The Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) open the first call for Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence in the Czech Republic.
The joint calls by MPG and MEYS are designed to establish Centres of Scientific Excellence at Czech Host Institutions. Going beyond the scope of a project grant, a Dioscuri Centre (DC) is built around a distinguished researcher position. It is awarded to excellent scientists capable of establishing and leading an outstanding, highly visible research group. A DC shall connect the local research landscape to the wider scientific community while simultaneously positioning the leader of the DC in the respective field. These efforts will be supported by Partners from German universities or research institutions. Partners will promote the Centres’ structural development and integration in scientific networks, thereby strengthening scientific exchange between the Czech Republic and Germany. The DC’s development will further be supported by an international Scientific Advisory Board.
DCs are expected to conduct top-class internationally competitive and innovative research. Each of them will be funded with up to € 300,000 p.a., initially for five years. This amount will be part of a larger package involving supplementary funds, infrastructure, scientific equipment, and a long-term perspective for the leader of the DC at the respective Host Institution (to be arranged individually between selected candidates and their Host Institutions). This will put the DC in a position to attract additional funding from Czech and European/international sources.
Applicants are asked to provide a concept for the DC they plan to establish, which includes an innovative research program as well as an outline for the DC’s structural development.
In the first call, up to a total of three DCs will be established in the fields of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Life Sciences and Natural Sciences and Technology.
Who?
The call is directed at internationally competitive and scientifically outstanding scientists from all scientific disciplines, who have proven their ability to conduct innovative research independently and:
- a. who completed their PhD no longer than 15 years prior to the application deadline (Female applicants can add 18 months for each child, male applicants can add the number of months spent on parental leave (if applicable).).
- b. who have proven their international mobility over the course of their scientific career, e.g., pursued their PhD and post-doc at different research institutions (at least one of them outside the Czech Republic), have established a network of international collaborators and have a strong record of publications in international scientific journals with a reach outside the Czech Republic.
- c. who have not carried out their main research activity at the host institution for more than twelve months in the three years immediately before the application deadline.
Only Czech research organizations, which are legally defined as research organizations are eligible as Host Institutions.
Deadline: 25 July 2022.