Turkish Academy of Sciences
Post-Doctoral Research Programme
(TÜBA-DSAP) Principles
The Post-Doctoral Research Programme, is open to all young researchers who have completed in the last two years or are about to complete their doctoral studies or medical specialization with a high degree performance. Those who have completed their medical specialization training may only benefit from this programme for doing research in basic sciences related to health or life sciences.
I) The duration of the post-doctoral research support is two years. For foreign nationals the entire period of support is envisaged for residence in Turkey.
II) The post-doctoral research support is given for research in an institution other than the one where the doctoral study was completed. A researcher who is employed in an institution should conduct his/her post-doctoral research in a different institution and should obtain an official permit for this purpose.
III) Applications are made to the Office of the Academy President with related forms, reference letters and other requested documents, including research topic and programme, procedures and methods to be followed, work plan and calendar, budget etc. prepared in consultation with the scholar who will act as host in the institution.
IV) After the evaluation of the Programme Committee which consults field experts if needed, selected candidates are invited to an interview. Support will be given to successful candidates.
V) Researchers who receive this support are to submit a notary approved written contract (prepared by the Academy) and a letter of guarantee, within two months of notification of award winning by the Academy.
VI) The continuation of the support is dependent upon approval by the Programme Committee of the researcher's reports and comments of the host to be submitted every six months.
The Amount and Kind of Support
The following supports will be provided within the framework of the Post-Doctoral Research Programme:
a) The cost of one roundtrip domestic ticket (bus, train, plane, ship) to the place of research.
b) Monthly stipend. The amount of stipend which will be paid domestically, will be determined by the Academy Council, depending on whether researchers receive an employment salary or not in Turkey.
c) Support for participation in two domestic scientific events (up to one week each) and one international scientific event (up to four weeks) during the period of support. This kind of support includes roundtrip travel expenses, registration fees and a daily allowance. The highest limits of this support are determined each year by the Academy Council for events at home, in European countries and in overseas countries, separately. The payments are made when the original invoices for declared expenditures are received by the Academy.
d) Contribution to the health insurance (except eye glasses, dental care, child birth, esthetics, physical therapy etc.) payments of those researchers who do not already have one, for the period of support.
e) The host will receive during the researcher's period of support, a research support destined as a contribution to the research infrastructure of the institution. The amount of this support will be determined each year by the Academy Council within the budget limits of the Academy.
Conditions for Application
1) Foreign nationals are to reside in Turkey during the period of support. They may only benefit from domestic post-doctoral research support.
2) To be under 35 years of age at the date of application.
3) To have completed (or to be at the stage of completion) doctoral studies or medical specialization with a high degree performance and to document this by a letter of reference: Degree averages over 3.25/4.00 or 80/100 will be taken under special consideration.
4) To have at least two publications (one of them may be at the referee evaluation stage) preferably related with the researcher's dissertation in natural, life and engineering sciences, within journals covered by the ISI-SCI index. For social sciences and humanities, these two publications should have appeared in (one of them may be at the stage of evaluation by) journals covered by the ISI-SSCI index, the ISI-AHI index or the AHI index prepared by ESF (European Science Foundation).
Documents Requested from the Local Host
The host should submit the following information:
a) His/her completed or on-going studies on the researcher's proposed post-doctoral research topic.
b) CV and list of publications.
c) List of doctoral dissertations or medical specialization theses supervised by the host in the last five years, and related publications.
d) The list of domestic and international research projects where the host participated as a researcher or project leader.
e) International credentials and connections (joint publications, inter-academic programmes, scientific exchange and collaboration protocols signed with research institutions abroad etc.)
The Researcher's Liabilities
a) The researcher is expected to participate in scientific events, seminars, give lectures (the related papers should be submitted to the Academy as attachment to his/her activities report) and consultation to doctoral students in the same institution, alongside conducting his/her proposed research programme.
b) If the researcher interrupts his/her research programme for any other reason than health problems acceptable by the Academy, he/she ought to pay back to the Academy all the payments made to him/her until then, adding legal interest.
c) The researcher is liable to inform the Academy if, during the period of support by the Academy, he/she receives another bursary or support related to his/her proposed research programme, or else decides to continue his/her research programme in another institution with the consent of his host.