PEP Application portal

Applying for the Postdoctoral Exchange Programme (PEP)

This application page is for University of Luxembourg applicants who are applying to come to Warwick for the PEP programme.

If you are a Warwick-based applicant wishing to apply for the IAS at the University of Luxembourg, please refer to the application process in the guidance for applications (section 3.3 ). More information about their call can be found here.

Candidates for PEP funding should:

• Comply with the eligibility requirements (section 1.4 ) and interact with researchers from both universities, Warwick (UW) and Luxembourg (UL).
• Have a supporting recommendation from an established academic at UW or UL who supports the application as Hosting-PI and agrees to mentor the incoming fellow during their visit.
• Promote their research to a wider audience by delivering at least one event aimed at the general public at UW or UL during their stay.
• Ensure the scientific quality of the research and the project contribution to the joint objective of the IAS Luxembourg and IAS Warwick:
  • to leverage bold and interdisciplinary research at the very forefront of science,
  • to represent values of excellence, interdisciplinarity and internationality,
  • to build bridges between the research community, international visitors, and the general public,
  • to contribute to the attraction and retention of international talent.

Candidates and their supporting UL/UW academics are responsible for designing, managing, and carrying out the day-to-day activities during the visit, while upholding the highest standards of ethical research and integrity. They must also comply with the codes of conduct and relevant policies of both universities.

The UL/UW academic supporting the candidate (Hosting-PI) will assist in the preparation and submission of the proposal, facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination between UL/UW researchers and entities, and support communication, reporting, and interaction with UL/UW administrative and governance structures.

Eligibility for PEP

• Applicants can be of any nationality but must have the necessary visa and any other regulatory approvals required before the visit starts.
• Applicants must be Early-career researchers from either UW or UL, having successfully defended their doctoral thesis ≤ 7 years prior to 1 January of the year of the call. The reference date used for the calculation of the eligibility period should be the date of the successful defence/viva of the first PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree).
• Early-career researchers are individuals in the transitional phase between completion of their PhD and securing a permanent academic or equivalent senior professional position. At UL, this includes Postdoctoral Researchers, Research Scientists I and II, and Research & Development Specialists. Professors are excluded from this category.
• Applicants need to be affiliated with their respective Faculties or Interdisciplinary Centres, or other appropriate departments.
• Applicants must have a valid employment contract from their respective university for the entire duration of the visit.
• Applicants must demonstrate a record of excellence, interdisciplinarity and depth of scholarship in either research, teaching, art, policy-making, or innovative industrial development.
• Applicants must be fluent in English.

The fellow must have an employment contract with UW or UL and must continue to be employed by UL/UW for the duration of the PEP fellowship. If the employment contract ends for any reason before the end of the PEP fellowship, the fellowship will be terminated and any planned visits will be cancelled.

Extensions of eligibility - Eligibility can be extended for reasons such as maternity, paternity, illness, national service, training, natural disasters, or asylum, and these should be described in the application. Extensions to the 7-year period will be calculated using ERC Starting Grant criteria. Check out the webpage to find the specific rules regarding eligibility criteria: Starting Grant | ERC (europa.eu) or wp_horizon-erc-2023_en.pdf (europa.eu).