SKERIC long-term mobility programme
SKERIC Long-term mobility programme
The SKERIC universities seek to promote mobility of early career researchers and the development of a strong international network between the SKERIC universities. Early career researchers who participate in one of the SKERIC work packages (Future Laureates Societal Challenges, Science Diplomacy Academy or Science to Business forum), are therefore invited to apply for a mobility grant to spend between 5 and 12 months at one of the SKERIC universities. The grants will enable the researchers to continue their education, pursuing their own research project during the mobility period, parallel to joining a research group at the host university. The stay abroad must be for a sustained period and cannot be divided into shorter stays.
Eligibility
The call for applications is open to Ph.D. students and for post-docs, who gained their PhD in 2020 or later, and who participate in one of the SKERIC work packages. The applicants need to study at and/or be employed at one of the SKERIC universities (Korea University, Seoul National University, POSTECH, KTH Royal institute of Technology, Lund University, Umeå University, University of Gothenburg and Uppsala University), at the time of application and during the mobility.
Why should you apply?
The SKERIC long-term mobility scheme will help you by:
Broadening and deepening your skills and research interes
Facilitating mobility and sharing of ideas
Stimulating new research ideas
Building your network amongst researchers at SKERIC universities
Application
To apply for the SKERIC long term mobility scheme, you need to fill out the application form, and submit the following documents:
Invitation letter to a research group at one of the SKERIC universities. If you are a participant in SKERIC from one of the Swedish universities, an invitation letter to a research group at one of the Korean SKERIC universities should be submitted, if you are a participant in SKERIC from one of the Korean universities, an invitation letter to a research group at one of the Swedish SKERIC universities should be submitted. If you apply for two different universities, you need to submit an invitation letter to each one of the universities.
Recommendation letter from your supervisor/mentor/PI/line manager
CV (maximum 4 pages)
A letter describing your motivation and commitment to participate in the programme and how well the mobility is expected to develop your skills and research interests, and/or to stimulate new research ideas (maximum 5000 characters).
When applying, you will be asked to confirm that you have the permission of your supervisor/mentor/PI/line manager to undertake the mobility alongside your research/studies. PhD students are not expected to interrupt their studies for this scheme, rather the mobility is expected be part of the PhD studies. Post-docs are expected to continue with their research and keep their position at their home university. You are expected to follow the local guidance from your home university in this respect.
Each applicant is expected to contact relevant research groups individually to discuss the opportunities to undertake the long-term mobility period at that university. The contact persons below can be used to establish contacts with research groups.
Applications to the scheme should be submitted by March 1, 2025. Selection results will be communicated to applicants in April/May 2025. The mobility applied for should be minimum 5 months and maximum 12 months. The mobility should be completed by 31 December 2026 at the latest.
Selection
The selection will be based on the following criteria:
Motivation and commitment to participate in the programme
How well the mobility is expected to develop the skills and research interests, and/or to stimulate new research ideas
Balanced participation between the SKERIC universities
Balanced participation between Swedish and Korean participants
Financing
The funding for the mobility is expected to cover additional costs, rather than salary, during the mobility, including travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs. The recipients are expected to maintain their salary or other financial support from the home university, during the mobility period.
The amount is: 25 000 SEK (appr. 3,2 M KRW) per full month and maximum 20 000 SEK (appr. 2,5 M KRW) for travel. Example: Total amount for 5 full months is 145 000 SEK (appr. 18,7 M KRW); total amount for 10 full months is 270 000 SEK (appr. 35 M KRW). An additional lump sum of 40 000 SEK (appr. 5,2 M KRW) will be paid to cover expenses for each accompanying family member (spouse/cohabitant and/or underaged dependents), maximum 2 persons in total.
The funding is expected to cover:
Travel for the scholarship holder and accompanying family members
Accommodation and subsistence allowance
Other costs, such as visas and insurance for accompanying persons, etc.
All the recipients will be insured through Swedish State Business travel insurance by Kammarkollegiet. Insurance for accompanying family members needs to be arranged on an individual basis.
The host university is not expected to charge anything for the mobility.
An interrupted stay entails a repayment obligation.
Other information
Please refer questions to the relevant SKERIC contact person or to SKERIC project management:
SKERIC project management: Elisabeth Axell
Lund University: Henrik Hofvendahl
University of Gothenburg: Linn Gabrielsson
University of Uppsala: Fanny Lagerberg
Umeå University: Helena Gradin
KTH Royal Institute of Technology: Charlotte Almqvist
Korea University: Helen Shin
Seoul National University: Wooin Lee
Pohang University of Science and Technology: Hyunji An
The mobility scheme is financed by STINT, The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education.
A total of around 3 M SEK (appr. 390 M KRW) is available for the current call for applications. A second call for applications (around 2 M SEK) will be announced in 2025.