Call for fellowships for post-doctoral researchers

Post‐doctoral researchers who have recently been working overseas may be eligible to apply for a fellowship at UCL, funded by the European Union's Marie Curie Fellowships scheme.

Eligible researchers can be of any nationality, age or research field as long as they have not spent more than 12 months in the UK over the past three years by August 2012.

The Marie Curie Fellowships scheme is open to all disciplines and applicants can propose a project of their choice, supported by a 'host researcher' at UCL. The fellowships cover the cost of a researcher's living, relocation, research expenses and overheads for a period of 12 to 24 months (full‐time). Applications are assessed on the basis of the proposed project's scientific, academic or technical quality and implementation as well as the applicant's training plans, research experience and achievements.

As a comprehensive, global university, UCL is ideally placed to benefit from this scheme, as fellows can join or add value to established research teams, creating new links between UCL and institutions in other countries. UCL has been awarded 59 Marie Curie Fellowships since 2007.

Researchers who are currently based in a European Union or associated country may apply for a Marie Curie Intra‐European fellowship (IEF), while researchers outside Europe may be eligible for an international incoming fellowship (IIF). Success rates for the Marie Curie IEF and IIF calls were 18% and 12% in 2010 respectively.

The Marie Curie fellowships scheme forms part of the EU's Framework Programme 7 (FP7) and is designed to encourage the mobility of researchers across national boundaries, support research careers and attract researchers to Europe.

A new call for Marie Curie fellowships is scheduled to be launched on 13th March, closing on 16th August 2012.

The 2012 Marie Curie calls have a total budget of Eur. 120 million (IEF) and Eur. 40 million (IIF). More information can be obtained from UCL European Research and Development Office, which also assists applicants to compile and submit bids: www.ucl.ac.uk/research/europe/contact. Examples of successful applications are also available upon request for suitable applicants.

A Marie Curie fellowships workshop is also being held at UCL on the 10 May, addressed by the Marie Curie National Contact Point for the UK. Interested applicants or host researchers are invited to attend. Further detail will be available shortly.

Michael Browne, Head of European  Research and Development