Applying for a FWO postdoc fellowship
Info session – call 2021
October 2020
Preface
• What you should learn today…
• to understand the evaluation & selection process
• to prepare an application that meets the evaluation criteria
• This presentation
• serves as applicant’s “quick starting guide” (key topics only)
• more details: postdoc webpages incl. documents & regulations
• DISCLAIMER
• Official & binding documents: regulations in Dutch• English regulations: no legal status
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Outline
1. FWO mission & key numbers
2. Postdoc fellowships at a glance
3. Evaluation & selection process
4. Preparing your application
5. … further reading & contact
Info session postdoc fellowships FWO 4October 2020
Welcome to the FWO
• Our mission• Funding of fundamental & strategic research• Funding programmes
• Individual researchers (pre-, post-doc, mobility Pegasus)• Research teams (projects, SBO, Odysseus,…)• Research infrastructure• Scientific prizes
• Principles• Bottom-up in all disciplines
• Scientific excellence and interuniversity (incl research institutes) competition
• Transparent and equal opportunities
Opening new horizons…
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1587 PhD fellows
850 Postdocs
The FWO by numbers
50% PhD-fellows 50%40% Postdocs 60%
82% PhD fellows 18%64% Postdocs 36%
32,8% PhD fellows
26.7% Postdoc JR (181)
25.0% Postdoc SR (89)Call 2020
fellowships
Budget 2020: 364 MEUR
• 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 fellowships on procedure and sanctions in case of RI violation
• ! Read the detailed information and the RI Clause
Every applicant and beneficiant is expected to know the rules and what (s)he will be committed to.
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Research Integrity
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The FWO and social media
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Outline
1. FWO mission & key numbers
2. Postdoc fellowships at a glance
3. Evaluation & selection process
4. Preparing your application
5. … further reading & contact
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FWO Postdoctoral fellowship at a glance
• Target group• young researchers developing international independent research career
• parallel calls junior/senior: 0-3 resp. 3-6 years after PhD
• All PhD’s & nationalities
• 3-year grants• start Oct 1, 2021 (or Nov 1 2021)
• fundamental research
• > < Innovation mandates (PhD exploitation & utilization: @VLAIO)
• flexible bench fee 4 – 10 k€/year
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Call openSep 21, 2020
SubmissionDec 1, 2020
Decision BoardEnd May 2021
Start fellowshipOct 1 (/Nov 1), 2021
• Key dates
• 2021 call additional mandates• Meise Botanic Garden
• Funds Suzanne Duchesne (King Baudouin Foundation)• Special bench fees (Med4 panel cancer research)
FWO Postdoctoral fellowship at a glance
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PhD: Oct 1, 2015 Oct.1, 2018 June 1, 2021
Eligibility window
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- Extensions eligibility window: regulations Art 6 - maternity-, parental-, sickness leave > 3m- * No eligibility window ‘senior’ if directly following FWO junior postdoc fellowship
- 2nd application: window applies
- Senior: min. 2 years as postdoc researcher required (on Oct. 1, 2021)if not as FWO postdoc: declaration by host organisation needed
senior * junior
Dec.1, 2020 submission Oct/Nov 1, 2021 start
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Eligible host organisations
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• Main host organisation (affiliation)• 5 Flemish universities
• Evangelic Protestant Faculty Leuven - Faculty for Protestant Theology in Brussels
• Antwerp Maritime Academy
• Vlerick Business School - Antwerp Management school,
• Institute for Tropical Medicine
• + Flemish/federal research institutes (collaboration / research location)
• Main supervisor @main host organisation(-> recommendation letter on invitation by FWO)
• Co-supervisors @ main /other host institution(s)
Outline
1. FWO mission & key numbers
2. Postdoc fellowships at a glance
3. Evaluation & selection process
4. Preparing your application
5. … further reading & contact
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Step 1
Remote assessment: 2 ext reviewers + 2 panel members
-> synthesis by panel rapporteur
(online) panel meetingconsensus scoring & ranking
Rejectedproposals
Step 2
Panel meeting: interviewsconsensus scoring & ranking
Single submission 2-step evaluation & selection process
Retained for step 2 interviews
Selectedcandidates
Rejectedproposals
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Submission to panels
• Panel structure fundamental research• ‘Fellowships’ panels (PhD/postdoc)
• 31 panels: 30 in 5 scientific domains + interdisciplinary panel (cross-domain)
• Updated panel members list: published Jan 2021
• 12 members incl. scientific chair
• >50% members with non-Flemish affiliation
• Choose panel that best fits your application!• Check panel scopes
• motivate choice
• “out-of-scope” = score ‘0’
• Interdisciplinary panel?
