2024/3 - BOF DOCTORAL GRANTS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF COOPERATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITY OF LIEGE AND HASSELT UNIVERSITY

Research

Funding organisation:

Bijzonder OnderzoeksFonds

What?

The UHasselt BOF Doctoral Fund and the ULiège Joint PhD Programme provide funding for PhD fellowships in the framework of the cooperation between University of Liège and Hasselt University.

Both universities provide funding to cofinance 2 fulltime PhD-fellowships in close collaboration leading to a joint doctoral degree (2 separate diplomas, referring to the collaboration).
The fellowships have an initial duration of two years and are renewable for a second period of two years after a positive evaluation at the end of the second year. This evaluation will be based upon the progress report, produced by the candidate, for the doctoral committee and the doctoral committee’s advice.
The candidate will be appointed at both universities for 50% during the entire PhD.

The call of 2024 is limited to applications within following faculties and schools:

• UHasselt: 
  • Faculty of engineering technology
  • Faculty of Architecture and Arts
  • School of Social Sciences
• ULiège:
  
  • Faculty of Applied Sciences
  • Faculty of Architecture
  • Faculty of Social Sciences

Next to the 2 scholarships that will be granted in the frame of the cooperation between ULiège - UHasselt, the Rectoral Offices of both universities agreed to finance a scholarship devoted to research in the frame of the Einstein Telescope (ET), open to all research disciplines.

The Einstein Telescope is a proposed third-generation ground-based gravitational wave detector. It will be able to test Einstein’s general theory of relativity in strong field conditions and realize precision gravitational wave astronomy. The strategy behind the Einstein Telescope project is to build an observatory that overcomes the limitations of current detector sites by hosting more than a single gravitational-wave detector. It will consist of three nested detectors, each composed of two interferometers with arms 10 kilometers long. The underground Einstein Telescope will be Europe’s most advanced observatory for gravitational waves. The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are jointly studying whether to host this world-class observatory.

Applications for the ET PhD call may come from all research disciplines that can formulate a research proposal that's directly relevant to the Einstein Telescope. For example, the economical and societal impact of the installation of the ET on the region could be put forward as proposal, as well as proposals that are coming from more (exact) scientific disciplines. Proposals will be evaluated on quality and strategic relevance to the ET project.

Who?

• This programme is open to all applicants^[1] without restriction to gender, nationality or age.
• Graduates with a relevant Master degree and excellent grades.
  Motivated and determined researchers possessing first-rate analytical and writing skills.
  Final-year (master) students are (likewise) encouraged to apply if they have proven research skills.
• Candidates who have already started their PhD research, but are not employed as resident PhD researchers.

^[1] This call is open to candidate PhD students, without restriction to gender, nationality or age. Since this concerns mandates in the scholarship statute, the circular of the Belgian Ministry of Finance regarding the exemption conditions of doctoral scholarships applies. This states, among other things, that employment contracts may not be replaced by a doctoral scholarship.

Application?

• Applicants belonging to one of the faculties for which the call is open, must submit their application for a joint PhD within this joint call with ULiège and are not eligible to submit within the UHasselt doctoral scholarship programme.
• The applications must be submitted by the PhD-candidate signed by both an UHasselt promoter (cf. section 9 of the UHasselt doctoral regulations) and an ULiège promotor
• Application form + annexes: https://www.uhasselt.be/en/research/research-funding/funding-programmes/bof-programmes#anch-euregional-grants-in-cooperation-with-university-of-liege
• Send to BOF@uhasselt.be and denys.jeandrain@uliege.be.
• Deadline: 01.03.2024, 17h00.

Regulations?

• BOF doctoral grants in the framework of cooperation between University of Liège and Hasselt University
• Cooperation between the University of Liege and Hasselt University (uliege.be)

Assessment criteria:

• Scientific quality of the candidate:
  • Study results
  • Motivation and relevant competences
• Scientific quality of the proposal:
  • scientific quality of the proposal
  • quality of the research approach (methodology) and feasibility of the project
  • quality of the research environment including excellence of lab (infrastructure, supervision, past experience, …)
• Quality of collaboration:
  • embedding of proposed project in research policy of the hosting research institute/group/school
  • explain how the project will enhance the collaboration between both universities
  • indicate prospect of more sustainable collaboration
  • equal involvement of both sides

The applications will be assessed by a selection committee appointed for that purpose by both Research Councils.
The evaluation will be based on a scoring grid.

Timing?

• 1 March 2024, 17:00: Deadline submission of applications
• May 2024: Evaluation
• June 2024: Final decision 

More information?

Contact Université de Liège?
Denys Jeandrain
E-mail: denys.jeandrain@uliege.be 
Tel: +32 4 3665231

Deadline

01.03.2024

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail elke.bos@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211269053