Synergies to fuel Researchers’ CareersLuxembourg, 10 – 11 December 2015

organised by

10 December 2015 – International Mobility: Recruitment and Retention Strategies

PEGASUS – Lessons learntGregory Absillis

Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)

• Fundamental scientific research (mainly at universities) in the Flemish Community

• Bottom-up funding in all disciplines including life-sciences

• Selection based on scientific excellence and interuniversity competition

• Transparent and equal opportunities

• Promotes international collaboration

Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)

Internationalization at FWOPlacing Flemish research in a broader context

Coping with Flanders’ ‘smallness’

Mobility Grants

• Conferences/Workshops• Short/long stays abroad

Lead Agency Procedures

• LUX, NLD, AUT, SVN

Exchange and Collaboration

• EU: Poland, Bulgaria, France, Slovenia, Romania, …• Non-EU: China, Argentina, Turkey, South Korea, …

Bilateral Research Projects

• Vietnam, Québec, Ecuador, China, Brazil, South Africa

ODYSSEUS

To attract promising top researchers and postdocs to Flanders

BIG SCIENCE

To support research at large, international research facilities

[PEGASUS]2

• MSCA COFUND• To attract excellent

postdocs to Flanders• To increase international

mobility of postdocs in Flanders

Big ScienceLARGE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH

FACILITIES

[PEGASUS]2

giving wings to your career

• 3-year fellowships for postdoctoral researchers

• Cofinanced by MSCA under Horizon 2020EU: € 6,4 milFWO: € 8,3 mil

• Extension of the PEGASUS programme cofunded under FP7

Lessons Learnt – Changes made

How did the PEGASUS (FP7) programme evolve to [PEGASUS]2

Based on self-reflection and independent research-based evaluation

2012-2016 2015-2020

PEGASUS(2012-2016)

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No 267216.

Impact on the RESEARCHER (career – skills and capabilities - network):

“I believe it has been instrumental in getting accepted as a CERN COFUND fellow”“It was the stepping stone to an Odysseus grant and in the end a permanent position”

Impact on the HOST RESEARCH GROUP:

“The Pegasus fellowship holder brought the latest molecular biology techniques into my laboratory, making us the first in Belgium to have access to this technology”

Impact on FLANDERS (visibility – international status – collaborations):

“Contributes to the revitalization of science in Flanders”

PEGASUS(2012-2016)

• Pegasus-long: 3-year postdoctoral fellowship

• Pegasus-short: 1-year postdoctoral fellowship

INCOMING mobility

Evaluation: Respondents as well as interviewees and promoters often mentioned that the Pegasus-short fellowship is too short to have a meaningful impact

Action taken: Pegasus-short fellowships out - full focus on 3-year fellowships

Optimized Programme Design

Need for long-term OUTGOING mobility at FWO

Evaluation: Focus on project-based exchange of researchers

Focus on short period mobility - max. period abroad is 1 year

Action Taken: Include OUTGOING mobility in the new PEGASUS program

Mobility Grants

• Conferences/Workshops• Short/long stays abroad

Exchange and Collaboration

• EU: Poland, Bulgaria, France, Slovenia, Romania, …• Non-EU: China, Argentina, Turkey, South Korea, …

Bilateral Research Projects

• Vietnam, Québec, Ecuador, China, Brazil, South Africa

Lead Agency Procedures

• LUX, NLD, AUT, SVN

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 665501

[PEGASUS]2

(2015-2020)

Optimized Programme Design

3-year INCOMING fellowships:

• To attract excellent postdoctoral researchers to the Flemish Community• To improve Flemish research and to stimulate internationalization of

research

3-year OUTGOING fellowships:(first 2 years abroad – third return year)

• To boost the career of postdoctoral researchers in Flanders by gaining international research experience

• To anchor the gained knowledge and expertise in Flanders

[PEGASUS]2

(2015-2020)

Although fundamental research is the DNA of FWO, FWO is convinced that the cross-fertilization between industry and academic basic research contributes to

excellent research

Intersectoral Mobility

Action taken:

Part of the research can be spend in the non-academic center

• Project mainly focuses on fundamental research

• Main supervisor remains in academia

• IPR are properly laid out in an agreement

Optimized Procedure Design

Application Evaluation Feedback Contracting

Evaluation: 84% of the respondents that read the guidelines indicate that all the necessary information is included. 15% perceives that not all the necessary information is provided.

Action taken: 1. Extended guidelines containing information on:

The FWO and eligibility requirements, How to apply and evaluation procedureEmployment conditions and obligations

2. FAQ

3. More detailed brochure

[PEGASUS]2

(2015-2020)

Optimized Procedure Design

Application Evaluation Feedback Contracting

Evaluation: Fellows agree that the evaluation procedure was transparent. Nevertheless 36% had suggestions to make the process even more transparent.

Action taken: 1. Guidelines include:

More detailed evaluation procedure schemesExtended list of subcriteriaWeighing factors for evaluation criteria

2. Revised more elaborate feedback procedure

International peer-review reports + pre-reports of FWO panel members + panel discussion remarks

[PEGASUS]2

(2015-2020)

Optimized Procedure Design

Application Evaluation Feedback Contracting

Evaluation: The respondents are rather positive about the contracting procedure, except about the flexibility of the starting date of the fellowship

“It was difficult to arrange visa, housing, family matter, … in time to start the fellowship”

Action taken: 5 month flexible start date

[PEGASUS]2

(2015-2020)

Retention Strategy [PEGASUS]2

(2015-2020)

Complementarity with regular FWO postdoc funding scheme

INCOMING[PEGASUS]2

FWO postdocextension

First regular FWO postdoc

FWO postdocextension

First regular FWO postdoc

OUTGOING[PEGASUS]2

OUTGOING[PEGASUS]2

FWO postdocextension

Outgoing as FWO postdoc extensionReturn year ensures that:

• fellow AND his/her expertise return• researcher is REintegrated for a long

term position

FWO postdoc open to all nationalities

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 665501

Programme Overview [PEGASUS]2

(2015-2020)

• 3 year postdoctoral fellowships

• INCOMING and OUTGOING: open to all nationalities

• Guide for applicants and regulations on website:

Call 1

Launch: September 2015Deadline: February 1, 2016

Flexible start: Oct 2016 - Feb 2017

Call 2

Launch: February 2016Deadline: May 1, 2016

Flexible start: Jan-May 2017

http://www.fwo.be/en/fellowships-funding/postdoctoral-fellowships/

Thank you!Questions?