The Philippe Keraudren Mobility Fellowship Programme

EASSH offers its members the opportunity to participate in a science policy fellowship, the EASSH Philippe Keraudren Mobility Fellowship Programme. The programme is named in honour of Philippe Keraudren, a senior member of the European Commission staff who worked side by side with the SSH research community to promote a strong advocacy platform for SSH research.

The fellowship was officially launched at the EASSH General Assembly 2022. The call for applications for the first edition in 2023/2024 opened early 2023. This is the second edition.

The fellowship is currently offered to candidates from any EASSH member, who – if accepted – will be sponsored by their organisation. Colleagues of all seniority levels are encouraged to apply for this position. The position will be tailored to the skills of the candidate and to the needs of EASSH.

The programme is an intensive learning opportunity to deepen the fellows’ understanding of the Brussels' decision-making system, instruments, and mechanisms. The overall objective of the fellowship is to provide fellows with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience, knowledge, and professional skills related to interacting with international institutions and policy mechanisms.

The main objectives of the fellowship are: 

1. To provide EASSH members with direct insight into the dynamics of science policy at a European and national level. 
   Research funding is becoming increasingly competitive and it is crucial to understand the mechanisms for the distribution of resources. It is also important to understand the important role that research providers, stakeholders, and their institutions play at the interface with policymakers.

2. To offer EASSH members the opportunity to work closely with the EASSH secretariat and to engage with the "Brussels bubble”. 
   By working with EASSH, representatives of EASSH members can become important advisers and supporters of our mission to promote a better understanding of SSH research at large.

The specific objectives of the fellowship are:

1. Identify ways to strengthen collaboration with academia and policymakers;

2. Foster interaction between the sponsoring member (the institution behind the fellow) and EU staff and European stakeholders;

3. Support the work of the EASSH focal points for cooperation, including sharing information with other members and strengthening the network of research community in Europe;

4. Promote interregional exchange and knowledge sharing among fellows.

Proposed activities can include:

• Training organised by EASSH, together with other organisations working in Brussels, on the EU system, the structures of the EU institutions, the development of science policy, and the dynamics of funding design;

• Attending and observing sessions of the EC, EP and other intergovernmental bodies and meetings;

• Writing a variety of reports, communications, briefings, statements, and position papers;

• Organising side events in consultation with the EASSH secretariat;

• Thematic desk research (topics can be proposed by fellows);

• Briefing EASSH members on EU policy developments through webinars;

• Participating in relevant conferences and speaking engagements;

• Attending networking events on behalf of the candidate’s organisation.

Fellows will:

• Review, compile and consolidate information on best practices and lessons learned from technical cooperation projects or field operations in the field of EU processes and procedures;

• Assist in the planning and coordination of activities related to partnerships and capacity building activities with EASSH; 

• Undertake substantive research and analysis of developments in SSH research in Europe and related policies;

• Prepare substantive papers and provide briefings as required;

• Integrate the knowledge gained and take it back to their sponsoring member in return.

EASSH will also facilitate opportunities for the fellows to promote  their own research and will help them find resources for data analysis and research on all aspects of science policy, higher education, and research funding.

Through this programme, the fellows will gain:

• Work experience within the EU system;

• Public speaking skills in different contexts;

• Research and technical writing skills on science policy;

• Capacity-building skills;

• Event organisation skills;

• Critical thinking on EU policies and lobbying dynamics.

In return, the fellows will share information, knowledge and best practices from their own institution or country with EASSH staff, prepare substantive research papers, and provide briefings. Discussions and seminars could be organised to facilitate these interactions.

The duration of the fellowship is between 6 months and up to one year, at the discretion of the sponsoring organisation. Shorter periods may be considered if there are valuable motivations. 

Successful candidates will make their own arrangements for living in Brussels. The EASSH secretariat will provide office space and may offer some basic support.

*As Belgium is part of the European health system, no special arrangements for health care are required, but it is recommended that the fellows have an EU health card. 

Fellows will work 50% of the time for their own organisation and/or on their own research interests and the rest of the time with EASSH. 

Expenses should be covered by the member organisation. The fellowship can be combined with or funded by a mobility grant.

The fellowship does not currently have a sponsor, but EASSH is seeking possible sponsors for the future to encourage valuable candidates from organisations that do not have the resources to support a fellow.

If you have questions related to expenses, please email Gabi Lombardo.

Eligibility

This call is open to candidates at any stage of their career, with a preference for early career researchers. Fellows will be supported by their own organisation for the time spent in Brussels as part of their mobility programme. 

A successful candidate for the fellowship programme must:

• Be part of the staff or associate of one of EASSH’s members; 

• Be fluent in English;

• Be available for the full duration duration of the programme;

• Be expected to participate in various activities and follow the programme strictly;

• Have some research interests specific to science policy, the ability to produce data and some research experience;

• Being able to undertake some quantitative and qualitative data analysis in the humanities and social sciences is particularly welcome.

Selection

The EASSH Governing Board will select one or two fellows from the applications received from EASSH members. 

All participants in the call will receive an email informing them of the selection process and results.

Obligations of the parties

EASSH invites the fellows to work in its office and will introduce them to life in Brussels. The University of Bergen is the owner of the office space in Brussels and can therefore decide on the modalities of the use of the office facilities.

The EASSH members sponsoring the fellows must make a commitment for the entire duration of the fellowship, including covering accommodation and living expenses in agreement with the fellow.

End of the fellowship

At the end of the fellowship, the fellows will return to their organisations. The fellows may have been involved in confidential conversations of a private nature, including meetings with senior officials and policymakers. It is therefore expected that the fellow will respect confidentiality when returning home.

If for any reason, the fellowship has to be terminated earlier than planned, a letter from the member sponsoring the fellow must be received at least three weeks before the end of the fellowship. 

How to apply

Nominated candidates are requested to submit the following documents in a single PDF file by email to executive.secretary@eassh.eu (copy gabi.lombardo@eassh.eu):

• A Curriculum Vitae;

• A personal statement (maximum 500 words) in which the applicant explains their motivation for applying, and how they will use the knowledge gained from the fellowship;

• An official letter of reference from the nominating organisation.

Timetable

The call has the following timetable: