The Research Centre for the Humanities (www.rchumanities.gr), considering its core statutory purpose of fostering research in the humanities, is pleased to announce its 3rd Public Call for a Fellowship at the Centre. The lack of new jobs in the country’s universities and research centres, the scarcity of funding opportunities in the humanities and social sciences, and the limited academic hosts and workspaces for postdoctoral researchers who wish to continue their research are some of the reasons behind RCH’s decision to set up this new Fellowship. While taking this initiative, the RCH wishes to publicly highlight the increasingly difficult situation facing a new generation of researchers with excellent academic qualifications and research activity in the humanities. Accordingly, it invites postdoctoral researchers to join the ranks of the RCH as Fellows, and with the support of the Centre, to prepare and submit research proposals for funding to international, European, national, or private funding bodies and programs.
Researchers will be selected through the established procedures set by the RCH (detailed application, reviewers’ reports, and interviews). They will be remunerated for a period of three (3), four (4) or six (6) months, to prepare their proposals and make the necessary applications to the funding bodies and programs. The timeframe will be set by the RCH, depending on the type of funding body/program, as well as on the application to be submitted.
Those entitled to apply for a Fellowship are post-doctoral researchers. During the RCH Fellowship and while preparing the research proposal for submission, the Fellow may either work on her/his proposal on an individual basis and/or form a research team comprised of researchers in Greece or abroad, depending on the requirements of the funding body/program to which they will apply. Creating a communication network with other researchers is an additional aim.
- Provision of Services by RCH
The RCH will provide the Fellow with assistance in drafting the research proposal and in submitting the application for funding. Such assistance will be provided by experts with know-how in submitting applications to international, European, national, or private research funding bodies and programs. Assistance consists of:
- Academic advisory support, a/ by a committee composed of members of the academic community across various disciplines with long-term research activity and significant work, both during the preparation of the research proposal to be submitted, and during its implementation in the event it is approved, and b/ by means of other academic activities, such as the organization of discussion groups on the subject under enquiry.
- Technical support by a person with experience in the application process.
- Training seminars on international, European, national, or private research funding bodies and programs.
- Desk space for work and meetings.
- Affiliation with the RCH as an RCH Fellow and respective e-mail address.
- A stipend of €2,100 (net) for the period of three months, €2.800 (net) for the period of four months and €4,200 (net) for the period of six months, upon signing the relevant work contract, subject to the usual legal provisions regarding, for example, tax and insurance deductions.
- Obligations of Fellows
Individuals who are eventually selected as Fellows will be required to:
- Complete the preparation of the research proposal initially submitted to the RCH and submit it to the relevant funding body/program at an international or European, national, or private level.
- Form networks of researchers in Greece and abroad who specialize in the subject of the proposed research, and foster the interconnection of RCH with other respective academic institutions and research centres in Greece and abroad.
- Organize an academic event (e.g., conference, seminar, lecture) related to the topic of their proposed research.
- Actively participate in workshops and other meetings organized by the RCH for its Fellows.
- Participate and attend academic activities organized by the RCH (indicatively: seminars, workshops, conferences etc.).
- Submit to the RCH a brief report on their activities and experience during their period of work as a Fellow at the Centre.
- In the event their research proposal is approved by an international, European, national, or private funding body/program and is awarded funding, Fellows are expected to contribute 8% of the approved amount of funding to RCH. This sum will ΝΟΤ be used by the RCH to cover its running costs, but will be solely used to fund more fellowships, ensuring the continuation of funding of junior scholars.
Submission of Applications
Applications should only be submitted electronically via e-mail, with the title “3rd Public Call for Fellowship” in the subject line, to fellows@rchumanities.gr attaching the following documents:
- Detailed Description of the proposed research in English (max. 2000 words), and a summary in Greek (max. 500 words). Please use the Detailed Description Template we provide for this purpose (download here). No other format of Detailed Description will be accepted.
The description must include the following:
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- Title of research proposal.
- Detailed research proposal (including description, overarching objectives, methodology, deliverables).
- Academic and social contribution.
- A specific timeline and implementation plan for the roll-out of the research.
- A proposal “roadmap” providing information about interlocutors, possible collaborations with scholars and partnerships with academic institutions (for instance, universities, research centres, institutes, and labs), as well as the reasoning behind these choices. The proposal “roadmap” should also include possible archives and other resources to be explored.
- Funding bodies and programs to which the candidate intends to submit the research proposal for funding; submission deadlines; dates of announcement of the results by the funding bodies (if known); funding period.
- CV in English (with a brief paragraph in Greek), which should be submitted only by filling in the CV Template we provide for this purpose (please download here).
Evaluation of Applications
Evaluation of applications will be carried out by established scholars from Greece and abroad. The final selection will be made by the Board and the founding members of the Research Centre. Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview.
Timeline
| Application period starts | 15 November 2024 |
| Application period closes | 19 December 2024 (midnight, Greek time) |
| Announcement of Results | End of February 2025 |
Information
For more information, please contact Dr. Despoina Valatsou at dvalatsou@rchumanities.gr or by phone at +30 2103640424 on weekdays from 10.00 to 12.00 strictly.