Based on Article 19 section 1 of the Act on the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange of 7 July 2017, the Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange announces the call for proposals for participation in POLONISTA – scholarship and fellowship Programme (hereinafter "the Programme").

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR SCIENTISTS

The objective of the Programme is to popularise the Polish language, to popularise Polish studies and research in the world, and to strengthen and support the development of foreign academic centres that conduct such studies and research. The Programme supports the academic mobility of researchers and academic teachers - specialists in the Polish language, Polish culture, literature, history, and art.

Deadline for submitting the application

The call for proposals shall be conducted until 28 April 2023, 15:00:00 local time (Warsaw)

Form of submitting the application

Only in electronic form in the Agency's ICT system, //FILL IN THE APPLICATION //

Language of the application

The application should be drafted in Polish or English

The maximum number of applications which may be submitted by the Applicant

1 application

1.      Inbound offer

Under the Programme, scientists (researchers) from foreign academic and research centres may conduct research projects lasting from 3 to 12 months at Polish universities and scientific institutions. The objective of the projects may include conducting scientific research (including in cooperation with Polish scientists), obtaining research materials or scientific publications, completing postdoctoral internship, conducting didactic classes in the Host Institution, intensive learning of the Polish language.

The POLONISTA Programme Scholarship is open to Applicants whose research projects are related to topics in the Polish language, Polish language glottodidactics, literary studies, comparative studies, Polish culture, art, or history.

In the course of the call for proposals, applicants have to present a certificate from the Host Institution confirming its readiness to admit the NAWA Fellowship Holder.

2.    Outbound offer

The programme also enables Polish scholars and academic teachers to  coundact  research, teaching or joint work projects on the preparation of grant applications in foreign academic centres that offer Polish studies or Slavonic studies with Polish at least at the Bachelor's level. Applicants may apply for a grant for projects lasting between 3 and 12 months.

The Programme is open to projects aimed at strengthening and expanding the activities of academic centres offering studies in Polish studies, Polish philology, and Slavonic studies in Polish.

1.    Inbound offer

Applicants who meet the following criteria shall be eligible to apply for the fellowship of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange:

1.             are scientists whose subject of research is the Polish language, Polish literature, art,  culture, or history;

2.             have at least an academic doctoral degree (PhD);

3.             are employed at a foreign university or research centre;

                4.              have obtained a certificate from the Host Institution, which is an institution of the Polish system of science and higher education belonging to one of the following categories:

1)             universities referred to in art. 7 section 1 point 1 of the Act of 20 July 2018 the Higher Education and Science Law;

2)             scientific institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences operating under the Act of 30 April 2010 on the Polish Academy of Sciences;

3)             research institutes operating under the Act on Research Institutes of 30 April 2010;

4)             Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences,

                5.             can demonstrate at least one of the following achievements:

1)             authorship or co-authorship of a scientific article published within the last 5 years (counted starting from the beginning of 2018) in a renowned international scientific journal;

2)             authorship or co-authorship of a scientific article published within the last 5 years (counted starting from the beginning of 2018) in reviewed materials from an international conference,

3)             authorship or co-authorship of a scientific monograph or a chapter in a scientific monograph published within the last 10 years (counted starting from the beginning of 2013),

6.      are foreigners (they do not have Polish citizenship and have not applied for granting of Polish citizenship) or have Polish citizenship, but conduct their research and teaching activities outside Poland and have been employed in a foreign university or research centre for at least 3 years from the closing date of the call.

2.    Outbound offer

Applicants meeting the following criteria are eligible to apply for a scholarship from the National Agency for Academic Exchange:

1.      are researchers or academic teachers whose research or teaching focus is the Polish language, Polish literature, art, culture, or history;

2.       they hold at least a doctoral degree at the time of application;

3.       their primary place of employment (at the time of application) is an institution of Polish or foreign higher education and science that conducts research or teaching activities in the field of Polish language, Polish culture, art, literature, and history;

4.       have an invitation from the Host Centre, which may be a foreign university conducting studies in Polish language or Polish studies;

5.      can demonstrate at least one achievement from among the following:

     a) authorship or co-authorship of a scientific article published within the last 5 years (counted from the beginning of 2018 in a reputable scientific journal with international reach),

     b) authorship or co-authorship of a scientific article published within the last 5 years (counted from the beginning of 2018) in peer-reviewed proceedings of an international conference,

     c) authorship or co-authorship of a scientific monograph or a chapter in a scientific monograph, published within the last 10 years (counted from the beginning of 2013),

6) have Polish citizenship.

Date of commencement and length of the project

Projects may last from 3 to 12 months.

Project implementation under the fellowship may start no sooner than 1 October 2023 and must be completed by 30 September 2024 at the latest.

