MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are individual research grants that enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD and who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships will be open to excellent researchers of any nationality.

The Center for of Frederick University (FredU) invites motivated postdoctoral researchers to jointly prepare an application for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships call (MSCA-PF-2022) with FredU as host organization.

Description of Hosting Research Team

The recently established Center for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching (CIET). The Center’s mission is to pursue and sustain excellence in higher education teaching through capacity building and the development of competent practices. Central to this is the adoption innovation and technology in teaching as well as the advancement of research via a multidisciplinary approach. CIET’s vision is to contribute towards improving the success of students in higher education.

The key functions are outlined below:

1. Policy and Operational Framework Design: Design policies and proposals on practices for the introduction of innovative teaching approaches to the university
2. Educational Content Design and Development: Support the design and development of state-of-the-art educational material
3. Research and Experimentation: Perform funded or otherwise research relevant to the mission of the Center and perform experiments to identify effective mechanisms to improve student learning in HE
4. User Support and Training: Support staff and students on educational technology use. perform, under PDF’s directions, relevant trainings
5. Monitoring and Report Development: oversight the implementation of policies and the operating framework, under the guidelines of competent QA authorities and generate relevant reports
6. Consulting and external services provision: offer services and participate in tenders and other externally funded activities relevant to the center’s mission.

The CIET team has three members (one academic, one instructional designer and an educational technology support officer) and it’s in the process of to expand its staff and operations given the great priority and emphasis given by the University to further develop the quality of education provided to its students. The CIET team has published in several peer-reviewed academic international journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings, as well as presented in various national and interactional academic and educational conferences. CIET has participated/ is participating in several national and international research projects mainly funded by ERASMUS+, and the Ministry of Education. The projects mainly focus on the following themes: development and digitalization of educational material, adults educators training improving - technology tools use, virtual educator, development of educators digital skills, development of trainings for improving students and educators digital competences, etc. It has been offering in collaboration with other national and international educational organizations and institutions (public and private) numerous professional development trainings and seminars. CIET team was responsible to design, develop and deliver the trainings. The Center has been already pedagogically and technologically supporting faculty, administrative staff and students through various operations such as:

• employment of quality control mechanism and standards,
• development of educational interactive digitalized multimedia material (online quizzes, interactive presentations and videos, narrated presentations, educational videos, digitalized learning scenarios),
• design, development and set up of the online and blended learning courses at the learning management system platform following the Pedagogical Framework developed by the University’s Distance Learning Committee.
• In-house professional development trainings for faculty members, administrative staff and students (i.e tutorials development, designing and delivery MOOCs for professional development trainings,) as well as personal and group guidance and support.

Expertise Sought

We are looking for a candidate with expertise in Instructional Technology & Instructional Design, Digital Pedagogies, Online, Blended and Hyflex Learning.

Your profile

1. A PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications. Applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered eligible to apply.
2. A maximum of eight years’ experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks will not count towards the above maximum, nor will years of experience in research in third countries for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe.
3. Should comply with mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Cyprus, or the host organization for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline (14/9/22).
4. Good research track record and publications related or complementary to the Expertise Sough or the overall activities of the hosting Research Team.

What we offer:

• A stimulating, interdisciplinary environment for research on providing quality education and develop students’ skills needed to successfully survive in this competitive, ever-changing Hi-Tech, globalized, and rapid-changing society via Online, Blended and Hyflex learning environments. Consequently, research is conducted on developing such environments, designing and delivering online collaborative learning environments, designing digitalized educational material, identify the factors to promote and increase students’ motivation, engagement, and success in their studies, and pedagogically support educators and students in online, blended and hyflex learning environments.
• Support and guidance for the preparation of your MSCA PF proposal from your future supervisor and the team’s research manager.
• Advise and comprehensive support from the Research and Interconnection Service of Frederick University for incoming international researchers.

How to apply?

You can submit your application via e-mail to n.eteokleous@frederick.ac.cy (Cc research@Frederick.ac.cy) with subject line “MSCA PF 2022 Proposals”. Your application must include of a pdf file with the following documents:

1. A 1-page motivation letter
2. Your academic CV, including a complete list of your publications

As soon as the supervisor agrees to support you as a MSCA-PF candidate, you will be requested to start preparation of the MSCA PF proposal and will be supported further by the supervisor and the R&I Service of FredU.

For more information about the hosting offer, you can contact Associate Professor Nikleia Eteokleous (Research Manager, n.eteokleous@frederick.ac.cy).