Changes to the NWO Talent line

18 November 2011

The Governing Board of NWO has decided to make several changes to the Talent line. These will enable NWO to use the resources for the Talent programmes in a more effective and efficient manner. The Talent line includes all NWO-wide programmes aimed at encouraging talented researchers. With the changes NWO is meeting the request of the Ministry for Education, Culture and Science to establish priorities within the Talent line. The changes are also a consequence of the Dutch Government reducing NWO's budget by 22 million euros with effect from 2012. This reduction will increase to 47 million euros in 2018.

To safeguard the continued excellence of the Talent line, the necessary cutbacks are mainly being realised in programmes aimed at researchers who have not yet gained their PhDs. The Graduate Programme, intended as a stimulus for research schools, will gradually be reorganised. The Mosaic programme for young researchers from ethnic minorities will be terminated in 2013. The Top talent programme aimed at PhD research will be discontinued.

Innovational Research Incentives Scheme

The budget for the successful Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (Veni, Vidi and Vici) will remain at 150 million euros in 2012. The budget for facilitating the participation of female candidates in the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme via the Aspasia programme will be reduced from 4 million euros to 3.5 million euros.

Rubicon

NWO has decided to continue the Rubicon programme (funding for young researchers to acquire foreign experience) in 2012. However, the programme cannot be maintained in its entirety. Therefore with effect from 1 January 2012 the programme will only be open to applicants who have been employed at a Dutch university for at least three of the past five years.

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last modified on 23 November 2011