Fully Funded! WALLONIA-BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL EXCELLENCE GRANTS PROGRAMME 2023-24 (Short-term scholarships), Belgium

Deadline for applications: 1 May 2023

Type of grant

Research grant

Level

Postdoctoral

Sectors and fields of study

Primary focus areas: Transport and logistics, Mechanical engineering, Life sciences, Agriculture and bioscience engineering, Aerospace, Environmental technologies.

Other fields will be taken into account : Health (Biomedicine and pharmacy, Motor sciences, Public health, Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary sciences) ; Science and technology (Architecture and town and country planning, Science, Agriculture and bioscience engineering, Engineering and technology) ; Social and human sciences (Criminology, History, art history and archaeology, Information and communication, Languages, literatures and translation studies, Philosophy, Economics and management, Law, Political and social sciences, Psychology and education, Theology); Art (Performing arts and communication and broadcasting technology, Plastic, visual and spatial arts, Music, Theatre and dramatic arts).

Description

Programme description

The Wallonia-Brussels International Excellence Grants Programme (IN WBI) enables the Universities of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation to receive foreign researchers for postdoctoral studies or postdoctoral research programmes.

Type of programme:

• Long-term scholarships (minimum 1 year, renewable once) at postdoctoral level.
• Short-term scholarships (1 to 3 months, non-renewable) at postdoctoral level.

Duration

Long-term scholarships (minimum 1 year, renewable once) at postdoctoral level.

Short-term scholarships (1 to 3 months, non-renewable) at postdoctoral level.

Financial terms

• Monthly amount 2.120 euros covering living expenses, accommodation, educational materials and travel expenses within the country ;
• Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI) will cover international travel costs (one round trip for the total duration of the programme) ;
• WBI covers “healthcare” insurance for non-EU fellows ;
• WBI takes responsibility for “repatriation assistance” insurance (only for long-term scholarships).

Grant funded by

Wallonia-Brussels International – www.wbi.be

Hyperlink : http://www.wbi.be/fr/inwbi#.Xyu3HYozYfc

Eligibility criteria

Nationality.ies – Profile

Researchers from any country with a degree of doctor by a given foreign university wishing to carry out a postdoctoral programme in higher education institutions organised or subsidised by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

Level of study required

Doctor degree.

Additional terms and conditions

It should be noted that you are allowed to submit a file even if you are in an active term and the doctorate certification is not yet in your possession. In this case, it will be necessary to send proof of achievement at the latest on :

• For long-term scholarships (stay between September and August): 1st of June.
• For short-term scholarships:
  • for stay between February and May : 1^st of December ;
  • for stay between June and September : 1^st of April ;
  • for stay between October and January : 1^st of July.

Application process

How to apply

The form must be typed and sent by e-mail in one single PDF file (maximum 10 MB) to the programme manager.

To be included in the file:

The application form and its appendices must be duly completed and signed in the required places.

• Application form ;
• Appendix 1 : Declaration of additional funding (template on page 10) ;
• Appendix 2 : Minimum 2 letters of reference (template on page 11) prepared by the faculty of an academic institution able to judge the scientific quality of your work. These must be sent by e-mail directly to WBI and cannot be sent to you ;
• Appendix 3 : Letter of invitation or agreement from the host university or from the professor(s) supervising the research (no template). It should be noted that researching a host university is a process that is your responsibility and WBI does not intervene in this process ;
• Appendix 4 : Copy of diplomas (bachelor’s, 120 credits master’s and doctorate).

Renewal procedure (applies only to long-term scholarships):

The maximum duration of WBI funding is 2 years for a post-doctorate including one renewal.

To the extent that nothing is automatically established, it will be the responsibility of the awarded fellow wishing to renew their funding to submit, every year by the 1st of May at the latest, an application for renewal (form to be requested from your manager) to be examined by the jury.

Deadline

For long-term scholarships :

No later than the 1^st of March (UTC/GMT +1)preceding the academic year during which the stay is requested (starting 1^st of October at the latest).

For short-term scholarships :

• for stay between February and May : no later than the preceding 1^st of October (UTC/GMT +2);
• for stay between June and September : no later than the preceding 1^st of February (UTC/GMT +1);
• for stay between October and January (starting 1^st of November at the latest) : no later than the preceding 1^st of May (UTC/GMT +2).

Selection Process

WBI selects candidates in collaboration with all the scientific, academic and institutional partners involved in the programme.

The jury is composed of members : 

• from the National Fund for Scientific Research – FRS-FNRS ;
• from the Directorate-General for “Economic Affairs, Employment and Research” of the Walloon Public Service (DG06) ;
• from WBI.

These base their decision on, but are not limited to, the following criteria when making their selection :

• Area related to the Marshall Plan 4.0 competitiveness clusters ;
• Letters of recommendation attached to the form ;
• Academic references ;
• Interest in the field of research for our universities, research centres ;
• Scientific publications ;
• Professional career.

These criteria make it possible to set out classifications in three A-B-C categories. Only those applications which have been graded A by at least one of the members of the jury will be selectable. 

It should be noted that sub-categories (A- and A+) are part of category A.

In principle, the decision will be taken at the latest :

For long-term scholarships : no later than the 15^th of July.

For long-term scholarships :

• for stays starting between February and May : by the 1^st of January ;
• for stays starting between June and September : by the 1^st of May ;
• for stays starting between October and January : by the 1^st of September.

Source / More information: Official Website HERE.