The Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS) is inviting applications from qualified researchers for participation in its new project: Building Knowledge about Kosovo (v.2.0).
The project aims to:
- Produce and widely disseminate new knowledge about Kosovo’s statehood and its complex policymaking questions.
- Gather together and provide necessary support to a number of young and dynamic researchers engaged in cutting-edge analysis of contemporary Kosovo.
- Engage project participants in designing new and innovative dissemination ideas and tools.
- Form a network of dynamic and promising young analysts who will become the springboard for future research on Kosovo.
The aims will be realized through the implementation of a number of individual research micro-projects selected from the pool of applications in response to this Call. Each individual research micro-project will have two key components:
- Research
- Ongoing publicity and dissemination.
A maximum of twelve young researchers will be selected and given the opportunity to realize a comprehensive study on an aspect of policy-making in contemporary Kosovo. Upon their selection, all project participants will be assigned with an experienced academic who will guide their research to completion through frequent interaction, be that online or in person.
During the early phase of the project, participants will agree with research supervisors on their individual research plans and with project coordinators on their publicity and dissemination plans. The project participants will spend eight months of data collection, analysis and drafting. During this time they will have the opportunity to visit Kosovo for data collection and research networking purposes.
Research papers will be then submitted to the project coordinators and after a rigorous review and revision process, they will be assembled together in an edited volume that will be published by KFOS.
Moreover, during the entire duration of the project participants will be required to implement an agreed-upon publicity and dissemination plan, which, together with the research itself, is a core component of the project. Well-thought of publicity and dissemination plans will constitute key components of individual applications and will carry important weight for the selection of project participants. Systematic implementation of effective publicity and dissemination actions will be a key requirement for the successful finalization of individual micro-projects.
Location:
GreeceBenefits
Outstanding young researchers in the early stages of their careers are encouraged to apply. Selected participants will have the opportunity to:
- Participate in an intensive kick-off workshop in Thessaloniki during which they will attend master classes and get advice on their individual research micro-projects.
- Receive research guidance from experienced academics for the entire duration of this project.
- Visit Kosovo and spend several days engaging in data collection, interviewing for project purposes and meeting Kosovar policymakers and civil society as well as other project participants.
- Publish their research in an edited volume that will receive wide publicity in the EU countries and the Western Balkans.
- Receive full funding for all project activities (Thessaloniki kick-off workshop, a field trip to Kosovo, publication of edited volume etc.).
- Receive remuneration for their research and publicity work at the amount of 3,000 EUR.
- Make their work known broadly in both EU countries and the Western Balkans through the various public events, dissemination actions, networking activities that are part of KFOS projects.
- Become members of an exciting new group of dynamic young researchers who will devise creative and innovative ideas for future research, dissemination and networking focusing on Kosovo and the Western Balkans.
Eligibilities
- Profile of candidates
- Participants should have adequate qualifications and experience to perform complex research tasks required by individual research micro-projects as well as to implement effective publicity and dissemination actions.
- Candidates should have the following qualifications and skills:
- At a minimum, a Master’s degree in a social sciences discipline; applications from candidates currently pursuing doctoral studies or have recently completed their doctorate are welcome and will be considered favorably.
- Some research experience; this will be evidenced through academic and non-academic publications, participation in research teams, research work in think tanks and NGOs etc.
- Fluency in English and ability to conduct research, draft scholarly and popular pieces alike as well as implement publicity actions in the English language.
- Adequate knowledge of contemporary Balkan affairs and keen interest to engage in public debates about the future of the region in the country of origin and beyond.
- Being active in civil society, scientific or activist networks, especially with regards to issues of policy-making and regional cooperation in the Balkans.
- Being keen social media user/blogger or willing to actively engage in new forms of dissemination and networking.
- Responsibilities of project participants
- Attend the Thessaloniki kick-off workshop (10-13 May 2018).
- Conduct a fieldwork in Kosovo as required by individual research micro-project.
- Implement the individual research micro-project with diligence, following the standards of scholarly research and academic ethics.
- Follow the guidance of research supervisors on all matters pertaining to individual research micro-projects as well as the advice and instructions of the project organizers and coordinators on all matters of project implementation, publicity and dissemination.
- Implement in a timely and comprehensive manner all necessary revisions to academic and popular texts produced as per feedback provided by the research supervisors and project coordinators. The timely delivery and publication of all agreed upon academic and popular texts are of utmost importance for the successful finalization of individual research micro-projects.
- Systematically implement the publicity and dissemination plan agreed upon with project organizers and coordinators.
- Report regularly and as deemed necessary by the project coordinators and regularly update the project’s shared online platform with updates about research activity, publicity and dissemination.
- Outputs of project participants
- Project participants will be required to deliver, in stipulated deadlines and under the guidance of research supervisors and project coordinators, the following outputs:
- A research paper ready for publication in an edited volume.
- Abstract of the research paper.
- Two-page summary of the research.
- Individual project fact sheet in a standard form provided by the organizers.
- Brief summaries of separate sections of the paper.
- Data, numbers, and visuals in easy to disseminate form.
- An Infographic.
- An ongoing publicity and dissemination plan/strategy.
- Actions agreed upon with project coordinators and based of the publicity and dissemination plan/strategy.
- Two to three op-ed articles, at least one of which will be co-authored with the participant’s project research supervisor.
- Researchers will receive advice and due guidance for the preparation of all the above outputs.
Application Process
- Applicants should send their full applications by email to Denion Galimuna at [email protected] by 4 April 2018. Earlier applications are encouraged since the organizers will process applications as they come and will start making the selection of project participants even before the formal deadline for submission of applications expires.
- A maximum of twelve candidates from eligible countries will be selected. Project participants will be informed about their selection at the latest by 23 April 2018.
- Applications should include the following:
- A motivation letter explaining how the candidate fits the objectives of the project and the profile of participants.
- A two-page proposal for Component 1: Research. The proposal will outline an individual research project and should include research questions, theoretical and conceptual issues, methodology, data to be collected and plan until finalization of the research.
- A two-page proposal for Component 2: Ongoing publicity and dissemination. The proposal will be a comprehensive plan for ongoing publicity of the candidate’s individual research project and for the dissemination of its research findings. The plan should aim publicity and dissemination in the home country and beyond and should not only target the academic community, but also broader audiences and the wider public. Apart from standard academic dissemination of the final scientific findings, the plan should envisage ongoing publicity for the entire course of the project using multiple platforms (e.g. social media, existing research and civil society networks, already planned events etc.). The plan should aim for no-cost publicity actions and if any of the activities would require funding from the project organizers this should be specifically mentioned and a tentative budget estimate provided. The project organizers may fund a small number of dissemination activities proposed by the various project participants; thus the emphasis and bulk of the proposed plan should be on no-cost publicity and dissemination actions. The organizers welcome also ideas for the formation of a network of researchers involved in the project and other analysts focusing of Kosovo’s contemporary policy-making questions.
- CV and list of publications.
- The following weights will be used for the evaluation of applications:
- Motivation letter (10%)
- Research proposal (30%)
- Ongoing publicity and dissemination plan (30%)
- Education and experience (30%)
Application Deadline: April 4, 2018
Application ClosedOfficial link
