Professor David Fearn, International Dean for North America, has announced that the Principal’s Early Career Mobility Fund will run again this academic session, and that the scheme has been expanded to include McGill University.

This is the scheme’s fourth year. Funded by the Principal, the aim of the scheme is to strengthen partnership working with Columbia, Hong Kong, and McGill, and enhance research collaborations.

Funding researchers internationally

The fund supports PhD students and post-doctoral researchers from the University of Glasgow to visit and conduct research at Columbia University in New York, the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and McGill University in Montreal, providing them with an opportunity to develop high-impact research themes with these key partner universities.

One of the most important aims of the scheme is to provide PhD students/postdoctoral researchers with first-hand experience of the partnership culture, which is increasingly at the heart of academic collaboration. A primary criterion in the selection of applications will be the potential for the development of collaborations between research groups, leading to joint publications and future joint research funding.

Providing opportunities

Columbia, HKU and McGill all fund complementary schemes, sending PhD students, postdocs and other early career staff to Glasgow. Last session, the University approved sixteen applications (9 for Columbia, and 7 for Hong Kong). All of last year’s recipients have commented favourably on the scheme, stressing the value it has added to their current research, as well as the opportunities it has provided for future collaborations.

Professor Fearn said it had been particularly satisfying that the last three years’ candidates represented a broad range of disciplines from across the University, something it was hoped would be replicated this year.

He said: "I would be grateful, therefore, if supervisors could alert PhD students and post-doctoral researchers to the fact that we are now accepting applications for session 15/16.

“Please note that applicants must develop a clear case, setting out details of the proposed visit, the amount required, as well as a clear explanation of how the money would be used. The total amount requested should be less than £5,000, as no single award will exceed this amount.

“Thank you for your help in promoting what is an excellent opportunity for our PhD students and post-doctoral research staff."

For full details about the fund - including details regarding eligibility and how to apply –
visit Principal’s Early Career Mobility Scheme.

Applications must be submitted by Friday 9 October 2015.

First published: 31 August 2015

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