The European University Institute Florence submits a Proposal for a new post-doctoral programme in social sciences

April 21, 2005

Brussels, 20 April 2005

On 20 April, Ján Figel’, Commissioner in charge Education & Training, and Yves Mény, President of the European University Institute of Florence, presented a proposal for a post-doctoral programme submitted by EUI to the Commission. In line with the Lisbon agenda and based on the experience of one of Europe’s largest doctoral and post-doctoral programmes, this programme, limited at first to social sciences, aims at preparing young academics for their future career in a European Education Area and to create synergies only known in large research facilities, thus reversing the brain-drain of young doctors leaving for the US.

In line with the Lisbon agenda, and in particular the objective to reach 700,000 scientists by 2010, this proposal consists of the creation of a post-doctoral programme in social sciences, offering an internationally renowned, attractive research environment with complementary training modules developing the additional necessary skills for highly qualified young scientists.

Named after the famous researcher Max Weber, this post-doctoral training programme in the social sciences is proposed as a pilot model for postdoctoral training in general. Social sciences are connected directly with issues related to the EU agenda and there is a significant demand for experts in these fields from the Member States which entered the EU in 2004.

The objective of this proposal is to create the necessary complement in the form of a large scale programme in the social sciences capable of competing on an international level. The ambition of the programme is to achieve sufficient critical mass in order to produce the appropriate synergy known only in American top universities, thus reducing brain-drain of post-doc researchers to the US, and to cluster young scientists in teams with converging interests.

A major goal is also to prepare the replacement of the current university teaching staff of the baby boom generation, thus creating a multiplier effect.

In addition, the post-doctoral programme would be a natural extension of the already existing and successful Jean Monet Fellowship programme at the European University Institute (EUI).

The post-doctoral programme will include:

  • the development of the research skills and research activities of Fellows;
  • a thorough preparation of young academics for their future tasks, i.e. teaching, or other specific skills, related to this career; and
  • a preparation of Fellows for a pan-European Education Area.
From 2007 onwards, this project will recruit 40 fellows through an open competition according to a specific theme, to be decided annually. The duration of the programme will be from 12 to a maximum of 24 months running parallel with the academic year and the proposed amount of the monthly grant is 2 000 € (+ allowance).

The text of this proposal can be found at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/ajm/index_en.html

Background information: The European University Institute was founded in 1972 by the European Community Member States. Its main objective is to provide advanced academic training to PhD students and to promote research at the highest level. It carries out research in a European perspective in history, law, economics, political and social science. Its full-time teaching staff and 330 research students come from all countries of the European Union and further

http://www.iue.it/

Item source: IP/05/448 Date: 20/04/2005 Previous Item Back to Titles Print Item

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