language);
• a document confirming the possession of a degree or title (in Polish or English, as well as Latin in the case of a diploma)
• document confirming the start of the registration and conferment procedure for a doctoral degree (in Polish or English);
• document confirming the Applicant’s status as a doctoral student (in Polish or English);
• certificate confirming employment and its form in the parent entity (in Polish or English);
• document certifying that the institution is an organisation conducting research and disseminating knowledge within the meaning of Article 2(83) of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty, e.g. statutes - should the Applicant be employed by another entity whose core activities are scientific, conducted independently and without interruption referred to in Article 7(1) (8) of the Act on higher education and science and holding a scientific category(in Polish or English).

The Regulations of the Programme

Template of the application

Template of the agreement

Attachment to the Agreement: template of the final report

Attachment to the Agreement: evaluation questionnaire

Funding allocated to the implementation of the Programme

PLN 1,920,000