Reopen: Swaantje Mondt travel fund call 2024-2025 for PhD candidates

Online submission will be open: 1-15 May 2024

Are you a PhD candidate at UU or outside NL who is currently working on complexity research? Would you like to visit a foreign research institute or the Centre for Complex Systems Studies (CCSS) in NL to further develop your research skills? The Swaantje Mondt Fund will provide you a great opportunity to exchange knowledge and develop new research skills on complexity. This is the fifth time that the travel fund is open for applications. Over the past 7 years, the grant helped 33 PhD candidates to work or study at an institute abroad and at the CCSS.

Swaantje Mondt Fund

The CCSS has received a generous gift from Martine and Jaap Mondt. Through the Swaantje Mondt Fund they offer PhD candidates of Utrecht University the opportunity to either conduct part of their research abroad or to follow courses abroad to further develop their research skills. Foreign PhD candidates working on complexity research are also welcome to come to Utrecht. Both benefactors of the Swaantje Mondt Fund have gained valuable international experience during their career, and wish to offer young talented researchers the same experience. The fund was founded in memory of their beloved daughter Swaantje.

Aim of the call

To offer PhD candidates of Utrecht University the opportunity to conduct part of their research abroad, and foreign PhD candidates to conduct part of their research at the Centre for Complex Systems Studies at Utrecht University.

Conditions

  • The research of the applicant should focus on complexity research from an interdisciplinary perspective.
  • Research should be related to the field of complex systems.
  • The travel fund will only be granted if the PhD candidate is co-supervised or invited by at least one of the Associate Members of the CCSS.
  • To ensure an optimal research collaboration during the visit of the CCSS, all foreign applicants are obliged to contact at least one of the Associate Members to explore the possibilities for a joint project.
  • The academic activities of the foreign PhD candidates should mainly take place at the CCSS, and the CCSS will provide them office facilities and meeting place.
  • Other hosting agreements with a foreign institute or institute at UU should be arranged by the applicant.
  • For the current call, research will take place between April 2024 and December 2025 and the length of the visit should be at least one month.
  • A maximum of € 2500 is available per application. Declarable costs are for travel (economy class), housing (within a reasonable price range) and if applicable the followed course. Costs such as consumable research resources and living expenses are not declarable.
  • Each applicant can submit only one application for this call.
  • The application must be submitted online between 1-15 May 2024 via https://universiteitutrecht.my.site.com/fundingprograms/s/.
  • Only a cover letter and a CV are required as the attachments (maximum 3 pages A4 including CV. Please note: a lengthy application would be a minus in the grading system).
  • The cover letter must be pre-approved and signed by the (co-)supervisor or inviter, please specify
    • Name of the (co-)supervisor or inviter at UU (Associate Members of the CCSS)
    • Name of the contact person/(co-)supervisor at foreign university/institute
    • Length of stay (at least one month)
    • Study/research area and scientific aim
    • Added value to the CCSS and community at Utrecht University

Assessment criteria

  • Track record of the PhD candidates.
  • The quality of the application. The application gives a brief impression of the nature of the travel, the PhD candidate, the study/research area, the scientific contribution to complexity research, the length of the stay, and the requested budget.
  • Added value to the CCSS and community at Utrecht University.

Procedure and timeline

  • Submit a "Research Visit funding request" between 1-15 May 2024 via https://universiteitutrecht.my.site.com/fundingprograms/s/.
  • In the "Application information" page, please do select "Swaantje Mondt Fund" as the answer to "Do you wish to apply for a specific named fund?"
  • Members of the jury will discuss all eligible applications. Members of the jury will not contribute to the decision process on applications of their own group.
  • All applicants will be notified at the latest by the end of June 2024.

Jury

Three Associate Members of the CCSS who have no applications from their own groups.

Other obligation

The successful applicant will be asked to write a short article about his/her experiences afterward for both the benefactors and the media, for example, the website or newsletter of the CCSS.

Questions

  • If you have questions about the call, please contact dr. ir. Qingyi Feng (q.feng@uu.nl).
  • If you have questions about filling the application form, please contact CCSS Office (ccss@uu.nl). Please note: The CCSS office aims to answer emails as soon as possible during work hours (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00 CET), please do NOT submit your application at the last minute, as you may not get answered in time.