• Follow acceptance criteria decision tree
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Evaluation of your proposal
• Consensus panel decisions (scoring & ranking) in both steps
• Roles in panel (per application):• Rapporteur (synthesis & feedback)
• 2 panel members as internal evaluators in preselection
• 2 external reviewers (on-topic specialists) in preselection
• selected by FWO
• you may suggest (up to 3) experts to be excluded (motivation)
• Rapporteur and internal reviewers take the lead in interview
• but all panel members involved in Q&A
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Competence as postdoc researcher
• Expertise/knowledge in own research fieldInsight in project approach and positioning
• Reasoning skills and critical scientific mindset
• Clear vision on professional future and motivation
Scientific contribution• Quality & impact publications & other output• Emerging reputation & upward trajectory• (sr) Developing scientific independence
Relevant competences & motivation• Skills & expertise (acquired / developing)• Building research career (mobility*, collaboration, …)• (sr) Supervision & mentoring
* mobility: international / intersectoral(from 2022 call: interinstitutional –sr.)
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Scientific quality, relevance and challenge, originality• Originality / contribution state-of-the-art• Risks and challenges
Quality research approach, feasibility• Methodology• Feasibility, risk mitigation
Phase 1 preselection
Phase 2 interviews
Phase 1 + 2
Evaluation criteria “candidate” & “project”
60% 40%
Weighted total score (both phases)
Uniform evaluation: scoring descriptorsScoring grids preselection / interview
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Selection process
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Available fellowships -> panels90% - - > proportional distribution over panels (quota)10% - - > assigned to ‘best remaining candidates’
Step 2 – interviews• (quota) best ranked candidates with score ≥4 for Candidate and Project
• best remaining candidates’: ranked over all panels
- > assignment of remaining 10% fellowships
- > reserve list
• Rejected applications
Step 1 – preselection• (quota x 2) best ranked candidates invited to interview
• Rejected applications
• All feedback AFTER selection decision Board (≥ June 2021)
• Compiled by panel member (‘rapporteur’)
• Including comments based on panel consensus decision and scores
• Template per criterion (Candidate, Project)
• “Strengths”
• “Weaknesses”
• “Comments and suggestions for improvement”
• No further correspondence on feedback
• Do NOT contact panel members!
Feedback to candidates
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Out in step 1- Scores preselection- Panel comments
Grant- Scores interview- Synthesis panel comments step 1 & 2
Out in step 2- Scores interview - Synthesis panel comments step 1 & 2
2021 call: timeline evaluation & selection
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Outline
1. FWO mission & key numbers
2. Postdoc fellowships at a glance
3. Evaluation & selection process
4. Preparing your application
5. … further reading & contact
Info session postdoc fellowships FWO 24October 2020
Preparing your application – e-portal• E-portal/E-loket (www.fwo.be) (register in time!-> FWO Validation /48hrs)
• Direct access: https://fwoweb.fwo.be
• New version e-portal
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Preparing your application – e-portal
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Or first:
Info session postdoc fellowships FWO
Preparing your application – e-portal
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Your e-application:
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• General: • National registration number
• Also non-Belgian applicants with Belgian ID card
• ORCID registration https://orcid.org/ !
