News Release

Second call for proposals for the European Young Investigator Award

Grant and Award Announcement

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

The second call for proposals for the European Young Investigator (EURYI) Award, which enables and encourages outstanding young researchers from all over the world, has been announced. This European programme for young researchers is managed and funded by the scientific and research funding organisations under the umbrella of the European Union Research Organisations Heads of Research Councils (EUROHORCs). The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is responsible for administration of the programme in Germany. The aim of the EURYI Awards is to effectively enable and encourage outstanding young researchers to work in one of the European countries participating in the programme for a five year period. This is intended to support the career development of the next generation of leading researchers and, at the same time, to increase the attractiveness of the European Research Area on an international level for the long term.

A EURYI Award will give young researchers the opportunity to establish and lead an independent junior research group at a recognised European research institution. This programme of excellence, which is committed to the idea of early scientific independence, is based upon the "Memorandum of Understanding", signed by 20 scientific organisations from 16 European countries in May 2004. The programme is open to researchers from all scientific disciplines and is directed towards researchers from anywhere in the world. Each award will last for a five-year period and will include the salary of the award holder and funding for an independent junior research group (including two or three staff positions for doctoral students or postdoctoral students), as well as funding for consumables, travel expenses, etc.

Applicants for a EURYI Award should have an excellent scientific track record. They should have distinguished themselves through outstanding research achievements and demonstrate the potential to become world class leaders in the respective research area. Due to the differing ages at which a doctorate may be awarded in the various European countries there is no age limit. Rather, applicants should have between two and ten years of postdoctoral research experience. Particular importance is place upon a qualified invitation, as well as a written confirmation from the host institute that it will accommodate the independent junior research group.

The DFG is responsible for funding proposals in the Federal Republic of Germany; for the other participating countries the organisations listed in the announcement are responsible respectively. The review process, which is based solely upon the criteria of scientific quality, will be undertaken in two stages: The first stage will be carried out at the national level where the DFG will review the application. Candidates who are successful in stage one will be invited to an interview in a joint selection process organised by the participating European organisations, for which the European Science Foundation (ESF) in Strasbourg is responsible.

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Further information

The complete call for proposals for the EURYI Awards, including details on the eligibility criteria and application procedures, is available on the DFG's website at http://www.dfg.de/en/international/ where an application form can also be downloaded. Applications, which should be completed in English, may be submitted until 30 November 2004.

Applications for Germany must be sent to the DFG, Keyword "EURYI Awards", Kennedyallee 40, D-53175 Bonn, Germany. Contacts at the DFG's Head Office are Dr. Anjana Buckow, e-mail: anjana.buckow@dfg.de, for questions relating to applications, and Dr. Beate Scholz, e-mail: beate.scholz@dfg.de, and Christoph Mühlberg, e-mail: christoph.muehlberg@dfg.de for questions relating to the EURYI programme.

Further information is also available at www.eurohorcs.org and www.esf.org.


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