As part of the EU’s response to the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, MSCA4Ukraine’s dedicated fellowships will provide support to displaced researchers from Ukraine. This support will enable them to continue their work at academic and non-academic organisations in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, while maintaining their connections to research and innovation communities in Ukraine. The scheme may also facilitate researchers’ reintegration in Ukraine if conditions for safe return are met, in order to prevent permanent brain drain, and contribute to strengthening the Ukrainian university and research sector and its collaboration and exchange with the international research community.
As part of this fellowship scheme, Scholars at Risk Europe will provide advisory and match-making services for host organisations (both academic and non-academic) and researchers from Ukraine. Prospective host institutions who are seeking to connect with a researcher from Ukraine can complete a form on the MSCA4Ukraine website. Information for researchers seeking hosts will follow in due course; anyone interested should sign up to this dedicated mailing list. MSCA4Ukraine will be launched at the end of the month, and an online information day will be hosted by EUA in the first week of October. We will keep you updated.
The MSCA Ukraine Programme of the European Commission will be implemented by a consortium comprised of Scholars at Risk Europe, hosted at Maynooth University, Ireland (project coordinator), the German Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the European University Association, with the French national PAUSE programme, hosted by the Collège de France, and the global Scholars at Risk Network as associated partners.
Preliminary information on eligibility criteria and application requirements
To enable displaced researchers from Ukraine and prospective host organisations to begin preparations for an application, basic information on the key criteria that will apply follows:
Applications must be submitted by prospective host organisations on behalf of named researcher(s) from Ukraine. Host organisations can be academic or non-academic organisations in any EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Non-academic organisations include any socio-economic actor not included in the academic sector and fulfilling the requirements of the Horizon Europe Rules for Participation.[1]
Researchers are eligible to be nominated by a host organisation if they are:
(a) (1) Ukrainian nationals, or (2) stateless persons, or nationals from third countries other than Ukraine, with their primary residence in Ukraine on 24 February 2022;
(b) either (1) have been displaced on or after 24 February 2022, or (2) are ready to be displaced from Ukraine;
(c) are postdoctoral researchers (i.e. in possession of a doctoral degree by the time the fellowship is set to begin), or doctoral candidates (i.e. enrolled in a doctoral programme at a higher education institution in Ukraine, leading to the award of a doctoral degree)
(d) have the language skills required to successfully conduct their research activities at the envisaged host institution, as confirmed by the applicant host institution.
Applications from prospective host organisations must include:
A completed online application form(further information in September 2022);
A research proposal of max. 2,500 words developed by the researcher;
Documents to support the eligibility of the researcher, e.g. CV, identity document, certificates or diplomas;
A signed statement on institutional letterhead outlining the support to be provided to the researcher;
A statement of max 1,000 words from the academic mentor;
Financing plan, reflecting unit costs using MSCA doctoral and postdoctoral rates;
Ethical self-assessment, mirroring the MSCA self-assessment forms.
Fellowships will be for a minimum duration of 6 months, up to a maximum duration of 2 years, and provide rates in line with MSCA Doctoral Networks and MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships. (See page 75 & Page 83)
Further information on the scheme’s advisory and matchmaking services will be provided in August 2022.
A call for applications with detailed information on application requirements, eligibility, evaluation and selection criteria will be published in September 2022. The call will be widely disseminated, including on the Horizon4Ukraine page of the European Commission’s Funding and Tenders Portal, EURAXESS, Science4Ukraine as well on the partners’ websites, and other Ukrainian and European R&I initiatives and portals.
In the meanwhile, please refrain from sending inquiries about the programme.
Please sign up here to the mailing list to receive further information and notifications about the scheme including the call for applications, and the matchmaking and advisory services.
[1] While the standard MSCA mobility rules will not apply to the MSCA4Ukraine scheme, the principle of mobility still applies. In this respect, the primary host institution (the MSCA4Ukraine applicant) must be outside Ukraine, but institutions within Ukraine can host researchers during a secondment arrangement and in a reintegration phase of up to one-third of the fellowship duration. Further information on such requirements forthcoming in September 2022.
Source: https://sareurope.eu/msca4ukraine/information-for-applicants
