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 promote the Polish language and to popularize studies and research in Polish studies and Polish philology around the world. The Programme is addressed to students and doctoral students of Polish philology, Polish studies or Polish programmes implemented among others as part of Slavic studies (in the field of the Polish language, Polish culture and knowledge about Poland) as well as to scientists (researchers) from foreign universities and scientific institutions.

Deadline for submitting the application

The call for proposals shall be conducted until 29 April 2022, 15:00:00 local time (Warsaw)

Manner of submitting applications

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

Maximum number of applications from one Applicant

1 application

The Programme enables scientists (researchers) from foreign academic and research centres to carry out research and research and didactic projects lasting from 3 to 12 months at Polish universities and   scientific institutions. Under the Programme it is possible to conduct scientific research (including in cooperation with Polish scientists), obtain research materials, prepare scientific publications, complete postdoctoral internship, conduct didactic classes in the Host Institution, intensive learning of Polish language.

The POLONISTA Programme Fellowship is available to Applicants whose research projects involve the Polish language, glottodidactics in the area in the Polish studies, literary studies, comparative studies, Polish culture, arts 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.

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 (researchers) whose subject of research is Polish language, Polish literature, arts, culture or history;

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

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

                4.           have obtained a certificate/invitation 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 pursuant to 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   2017) 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 2017) 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 2012),

6.           are foreigners (do not have Polish citizenship and have not applied for Polish citizenship) or have Polish citizenship but conduct their scientific and teaching activity outside Poland and have been employed in a foreign university or research center for at least 3 years since the closing date of the call.

Project start date and duration

Projects may last from 3 to 12 months.

Project implementation under the fellowship may start not earlier than on 01 October 2022 and has to be completed by 30 September 2023 at the latest. In exceptional, justified cases, after obtaining and submitting to NAWA the written consent of the Host Institution, the project implementation dates may be changed.

 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 Polish, 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 announcement of the call for proposals under 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 2012);

5.            scans of two scientific 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; in case of a publication in a language other than Polish or English, a translation 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 certificate should be issued no earlier than within 3 months before the announcement 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) in accordance with the rules in force in a given Centre. The document 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 of 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 the processing of personal data in this regard.

General principles

Applications are subject to formal and merit-based evaluation.

Formal evaluation

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 three stages:

1)     pre-selection - initial assessment of applications as regards their compliance with the Programme objectives, performed by the Evaluation Team; after reviewing the applications, the Evaluation Team recommends selected applications for further substantive assessment. Applicants whose applications are not recommended for the next stage of assessment are denied funding;

2)     assessment of the applications by two Reviewers from the NAWA   experts database.

3)     assessment Team's evaluation taking into account the Reviewers’ evaluation.

In justified cases, the Evaluation Team may recommend 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 which 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 as well as for the development of science in Poland

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 on the Applicant's scientific career

0-5

0-10

0-15

SUM

40

60

100

1.           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 month).

2.           The costs of travel, insurance and legalization of stay, if required, shall be borne by the Fellowship Holder.

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

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

1)           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,

2)           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.

5.           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.

6.           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.

7.           Verification of expenditure in the case of lump sums shall be based on checking whether the results assumed in the application have been achieved and the declared activities have been implemented.

8.           At NAWA's request, the Fellowship Holder shall be obliged to present documentation confirming the implementation of activities and the achievement of the assumed results in accordance with the approved application - under the pain of considering the fellowship ineligible.

The total allocation for the call for proposals amounts to PLN 800,000, 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, while the period of stay outside the Host Institution may not be longer than 10% of the duration of the whole stay (including holidays, occasional trips and other absences not related to the implementation of tasks covered by the fellowship);

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 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 take 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 from the receipt of the repayment request

30 June 2022

National funds