Formas' annual call 2010 for applications for open postdoctoral grants for researchers who hold a doctorate from a foreign university
Last day of application: 2010-04-27
Day of decision: 2010-11-22
The Swedish Research Council Formas is calling for applications for open postdoctoral grants, for researchers who hold a doctorate from a foreign university, in all the areas of responsibility of the Council.
The mission of Formas is to promote and support basic research and need-driven research in the areas Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning. The research that is funded should be of the highest scientific quality and relevance to the areas of responsibility of the Council. Formas may also fund development projects to a limited extent.
The research should produce knowledge that will contribute to the sustainable development of society - a development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This presupposes that the health and welfare of humans and animals, biodiversity, the environment and the viability of nature, economics, ethics, and social and cultural values are taken into consideration.
A detailed description of the strategy of Formas will be found in Formas' strategies and research programmes.
Formas welcomes applications, including an interdisciplinary – multidisciplinary orientation, from all areas of responsibility of the Council. The criteria for the assessment and ranking of the applications are scientific quality and societal values for Formas' areas of responsibility. Gender perspectives should be taken into account in project proposals where this is relevant. Grants may be used as Swedish co-funding of EU projects with an R&D orientation.
The earliest date of commencement of projects is January 2011. Applications for funds may be made for up to two years.
The open postdoctoral programme is addressed to researchers from a Swedish university, university college or research institute who wish to have a young researcher in her/his research team. A young researcher in this case is a person who has been awarded a doctorate by a foreign university not more than five calendar years prior to 1 January the year of the application, i.e. not earlier than 1 January 2005, and not later than 1 November 2010. Parental leave, illness, military service or some other special circumstances which prevented research activity during the time after the award of the doctorate should be specified in the CV and may be a reason to make an exception from the five year rule. An open postdoctoral grant means that the applicant does not need to enter the name of a specific person in the application. If the application is approved, the payment of the grant will commence when the applicant has presented a letter to Formas, confirming that a position for a postdoctoral researcher with a doctorate from a foreign university has been approved, together with the CV of this person. The holder of the grant must have taken up the position not later than 1 September 2011, otherwise the funds will again be at the disposal of Formas.
The grant provides funding for a visit of up to two years at a Swedish university, university college or research institute.
The applications will be assessed by Formas' standing evaluation panels, which primarily are comprised by researchers.
PLEASE NOTE. Applications for funding of open postdoctoral grants are assessed in accordance with the guidelines applicable to research and development projects, but the focus is placed on the tasks that the postdoctoral researcher is expected to perform and the way this can contribute to the development of the research environment. Formas Handbook 2010 contains a detailed description of Formas’ policy and rules, the forms of project support and the application procedure, and information on how applications are assessed.
The call will close and the application has to be registered in FormasDirect at 24:00 hrs, 27 April 2010. Technical support from Formas is provided for until 16:45 on the last day of application. Please, make certain to submit your application in time before 16:45 in case that you will need technical support. Applications are to be made via an online form on Formas' website.
The Scientific Council of Formas will make its decision on applications on 29 November 2010. The results of the decision will be announced the next day on Formas' website.
For further information, please contact:
Viktoria Halltell, Senior International Officer,
Tel. +46 8-775 4062
E-mail: 
Formas' duty telephone, +46 8-775 4005, is open on weekdays 20-27 April 8.00 - 16.45, in order to answer queries of a general nature.
Queries relating to specific disciplines will be answered by the relevant Senior Research Officers.