• Diplomas & posts/career• Correct, complete &up to date!• PhD future date (<1 June 2021): keep FWO updated
• Disciplines• Use level 4
• Publications• Complete list!• Updates after submission may be mentioned during interview
• Addresses• (future) ‘Belgian service address’!• Legal domicile address
• Non-Belgian domicile in EU: add TIN code (tax identification number)
Preparing your application – personal details
Info session postdoc fellowships FWO
• General:• English + Dutch! (title, abstract, PhD title)• Up to 3 free text keywords
• Host institution - supervisor• Main host institution + main supervisor (+ co-supervisor(s))
• FWO invites main supervisor for recommendation letter
• Additional Flemish/federal host institutions (+co-supervisor(s))• Other co-supervisors and their affiliation
• Peer review• Selection of panel (motivate)• Exclude ext. reviewers (motivate)
• Ethics• EU-conform ethical questionnaire
• Data Management Plan• Info: NL - EN
Preparing your application – various items
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“junior or senior” -start “Oct 1” or “Nov 1” (binding choice!)
Preparing your application – ‘candidate’
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Evaluation criteria ‘candidate’ (preselection)
• 5 main publications• Other scientific output + impact• Scientific awards
• Motivation statement• Skills developed• Competences to acquire• Vision on career
• Career breaks• Supervision & mentoring• Mobility (Research stays)
• Scientific contribution• Quality & impact publications & other output• Emerging reputation & upward trajectory• (sr) Developing scientific independence
• Relevant competences & motivation• Skills & expertise (acquired / developing)• Building research career• (sr) Supervision & mentoring
October 2020
panel
Info session postdoc fellowships FWO
Check new Mobility opportunities : research in collaboration with company or other organisation
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Project description – WORD template ≤10 pages• Improvements w.r.t. 1st application• Rationale and positioning w.r.t. the state-of-the-art• Scientific research objective(s)• Research methodology and work plan• references
Submitted to other funding? Be transparant!- Update FWO on pending evaluations!
Positioning (research group, (inter)nationally)
Preparing your application – ‘project’
Approval/adjustment bench fee
Bench fee /yearMotivate if >€ 4,000 /year
Evaluation criteria ‘project’
- Scientific quality, relevance and challenge, originality! International state-of-the-art
- Quality of the research methodology and feasibility! Risk mitigation
panel
Submitting your application
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-> automatic confirmation follows-> registration number sent-> eligibility check: Q&A with FWO admin
October 2020 Info session postdoc fellowships FWO
≤ December 1 2020 – 5:00 pm CET
Declaration by the applicant!… GDPR, research integrity,…
Additional fellowships / bench fees
• “Meise Botanic Garden – FWO” fellowships• 1 postdoc fellowship (< - reserve list) funded by Meise Botanic Garden
• Agreement on being additional host institute (before submitting application)
• Grant: FWO contract + collaboration agreement Meise Botanic Garden & main host institute
• King Baudouin Foundation – special bench fees cancer research• Fund Suzanne Duchesne, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation -> 70,000 euro
• Best ranked Med4 candidates (jr-sr) resp. k€ 30, k€ 20, k€ 20
• Project outline: additional paragraph motivating use of special bench fee
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Making it to step 2: interviews
• Invitations and instructions early April 2021 (end preselection)
• Interviews 23 April -17 May 2021
• @FWO or online?
• FWO will decide timely (COVID-19 situation)
• Interview format: pitch + interview
• Interview instructions and guidelines will be available
• Opportunity to mention realizations since submission date
• Evaluation criteria different from preselection (criterion ‘candidate’)
• Score grid interview
• Focus on ‘competence’ as postdoc researcher
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Outline
1. FWO mission & key numbers
2. Postdoc fellowships at a glance
3. Evaluation & selection process
4. Preparing your application
5. … further reading & contact
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Further reading & contact
• Programme webpages junior NL - EN / senior NL - EN
• Regulations (legal version: Dutch)
- General / Postdoc programme / bench fee / peer review
• Supporting documents
- This presentation / Screenshots e-application
- Scoring grids preselection / interview
- Instructions and Guidelines interview – to be published later
• Help! Who to contact• Additional info & specific questions
• FWO file administrators per domain
• Dirk Otte, programme manager fellowships
• (e-portal/IT problems only)
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…and good luck!