Call for applications, Future Laureates Societal Challenges Programme
SKERIC invites doctoral students and researchers who have obtained their PhD in 2020 or later, to apply for participation in the Future Laureates Societal Challenges Programme.
The Future Laureates Societal Challenges Programme gives you the opportunity to be part of a dynamic interdisciplinary group of early career researchers. You will work together and meet regularly for two and a half years (between early fall 2024 and late fall 2026) to discuss and address complex societal challenges. The programme is designed to widen your perspectives, thereby enhancing your CV, facilitate the expansion of your research networks, give added value to your research competence, and guide you in improving your skills in an international collaborative environment.
You apply to participate in one of the following five interdisciplinary thematic groups (follow the link below for more information about each theme) :
1) Climate change and green transformation
3) Innovative energy solutions
4) Dynamic, secure, and sustainable society
5) Artificial intelligence
Join the programme to:
Deepen your understanding of global challenges and the complex issues facing our world today. Delve into various interdisciplinary approaches to address these.
Expand your network of contacts and establish relationships with other researchers within a range of disciplines from leading universities in Sweden and Korea.
Add value to your research skills and investigate new methodologies for tackling complex problems.
Improve and expand transferable skills, such as intercultural communication, science communication, ethics, and grant writing.
Apply for mobility funding, to spend between 5-10 months at one of the partner universities in Sweden or Korea. (total budget 5 M SEK / 641 M KRW)
Apply for seed-funding to develop new research projects or innovations together with your fellow researchers (total budget 2 M SEK/ 256 M KRW)
About the Programme
The Future Laureates Societal Challenges Programme will bring together around 50 early career researchers from the member universities in SKERIC. Researchers are divided into five thematic groups, each comprising approximately ten early career researchers with diverse academic backgrounds and at least two experienced mentors. The same group of researchers will be part of the programme for the whole duration of the project. At the end of the programme the groups are expected to be successfully established and in the process of preparing a major grant application, publish joint papers and publications or to organize outreach activities about their research.
The researchers will, with the help of the mentors, define the research questions that they want to address and decide how to set up their project and structure their work and meetings. Experienced mentors will provide guidance and expertise to the groups.
Both digital and physical meetings will be included in the programme. Once a year a week-long conference will be organized in either Korea or Sweden. In 2024, the conference will be held in Korea between 11-15 November. In 2025, it will again be held in Korea, and in 2026 it will be held in Sweden. In between the on-site conferences you will meet digitally with your research group, monthly or as often as the group decides. Seminars will be organized every semester, focusing on specific themes, such as intercultural communication, science communication, ethics, and grant writing.
Expenses
The programme is offered free of charge to selected participants. Each home university will cover the expenses for travel and hotel during the physical meetings.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are those currently registered as doctoral students, or who have obtained their doctorates in 2020, or later, and who are employed or registered at one of the SKERIC partner universities. Applicants should have a minimum of 1,5 years remaining on their programme/contract at the time of application. Proficiency in English is essential, as the programme will be conducted in English.
Application
To apply for the programme, submit the following documents, written in English in .pdf format in accordance with the application procedures at your home university:
Application form (follow the link to find the application form) where you motivate your commitment to participate in the programme, how you can contribute to the research theme that you are applying for, and how participation in the programme would benefit your research activities.
CV, maximum 4 pages
Doctoral students: Recommendation letter from the supervisor. Other researchers: Statement of Support from Head of Department (or the like)
Application deadline is April 23, 2024 (there may be variations at individual SKERIC universities).
Note: Confidential information should be excluded from the application. Submitted applications are considered official documents subject to the principle of public access to information. Referees from third country will have access to the application.
Contact persons at each SKERIC university:
Korea University: Meehye Lee (meehye@korea.ac.kr)
POSTECH: Hyunji An (hjan56@postech.ac.kr)
Seoul National University: Wooin Lee (wooin.lee@snu.ac.kr)
University of Gothenburg: Linn Gabrielsson (linn.gabrielsson@gu.se)
Lund University: Henrik Hofvendahl (henrik.hofvendahl@er.lu.se)
KTH: Yongkuk Jeong (yongkuk@kth.se) or Charlotte Almqvist (alm3@kth.se)
Umeå University: Johanna Gärdeström (johanna.gardestrom@umu.se)
Uppsala University: Fanny Lagerberg (fanny.lagerberg@uu.se)
Selection
Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
Merits (Research merits and other academic merits e.g. publications and other research output/results, external grants, collaborations within and outside academia, awards, and assignments).
How the applicant’s current research and academic background could contribute to the research theme.
Motivation and commitment to the program.
SKERIC aims to create dynamic and diverse interdisciplinary groups with mixed academic backgrounds and will strive for a balanced participation in terms of gender, country, and university affiliation.
Selection result will be announced by June 2024.