2. Info PhD Fellowships

3. Infosession fellowships FWO
Agenda
Mission and key facts
Research Integrity
Selection procedure and how to apply
Funding schemes of the FWO
Pre-doctoral fellowships (a.o. Aspiranten)
Travel grants
PhD SB
Varia
Infosession fellowships FWO

4. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Mission of the FWO
Funds fundamental and strategic basic scientific research (‘frontier research’)
Bottom-up funding in all disciplines
Strong selection based on scientific excellence and interuniversity competition (Flemish universities and, to a lesser extent, research institutes)
Transparent and equal opportunities
Infosession fellowships FWO

5. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Our partners
Universities (Leuven, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, Hasselt)
Main (Strategic) Research Centers:
Infosession fellowships FWO

6. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Label awarded in december 2010
Implementation of Charter & Code
Focus on transparent recruitment procedures and family/gender friendly measures
Infosession fellowships FWO

7. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Target groups of the FWO
Young researchers
Postdoctoral researchers
Established researchers
Research teams
Top-researchers and high-potential researchers
Infosession fellowships FWO

8. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Funding schemes of the FWO
Funding for individual researchers
pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, bench fees and grants
Funding for research teams
Research projects, Big Science, Bilateral agreements, …
Supporting mobility, international contacts and collaborations
travel grants, sabbatical leaves, scientific research communities, organisation of conferences in Belgium, international coordination actions, collaboration agreements, …
Attracting excellent researchers, active abroad, to Flanders
Odysseus , Pegasus
Awarding scientific prizes
Infosession fellowships FWO

9. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Budget 2015: 241 million EUR, ca. 82% from Flemish Government
Budget 2016: 321 million EUR (new system of MAC)
Infosession fellowships FWO

10. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Allocation 2015
Distribution of the allocation
Infosession fellowships FWO

11. Evolution number researchers in function (1st Oct.)
1. Mission and key facts
Evolution number researchers in function (1st Oct.)

12. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Infosession fellowships FWO

13. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
% foreign researchers (excl. Projects)
Infosession fellowships FWO

14. Infosession fellowships FWO
1. Mission and key facts
Evolution success rate
Infosession fellowships FWO

15. Information session FWO
Mission and key facts
Events
Information session FWO

16. 2. Research Integrity As part of FWO Policy:
Clause in call text, application and contract on committment to RI
Profiles for (co)promoters and researchers
Adaptations in General Regulation and Regulation Pre- and Postdoc on procedure and sanctions in case of RI violation
Please read the detailled information on our website: .
 Every applicant and beneficiant is expected to know the rules and what (s)he will be committed to.

17. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply

18. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply
Call
External referees (online)
Submission/
eligibility check
Expert
Panels
(30+1)
(CIS)
Board of Trustees
1 February
1 April
April/May
September/
October
2 meetings/year in Brussels
28 June 2017
22 November 2017
Duration workflow fellowships: < 5 months
Duration workflow projects: < 7 months
Infosession fellowships FWO

19. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply
FWO E-Portal (ww.fwo.be)
(register at least 24 hours in advance)
Infosession fellowships FWO

20. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply
Some important changes in the forms
Project outline
A standard template is presented with questions and instructions (Font Calibri 11 - max 10 pages).
The applicant will be able to download it, fill it in and upload it again. (You can include lay-out, formulas, graphs, pictures, etc.)
The FWO administration can reject the PDF if it doesn’t comply with the instructions and ask to adapt it.
Infosession fellowships FWO

21. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply
Publication lists within the E-portal
Based on FWO classification (A1.1, A1.2, A2, B1, etc.)
A1.2 : Peer-reviewed articles in journals approved by VABB
Copy/paste of publications within each category is possible
Automatic upload from Academic Bibliography available. Only for the publication categories A1.1, A1.2, A2, B1, B2, B3 and C1.
But final check by the applicant of the uploaded references remains necessary!
Infosession fellowships FWO

22. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply
Ethical advice
The applicant has to indicate whether an advice is necessary if human beings or animals are involved.
The panel can also ask for an advice.
The advice has to be provided by the local ethical commission (host institution).
The advice has to be submitted to FWO before the start of the fellowship/work package concerned.
No advice  fellowship can start, but bench fee can be reclaimed
See for detailled information: .
Infosession fellowships FWO

23. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply
Ranking and granting (Pre- and Postdoc)
Applications with insufficient quality: not ranked
Others: ranked without the possibility of equal ranking.
For the 2016/2017 round (deadline 02/01/2017) Pre- and Postdoc I:
distribution on the basis of the average historic distribution of fellowships in period
Infosession fellowships FWO

24. 3. Selection procedure and how to apply
Ranking and granting
PRE-DOC
POSTDOC I %
BIO
11,4
13,8
CULT
17,7 15 GM
18,1
15,4
INTDIS
2,3
2,9
MED
25,6
24,1 WT 25
28,7
Infosession fellowships FWO

25. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Pre-doctoral fellowships
Postdoctoral fellows
Research and travel grants
Deadline fellowships: 1 February 2017 – 17h00
Start date: 1 October 2017
Applications in English
Infosession fellowships FWO

26. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Fellowships: general remarks
There is a maximum of 2 attempts to apply for a specific grant
Evaluation and ranking (Pre- and Postdoctoral fellows)
Applications for the Interdisciplinary Panel which are inadmissible based on the interdisciplinarity of the research proposal, can be redirected towards a monodisciplinary panel (after consultation of the applicant).
Selection of the correct Expertpanel is very important
Infosession fellowships FWO

27. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships fundamental research
PhD Fellowships
Special PhD Fellowships
separate funding line/ranking
Clinical PhD Fellowships
ICM/FWO-PhD Fellowships
Infosession fellowships FWO

28. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
What?
2 year, 1x renewable (2x2)
Full time research
In preparation of a PhD
Fellowship
Social security is paid (by FWO)
No personal taxes
Fiscally dependent on parents / partner (marriage or legally cohabiting)
Same pension rights as employees
Infosession fellowships FWO

29. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Who can apply?
Nationality requirements:
Master degree awarded in an EEA-country (or Switzerland)
Infosession fellowships FWO

30. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Who can apply?
Age limitations:
< 31 years: no restrictions
≥ 31 years: five years after awarding master degree (1 Oct.)
In case more than one master degree, only degree in field of planned PhD is taken into account
In any case: 1st degree no longer than 10 years ago (1 Oct.)
+1 year for pregnancy or parental leave
Scientific seniority: ≤ 3 years (1 Oct.)
Training as Medical Doctor – or pharmacologist – counts for 50%
Never before be appointed as FWO-fellow
Infosession fellowships FWO

31. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Who can act as supervisor/promotor?
a ZAP-member with an appointment of more than 10% at a Flemish university;
a ZAP-member with an appointment of 10% at a Flemish university, with a specific research mandate;
a ZAP-member with an appointment of 5% at a Flemish university AND at the same time appointed as (assistant) head of the clinic or in a similar function at an Academic Hospital in Flanders;
Academic personnel appointed at the Evangelische Protestantse Faculteit in Leuven or at the Faculteit voor Protestantse Godgeleerdheid in Brussels;
A research director of FWO;
A nominative beneficiant of an ERC grant (Starting/Consolidator/Advanced) or an Odysseus II grant.
> only ERC Grants at Flemish universities
Infosession fellowships FWO

32. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Who can act as co-supervisor (copromotor)?
All co-supervisors should be
researchers of at least postdoctoral level;
appointed at a Flemish university or the Transnational University of Limburg, a Flemish research institution, a Flemish Academic hospital, or a Federal research institution.
Infosession fellowships FWO

33. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Recommendation letter
Supervisor
Where applicable: co-supervisor
Personal statement
Important element in evaluation
Each applicant should write his/her own letter
No external referees => international Expert Panel
Infosession fellowships FWO

34. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Personal statement
The personal statement is your opportunity to discuss personal motivations, your (research) interests, your experience and activities, and your future goals. The Personal Statement should focus on your personal background or experiences that have significantly influenced you or your goals. It should be a document that describes your abilities, skills, and accomplishments as evidence of your aspirations for pursuing a career in research
If you have interrupted your academic career at any given point for at least three months, you may provide details about this in your Personal Statement (optional).
This Personal Statement should be written in English, and is limited to characters, including spaces (ca. 500 words).
Infosession fellowships FWO

35. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Evaluation and selection criteria (cfr. Evaluation template)
Track record
Scientific independence
Research capability and potential
Originality and innovative nature of the project
Feasibility of the project
Purposefulness of the project
Methodology
Quality of coaching and assistance
Infosession fellowships FWO

36. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships and other schemes
Publications
The classification in the publication list does not imply a qualitative ranking order.
The Expert panel evaluates the quality of the publications.
The FWO does not put forward qualitative or quantitative norms.
(cf. publication list)
Infosession fellowships FWO

37. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships and other schemes
The criteria are scored by the Expert panel as follows:
A+ marks for the top 5% of the proposals;
A marks for the top 10% of the proposals;
A- marks for the top 20% of the proposals;
B range only for the top 50% of the proposals;
C or D for the lower half of the proposals.
(Cf. Assessment Form)
Infosession fellowships FWO

38. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Accountability
Progress report / end report
Evaluated by FWO Expert Panels
FWO should be mentioned on each publication
Infosession fellowships FWO

39. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Extra activities
Supervision of practica: max. 4 hours / week
Administrative / clinical tasks: max. 8 hours / week
Important: Progress of the PhD-research may not be jeopardised
NO other teaching activities are allowed
Infosession fellowships FWO

40. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Additional courses
Registration for PhD-courses / doctoral school is allowed
Additional courses are possible
BUT
Progress of the PhD-research may not be jeopardised
≤ 8 hours /week
Infosession fellowships FWO

41. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Bench fee
Each year € 3.720
Common responsibility of PhD and supervisor
May be cumulated with other working allowances
Credit balances may be used the next year
Infosession fellowships FWO

42. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Bench fee can be used for:
Travel and accommodation costs (congress, research stays, …)
Consumables used for the approved research project (computer, literature, …)
Publication costs
To buy chemicals or lab animals
Bench fee cannot be used for:
Commuting expenses
Admission fee for (inter)national universities
Personal expenditures of the PhD
Overhead university
Costs made by other members of the research team
Infosession fellowships FWO

43. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Predoctoral fellowships
Fellowships with an external partner: SCK.CEN, VITO and L’Oréal
SCK.CEN
Each year 2 fellowships + bench fee
SCK Jury
Ranked FWO-applicants
FWO funds renewal
VITO (also 2 postdoc)
VITO-Jury
L’Oréal
Every 2 year (Life Sciences)
Biomedical research
Women in Science
Infosession fellowships FWO

44. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Special PhD Fellowships
What?
Intended to enable persons not employed in a research group to complete a PhD within a year and to obtain study leave from their current employer for this purpose
Subject to social security
The stipend covers the net salary that is renounced by the candidate
Advice, selection, evaluation
Cfr. PhD Fellowships
Infosession fellowships FWO

45. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Special PhD Fellowships
Who can apply?
Applicants need to have a permanent position (private sector, administration, etc.)
Applicants may not be appointed as researcher
(Hogescholen: personel group 1 may apply, group 2 and 3 not)
No clinicians
Never before awarded with a PhD fellowship
It must be possible to finish the PhD in 1 year
Infosession fellowships FWO

46. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Clinical PhD Fellowships
What?
PhD for medical doctors, veterinarians, dentists and pharmacists, who, no later than 1 October preceding the fellowship, are recognized as medical specialists, veterinary specialists, dental specialists, general practitioner or pharmacist specialists in Belgium.
Halftime exemption of clinical tasks for 2 years
Age limit: none
50% of the salary costs (< EUR)
Advice, selection, evaluation
Director academic hospital/ head of the dep. of the animal clinic
Dean of the faculty
Infosession fellowships FWO

47. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Clinical PhD Fellowships
Who can apply?
Permanent position in an academic hospital / animal clinic of a Flemish university / Flemish dep. of family medicine
Possible to complete your PhD in 2 years
Never been awarded before a PhD fellowship
Infosession fellowships FWO

48. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
ICM PhD fellowships
Current situation
Founded in 1970
Autonomous institution
Financial support: yearly FWO allowance
The future of ICM
No participation anymore from French speaking part of Belgium
The Flemish participants go on
Adjusted to FWO-procedures
Continuation of exam and interview candidates
Infosession fellowships FWO

49. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
ICM PhD fellowships
3 year stipend
Second year at foreign institution (management studies), incl. tuition fee + travel expences
Possibility of applying for long stay abroad at FWO
Infosession fellowships FWO

50. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
EUI: European University Institute Florence
2014
Infosession fellowships FWO

51. EUI PhD programma Timing: Call open: 02/11/2016 Deadline: 31/01/2017
Communication results: end of April
Start fellowship: 01/09/2017
Role FWO: ‘Grant Awarding Authority’ for Belgium (Flanders):
2 PhD fellowships (4 years) available
FWO finances 1-3 year: 1860 EUR/month
EUI finances 4th year: 1280 EUR/month
Years 1 to 4: travel allowance + health insurence

52. Ranking the applications Selection candidates for a FWO-EUI stipend
Evaluatievaluation procedure EUI
EUI Advice committee
(19/02/ Brussels)
Evaluation:
researcher
project
purpose:
Ranking the applications
Selection Meeting
(02/03/2016- Florence)
evaluation:
Researcher/project
Imbedding EUI
purpose:
Selection applications invited for interview (± double the amount of fellowships)
Interviews
(4-7/04/ Florence)
evaluation:
Researcher/project
purpose:
Selection candidates for a FWO-EUI stipend

53. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Travel Grants
Bottom-up: free choice of destination and research topic
No grants inside Europe for Aspirant/IWT-fellowship and FWO-postdoc
At least one publication
Types of grants:
Attendance of international conferences / workshops
Short and long stays abroad
Infosession fellowships FWO

54. 4. Funding schemes of the FWO
Earmarked Travel Grants:
Belgian Historical Institute in Rome (BHIR)
Stipends:
Stay + travel
For research in archives, libraries, archaeological digs and in museums
1 week – 12 months (cf. FWO short and long stays)
Master or Doctorate in Humanities
Affiliation to Belgian university
Submission: September
Evaluation together and in interaction with Academia Belgica
See for more information: .
Infosession fellowships FWO

55. Infosession fellowships FWO
5. SB PhD
Stipends for PhD SB (Strategic Basic Research)
A funding line of its own
Between fundamental and applied research
With economic goal and potential for enterprise(s)
> see specific information session later on
Infosession fellowships FWO

56. More information on the FWO
Website of the FWO:
Information on strategy, regulations, scientific prizes, calls, …
Free to download publications
More information on FWO:
Infosession fellowships FWO