Application deadline: 30 April 2021
Start date: September 2021
Job Description
The Université libre de Bruxelles has created a Solidarity Fund in order to provide support for researchers who no longer have the freedom to pursue their research in their home country, where they are threatened due to the content of their scientific work or to the opinions they have freely expressed.
The Solidarity Fund provides postdoctoral fellowships enabling threatened academics to continue their work at ULB in a climate of academic freedom.
The solidarity fellowship consists in a one-year (12 months) postdoctoral position, amounting to 42,000 euros gross (approximately 29,000 euros net), plus a discretionary relocation allowance of 2,500 euros net (payable to researchers resident in another country, after their move to Belgium).
The recipients will carry out research in a ULB research centre, supervised by a member of the University’s academic staff. They may, if they so wish, take part in teaching activities or any other scientific activities organised on campus.
Qualifications
PhD
Eligibility Requirements
hold a PhD and occupy (or have occupied) a research position in a university in the home country;
not have been established for more than 8 years in another country than the country in which the researcher is at risk
not have obtained their PhD more than 8 years before the fellowship start date;
be currently at risk in their home country due to the content of their work or to the ideas they have openly expressed;
not have resided or carried out their main activity in Belgium (work, studies etc.) for more than 24 months during the 36 months immediately preceding the fellowship start date (mobility rule);
be able to stay in Belgium for a full time at ULB;
have a good knowledge of written and spoken English and/or French (minimum B2) ;
at the end of the first year of the grant, current beneficiaries may apply a second time upon favorable advice from the promoter.
Selection requirements
The scientific quality of the candidate and of the research project
The dangerous situation to which the candidate is exposed
The capacity for integration
Interested ?
Applications must be submitted by 30 April 2021.
Applicants must submit the completed online application form and send the following documents by email tosolidarityfund@ulb.be
a confidential application letter describing the researcher’s situation (the letter must clearly mention the applicant’s administrative situation, whether he/she has a valid passport, whether it is possible for him/her to travel and his/her current location);
the applicant’s CV, including a list of publications;
a description (approximately 4 pages) of the research project that the applicant will work on at ULB;
a copy of the applicant’s PhD diploma;
a copy of the applicant’s passport;
the form below, completed by the member of ULB academic staff who would supervise their research;
two reference letters from scientists working in the same field, including, if possible, one from their PhD supervisor.
any other document deemed useful to support the application and supporting the risk situation will be useful.
It is required to carry out your research under the supervision of an ULB’s academic member whom you should contact before submitting your application.
You will find the list of academics on the following page : http://cvchercheurs.ulb.ac.be/Site/repertoireUK.php
Only complete applications, that include all the items listed above, can be taken into consideration.
Calendar
30 April – deadline for submission of applications
May – selection committee meeting
June – notification by the selection committee
September – fellowship start date.
Should the applicant be offered another position before the results of the ULB call for applications are communicated, he/she will inform ULB immediately, by sending an email to solidarityfund@ulb.be
All documents will be handled with the utmost confidentiality by the selection committee.
For further information, please contact solidarityfund@ulb.be