5 May 2023

The New Europe College (NEC Bucharest) and the Centre for Advanced Study (CAS Sofia) announce a Call for Applications for their joint programme to support scholars from the regions affected by Russia’s war against Ukraine. The programme is aimed at qualified researchers (post-doctoral level) in the humanities and the social sciences, including law and economics, who in­tend to pursue a project of their own choosing. The selected applicants will have the opportunity to spend an extended period (ideally one or two semesters, between October 2023 and July 2024) as Fellows, resident in either Bucharest or Sofia, where they will enjoy all the benefits associated with a fellowship (stipend, accommodation, academic and administrative assistance, integration into international academic networks). By agreement, financial support can also be granted to researchers who are not in residence for the full period and who want or need to continue their work in Ukraine. Seed funding to support the Fellows’ scholarly activities is also available, e.g., for the organisation of small events, for cooperative projects with partners in the host country or at home, or for the provision, development or reconstruction of research infrastructure, especially in the digital arena. Overall, NEC and CAS hope to contribute with this programme to sustaina­bility and renewal of scientific life and work in Ukraine and beyond.

What we offer:
– a monthly stipend of 850 Euros;
– accommodation in Bucharest or Sofia (according to the institute the Fellow has applied for);
– reimbursement of travel costs;
– access to the institute’s library and electronic resources;
– additional support for scientific activities can be solicited.

What we expect:
– Fellows are expected to work on their projects and take part in the scientific events organized by NEC or CAS, respectively.
– Presence (physical or virtual) at the weekly seminars discussing the work in progress of the Fellows is compulsory. While, as a rule, Fellows are expected to be in residence in either Bucharest or Sofia, NEC and CAS also accept more flexible arrangements for scholars based in Ukraine.
– At the end of their affiliation to the NEC or CAS, the fellows have to submit a research article, based on their work, that is to be published (electronically) by the institutes.

Eligibility:
– The Fellowships are open to scholars at the postdoctoral level who present a meaningful research proposal.
– Please note that English is the preferred language of communication during most events at NEC and CAS; some communication skills in English are thus required.

Duration:
A full academic year or one term (5 months, starting with October 2023 or March 2024). Flexibility is also possible here.

How to apply:
– Prospective Fellows should decide whether they want to link up with the New Europe College in Bucharest (www.nec.ro) or the Centre for Advanced Study in Sofia (www.cas.bg).
– Applications will be submitted in electronic format only, using the on-line forms available at applications.nec.ro (for Bucharest) and www.cas.bg (for Sofia).
– Please respect the guidelines below respectively on the institutes’ webpage to make sure you have all needed documents to fill in the form.

Selection process:
– Applications will be reviewed by members of the institutes’ academic teams, with support from their Academic Advisory Boards and from other external experts.
– For selection criteria, please see the guidelines (as mentioned above).
– Candidates will be notified on the results of the selection by late June/early July 2023, by e-mail.

The DEADLINE for submitting applications is 15 JUNE 2023.

Contact persons for questions related to this program:

For NEC: Ana-Maria Sîrghi; e-mail: asirghi@nec.ro
New Europe College, Str. Plantelor 21, 023971 Bucharest

For CAS: Irena Mihaylova; e-mail: mihaylova@cas.bg
Centre for Advanced Study Sofia; 7-B, Stefan Karadja Str,  Sofia 1000

With the financial support of the VolkswagenStiftung, Hannover (Fellowship Program “Sustaining Ukrainian Scholarship”) and of the Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen (IWM), Vienna.

GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS

Submitting an Application:
To apply for a NEC Fellowship, fill in the electronic form available at applications.nec.ro. NEC accepts applications in English, French or German. Please note that you need to upload several documents to the application platform:
– a recent photo
– a scan of your PhD diploma
– two original letters of reference (in English, French, or German) written explicitly to support your application for the Fellowship. Referees can be invited to upload the letters themselves.

Please answer all the questions mentioned in the application form and do not exceed the allotted space. The project itself should not exceed 12,000 characters (with spaces), including footnotes/endnotes and bibliographical references. The project should describe the state of research in your particular area of interest and indicate your objectives; it should also include bibliographic references.

To apply for a CAS Fellowship, fill in the electronic form available at the cas.bg. CAS accepts applications in English. The documents needed to supplement the application and the other provisions are identical with those specified above.

Selection Criteria:
– Quality of the candidate’s academic portfolio and publications;
– Relevant research proposal with significant contribution to scholarship;
– Special attention is accorded to projects and plans that include elements of strengthening and revitalising science and research in Ukraine.

GDPR
Personal data are processed and stored in accordance with current GDPR regulations.

Download the Call as PDF.