Scholarships, grants, project funding to give Greek resarch a major boost
The Actions of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (ELIDEK) an antidote of the Ministry of Education, Research and Technology against the academic brain drain
The research landscape in Greece is changing!
With the passing of law 4415 of 2016, there is about to be a disbursement, in the framework of the implementation of the agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the funding of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation, of a down payment of 18 million euros of the 240 million euros earmarked for the support of research carried out at universities and research centres in Greece.
Based on this down payment, there are plans for the immediate proclamation of the following two actions:
1. Scholarships of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation/Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs for doctoral candidates
The scholarship amounts to 900 euros per month, with a duration of up to three years. The total number of beneficiaries of this action is projected to be at least 265 doctoral degree candidates.
2. Research Programmes of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation/Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs. Research projects with a duration of between two and three years.
The maximum budget for each project is projected to be 200,000 euros of which at least 60 percent will be disbursed as salaries for the young academics. The gross post-doctoral, monthly salaries will range between 1,600-1,800 euros, according to their research experience. The remainder will be available for the purchase of research equipment and supplies, as well as to cover the cost of participation in academic conferences.
It should be noted that the academic supervisors of these projects will be exclusively post-doctoral researchers, in accord with the relevant Research Law 4386 of 2016.
The beneficiaries of the aforementioned action will be young academics (degree-holders, technical staff, Masters Degree candidates, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers). In total during this phase, at least 45 projects will be funded, employing an estimated of 180 academics.
It should be noted that immediately following the impending parliamentary vote on the law establishing the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation, which has already been tabled in parliament, the following action will also be proclaimed:
“Research Programmes of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovationt/Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs” – Research projects for which Teaching Research Personnel (DEP) at universities, Technological Educational Institutes (TEI) and Researchers at Research Centres are eligible.
These projects will be proclaimed after the legal establishment of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation, and they will comprise the third action to be proclaimed by the Foundation in 2016. Academic supervisors of these projects will be members of University Teaching Research Personnel (DEP), of universities, Technological Educational Institutes (TEI) and Researchers of the First, Second and Third rank. The maximum budget per project will be approximately 250,000 euros, of which at least 40 percent must be expended on young academics’ salaries.
Alternate Education, Research and Religious Affairs Minister Costas Fotakis, who is competent for Research and Innovation matters, stated, “These actions, combined with other initiatives of the Education, Research and Religious Affairs Ministry, are expected to act as a strong antidote for the wave of departures of young academics abroad. The focus of implementation will be to ensure scientific quality and excellence, so as to bolster and highlight the capabilities of the country’s academic human capital and to create poles of attraction for the conduct of scientific research. From the projects of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Development alone, we expect to support over 4,000 academics over the next three years, so as to conduct high quality research projects with dignified work conditions. “
Alternate Minister Fotakis further underlined that, “The conditions of ineffectual austerity that were implemented over previous years intensified the departure of academics. This renders necessary immediate, urgent measures. For this reason, the first two aforementioned actions will be proclaimed at latest by the end of October, 2016.
There will be similar future actions, which will be determined by the Scientific Council of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation, at regular intervals.
