The overall objective of the programme is to increase engagement of young scientists in research performed by the best teams and in the best laboratories in Poland. The projects may be carried out in one of the three main thematic areas: Bio, Info, Techno.

The programme is addressed to research teams’ leaders intending to engage students, PhD students or young PhDs (up to 4 years after the PhD) in the project. The students, PhD students and young PhDs must be selected in an open competition procedure that iscarried out on international level. The number of research team members selected trough such a competition should not be lower than 6.

The main evaluation criteria are the following:

team leader’s scientific record as well as experience in implementing projects (achieved within the last 4 years),

scientific or innovative quality of the projects, which will be realized by the selected team members.

The very important element to evaluate the projects is the planned international cooperation of the team (here the minimum guarantee of the intended future collaboration will be the letter of intent signed by the foreign partner, enclosed to the application form).


In the present call the following items will be financed:

personal stipends for the research team members: students - amounting to 1000 PLN/month; PhD students - amounting to 3000 PLN/month; young PhDs - amounting to 5000 PLN/month,

scientific grant which total amount depends on the number of engaged PhD students and young PhDs and from the actual costs of the realized project, however the sum should not exceed 35 000 PLN per person/yearly.
From the grant the following items may be covered: team leader’s and other team members’ salaries, expenditures concerning international cooperation, costs of publications in the Open Access system, information and promotion costs, other expenses and management costs.

The duration of the projects may range from 2 to 4 years.

The laureates of the first programme edition have been already announced. Afther the thorough evaluation process of 45 submitted applications, the funding was granted to 7 beneficiaries, whose projects were considered the best. The overall sum of the awarded to the projects amounts to 12 799 180 PLN.

Closing date for the next call is 30 September 2008.

For further information on the grants and call closing dates please contact the division responsible for implementing programmes financed from structural funds
tel. (+48 22) 4240226; (+48 22) 4240252; e-mail: fundusze@fnp.org.pl

The Polish version of the documentation of competition is considered as the official version whereas its English translation is meant to provide non-Polish speakers with the current information on the competition regulations.

Programme operated within the Innovative Economy Operational Programme 2007-2013