In exceptional, justified cases, it is possible to suspend the implementation of a project for a period of up to 3 months if factors preventing its implementation have arisen. Random situations will be considered by the NAWA Director on a case-by-case basis after the Grantee has submitted a justified request.

A period of stay outside the Host Centre of no more than 10% of the total stay is allowed. The period of stay away from the Host Centre cannot be used at the beginning or end of the Project period (it cannot serve to shorten the Project period).

List of attachments to the application:

1.             scientific curriculum vitae of the Applicant, not longer than 3 pages (page size — A4, font size — at least 11 points), including:

   1)             education, course of studies/academic and scientific career, taking into account the Applicant's subsequent places of employment;

   2)             information on internships, awards, membership in scientific societies and organizations as well as other important achievements;

   3)             information on completed and ongoing research projects, with the indication of international projects.

2.             scan of the doctoral diploma or confirmation of obtaining the doctoral degree with its officially certified translation into English, if the original language is a language other than English or Latin;

3.             scan of confirmation of employment at a foreign university or a foreign scientific/research centre issued not earlier than 3 months before the date of publication of the call in the Programme;

4.             list of publications including up to 10 most important works published or accepted for publication within the last 10 years (counted starting from the beginning of 2013);

5.             scans of two publications selected by the Applicant, however, in the case of a monograph, a file containing information about its review, its title page, editorial page, table of contents, and a selection of fragments containing the author's most important theses, should be attached;

6.             scan of the certificate (invitation) (Attachment 3) from the Host Institution, confirming its will to admit the NAWA Fellowship Holder for the requested period. The invitation should be issued no earlier than 3 months before the date of publication of the call for proposals and signed by the scientific supervisor and another person holding a managerial function in the Host Institution (e.g. dean, rector) by the rules in force in a given Centre. The invitation should contain the following information: Applicant's details, contact details of the Host Institution, details of the organizational unit where the project is planned to be implemented, details of the substantive supervisor, period of stay, indicative action plan, and the scope of support from the Host Institution;

7.             scan a document confirming citizenship, e.g. passport.

PLEASE NOTE!

Attachments in a language other than Polish or English have to be translated into Polish or English (a sworn translation as well as a translation certified by a Polish diplomatic mission, home university or host university shall be allowed).

When attaching a scan of a document, one shall be required to cover a photo, and attaching a document with a visible photo shall mean the consent for processing personal data in this regard.

General assumptions

Applications shall be subject to formal and substantive assessment.

Formal assessment

The purpose of the formal assessment shall be to verify the applications in terms of meeting the formal criteria set out in this Announcement and in the Regulations of the NAWA Programmes for natural persons.

Substantive assessment

The purpose of the substantive assessment shall be to verify the applications in terms of meeting the quality criteria indicated in this Announcement.

The substantive assessment of scientists' applications shall consist of two stages:

1)      pre-selection — initial assessment of applications carried out by the Evaluation Team with regard to their compliance with the Programme objectives and the quality of the submitted projects; Having familiarised itself with the applications, the Evaluation Team recommends selected applications for further substantive assessment. Applicants whose applications are not recommended to the next stage of assessment receive a decision on refusal to grant funds;

2)      assessment of the applications by two Reviewers from the NAWA experts database. Reviewers shall assess the applications according to the substantive assessment criteria.

3)             assessment by the Evaluation Team taking into account the assessment by the two Reviewers.

In justified cases, the Evaluation Team may recommend a reduction of the requested amount of funding, e.g. if the length of the stay proposed in the application is unjustified.

The application, which is awarded by the Evaluation Team a zero-point score in any substantive assessment criterion, may not be qualified for financing.

Applications that shall receive less than 60 points as a result of the final assessment shall receive a negative substantive assessment.

Criterion

Reviewers

Evaluation Team

Maximum score

1.

The Applicant's scientific achievements and the course of his/her scientific and academic activity in relation to his/her career stage and Programme objectives

0-10

0-20

0-30

2.

Substantiation of selection of the Host Institution and the benefits of the Applicant's stay for the Host Institution (among other things, the impact of the project on the development of Polish Studies and Polish Studies at the host centre)

0-5

0-10

0-15

3.

The scientific level of research or tasks to be performed, including their scientific value and innovation, impact on the development of the scientific discipline, new research or teaching methods, planned results and the manner of their publication, adequacy of the duration of the fellowship to the planned activities, project feasibility

0-20

0-20

0-40

4.

Expected impact of the visit at the Polish research institution or mobility to the foreign institution on the Applicant's scientific career

0-5

0-10

0-15

SUM

40

60

100

1.      The calculation of funding shall take into account:

2.      The NAWA fellowship shall be awarded in the amount of PLN 10,000 for each month of the stay in the Host Institution (with the accuracy of ½ of the month);

3.       a monthly mobility allowance of PLN 2,000 for each full month of stay at a Host Centre, provided for a Scholarship Holder who, as at the date of submitting the application, is married or has a dependent minor child. In a situation where the Scholarship Holder has more than one minor child as dependant, the allowance is PLN 3,000. The scholarship holder is entitled to the supplement regardless of whether the family will participate in the scholarship holder's arrival in Poland. A change of status after the application has been submitted (marriage or birth of a child) does not entitle the Scholar to apply for an increase in funding. The allowance is also available to Grantees with severe or moderate disabilities;

4.      a one-off mobility allowance of:

a)       PLN 7,000 in the case of arrivals/departures from/to European countries;

b)      PLN 12,000 in the case of arrivals/departures from/to non-European countries;

5.      financing the costs of tuition fees - costs of learning the Polish language in the case of applicants who do not have Polish citizenship in the form of a one-off training allowance of up to PLN 5,000.

6.      The costs of insurance and visa, if required, shall be borne by the Scholarship Holder.

7.      Pursuant to Article 21(1)(39a) of the Personal Income Tax Act of 26 July 1991 (i.e. Journal of Laws of 2022, item 2647, as amended), scholarships and other financial means referred to in Article 18(2)(1) u.n.a.w.a. are free of income tax.

8.      The programme does not provide funding for institutions (indirect costs) or research costs (e.g. costs of materials, participation in conferences, publications). Research and other expenses must be covered by other sources.

9.      Payments shall be transferred to the bank account opened by the Fellowship Holder at a bank located in Poland.

10. Payments shall be made as follows (schedule B in the Regulations):

a)       first payment - 90% of the total amount of financing, transferred to the Fellowship Holder's bank account within 30 days from the date of delivery to NAWA of the confirmation from the Host Institution that the Fellowship Holder has started the project,

b)      second payment - up to 10% of the total amount of financing, transferred to the Fellowship Holder's bank account within 30 days from the date of obtaining a positive assessment of the Final Report.

11.   In justified cases, it shall be possible to suspend the project implementation for a period not longer than 3 months, if there occur factors preventing its implementation. Random situations shall be considered individually by the NAWA Director, upon the Fellowship Holder’s justified request.

12. The awarded fellowship, constituting a list of lump sums, shall be treated as an incurred expenditure. The Fellowship Holder shall not be obliged to collect and submit accounting evidence to confirm expenses.

The total allocation for the call for proposals amounts to PLN 1 200 thousand, however the Agency reserves the right to change the allocation of funds.

OBLIGATIONS OF THE FELLOWSHIP HOLDER

The Fellowship Holder shall be obliged to:

1.             provide the Host Institution with the decision of the NAWA Director granting the fellowship within 30 days from the date of its receipt in the NAWA System;

2.             provide NAWA with the confirmation of starting the implementation of activities under the awarded fellowship at the Host Institution within 14 days from the date of starting the project implementation (the confirmation has to be signed by the Fellowship Holder's substantive supervisor);

3.             implement, in accordance with the application, scientific research, teaching activities or other activities indicated in the application for continuous financing during the fellowship period,

4.             possess at least basic health insurance covering the time of travel and stay in Poland including, in particular, the insurance of costs of treatment and transport to hospital. The Fellowship Holder who is a citizen of one of the European Union Member States, provided that he/she is insured there, shall be required to possess at least the European Health Insurance Card;

5.             timely submit the Final Report in the Agency's ICT system;

6.             inform NAWA about changes in the implementation of the fellowship;

7.             inform NAWA about his/her scientific or teaching successes - both in the course of the fellowship disbursement and at the reporting and evaluation stage.

REPORTING

The Scientist being the Fellowship Holder shall be obliged to submit the Final Report within 30 days from the end of the project.

The complete and formally correct Final Report shall be submitted for verification by the Evaluation Team appointed by the NAWA Director.

Members of the Evaluation Team shall assess the Report in terms of the reliability and correctness of the planned activities as well as the legitimacy of any changes introduced during the implementation of the fellowship.

During the assessment of the Final Report, the following factors shall be, inter alia, taken into account:

1)             compliance of the scope of performed tasks with the application and the Agreement,

2)             the quality of the achieved results.

If necessary, the Evaluation Team may consult the reviewer.

The assessment of the Final Report shall aim to establish whether the Agreement may be considered as:

1)             correctly implemented,

2)             implemented with identified irregularities - which shall imply the reimbursement of a part of the funds,

3)             non-implemented – which shall imply the reimbursement of all funds.

In the Final Report, the Fellowship Holder shall takes into account any deviations that occurred during the implementation of the fellowship, which are affecting the amount of funding granted, especially those related to reduction of the period of stay in the Host Institution.

If the amount of funds transferred to the Fellowship Holder exceeds the amount resulting from the financial settlement in the Final Report, the Fellowship Holder shall be obliged to return the amount equal to the difference between the amount paid and the amount due within 14 days  of receipt of the request for reimbursement.

30 June 2023

National funds