The Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH) Secretariat has announced a call for applications under the new "ELKH Welcome Home and Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme." This programme seeks to employ at ELKH research sites, including the Office for Supported Research Groups, top Hungarian or foreign researchers currently working abroad. Selected researchers should demonstrate the potential to form internationally competitive research groups during the grant period based on their scientific achievements and motivation. The application deadline is 15 September 2023.
Dr. Viktória Eszter Zalányi, Secretary-General of ELKH, emphasised that promoting scientific excellence and increasing the international success of the research network are key strategic goals. To support these objectives, the ELKH Secretariat has developed this new excellence programme, which focuses on employing competitive Hungarian and foreign researchers at ELKH research sites.
According to the rules of the call, as part of the application, ELKH research sites are invited to submit proposals to employ internationally recognised researchers regardless of their citizenship or nationality, who are currently working abroad, undertake to relocate to Hungary and establish a new research group while also engaging in an employment contract or other employment relationship with the research site. Within the programme, a total non-repayable grant of up to HUF 200 million (HUF 40 million per year) can be requested for a maximum duration of five years per project. The grant requires funding contribution from the research sites.
The call is open to all scientific areas covered by ELKH – mathematics and natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences and the humanities – without thematic restrictions. The total funding available for the 2023 call is HUF 150,000,000.
The "ELKH Welcome Home and Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme" call for applications can be accessed here.