The Krzysztof Skubiszewski Scholarship and Research Grant 2015

The scholarship holder will be given a one year internship during the 2015/2016 academic year at the University of Warsaw or at another Polish university in the field of law, political science or contemporary history. The goal of the scholarship is to promote democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the respect of law in international relations.

The scholarship is open to candidates who hold a master's degree or equivalent, and have successfully defended their doctoral thesis (or have other significant academic achievements) or have accomplished works of significant importance in the public interest, especially in the area of promoting democracy and the rule of law.

The research grant is intended to finance a three-month or shorter visit to Poland, that will have the same purpose and will be organized in the same way as the internship financed by the scholarship.

The goal of the scholarship and of the research grant

The scholarship and the research grant are established to promote democracy, the respect of human rights, the rule of law, and the respect of law in international relations. The academic internship financed by the scholarship and the academic visit to Poland financed by the research grant will be related to the aforementioned goal, and will involve research in one of the following disciplines:

law (in particular human rights, constitutional law, international law);
political science;
contemporary history.

The Foundation will grant one scholarship and two research grants for the academic year 2015/2016.

The academic internship financed by the scholarship

The scholarship holder will undertake an internship at the University of Warsaw or another Polish academic institution in his/her chosen field, under a supervisor. He/she will be affiliated with an appropriate University organizational unit.

The scholarship holder will publish the results of the academic work undertaken during the internship, in the form and according to the terms agreed with the supervisor and with the Foundation.

The choice of the supervisor, the details of the internship and the details of the scholarship holder’s obligations will be agreed between the Foundation, the relevant university organizational unit and the scholarship holder.

The intership will commence on October 1st, 2015, and will last for nine months (the totality of the academic year 2015/2016). The internship may last for less than 9 months and may begin later than October 1st if the scholarship holder requests this.

The scholarship holder may not undertake any gainful employment during the course of the internship.

The academic visit to Poland financed by the research grant

During his/her academic visit to Poland, the grantee will undertake research in his/her chosen field, in collaboration with the University of Warsaw or with another Polish academic institution, on terms agreed with the Foundation.

The detailed conditions of the academic visit and the detail of the grantee’s obligations, including, when relevant, the terms on which he/she will publish the results of research conducted with support from the Foundation, will be agreed between the Foundation and the grantee.

The academic visit will take place during the academic year 2015/2016, and will last for three months or less (the grantee chooses the duration of the visit).

The grantee may not undertake gainful employment during the course of the academic visit.

Candidate selection criteria

Applications are welcomed from candidates from any of the countries listed in the title of the present announcement, except Poland.

The scholarship and the research grant are open to candidates who hold a master's degree or equivalent, and:

have successfully defended their doctoral thesis (or have significant academic achievements)

have accomplished works of significant importance in the public interest, especially in the area of promoting democracy and the rule of law.

Proficiency in foreign languages, particularly English, will be an important selection criterion.

Proficiency in Polish is desired. If the scholarship holder has no sufficient knowledge of Polish, he/she will undergo an intensive Polish language course in the period immediately preceding the internship (in August and in September). If the grantee needs a Polish language course, the Foundation will organize the course during his/her academic visit to Poland.

Detailed conditions of the scholarship

The scholarship holder will receive:

a total of 28 940 Polish złoty (PLN), payable in monthly instalments, in the case of an 9-month internship; if the internship lasts for less than 9 months, the amount paid will be proportionally reduced (the scholarship holder will have to pay revenue tax on this money, either in his country of permanent residence or in Poland);
free-of-charge accommodation in Warsaw or accommodation expenses during his/her stay in Poland;
travel costs for one trip from the place of permanent residence to Warsaw and back; and
reimbursement of the cost of insurance covering emergency medical treatment in Poland.

The Foundation will allocate 3212 PLN for the purchase of books or other material useful to the sholarship holder's research.

If the scholarship holder needs an intensive course of Polish, then the Foundation will bear the cost of the course and of board and lodging for the 1- or 2-month duration of the course.

The Foundation will cover the costs connected with the internship in the selected university organizational unit, the fees for the academic supervisor and other administrative costs connected with the realization of the internship.

The Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw (Studium Europy Wschodniej Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego) will be responsible for coordinating and organizing the internship.

The Foundation may cease to deliver the money and services promised in the following circumstances:

if it transpires that the internship cannot be realized;
if an intensive language course of the Polish language is necessary and the scholarship holder fails to complete it to a satisfactory level;
if the scholarship holder fails to fulfil the obligations pertaining to the internship; or
if the scholarship holder is in gross breach of the principles of academic integrity or of social norms.

Detailed conditions of the research grant

The grantee will receive:

a total of 9647 PLN if the duration of the research visit to Poland is three months or, if the duration is shorter, an amount of money proportional to the duration (the grantee will have to pay revenue tax on this money, either in his country of residence or in Poland);
free-of-charge accommodation in Warsaw or accommodation expenses during his/her stay in Poland;
travel costs for one trip from the place of residence to Warsaw and back; and
reimbursement of the cost of insurance covering emergency medical treatment in Poland .

The Foundation will allocate 1071 PLN for the purchase of books or other material useful to the grantee's research.

If the grantee needs an intensive course of Polish, the Foundation will bear the cost of the course.

The Foundation may cease to deliver the money and services promised to the grantee in the following circumstances:

if it transpires that the academic visit to Poland cannot be realized;
if the grantee is in gross breach of the principles of academic integrity or of social norms.

How to apply

Applications must be sent no later than 7 April 2015. Instructions for candidates are available here. Only applications prepared and sent according to the instructions will be taken into account.

The board of directors of the Foundation will select the scholarship holder and the grantee based on a recommendation made by the Programme Council of the Foundation. The selection process will be complete no later than on 1st June 2015.

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