Deadline: April 4, 2018
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). 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. The project is planned to run between May 2018 and March 2019.
The project aims to:
- Produce and widely disseminate new knowledge about Kosovo’s statehood and its complex policy making 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.
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 organisers 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 organisers 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.
Benefits
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 policy makers 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, 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.
Eligibility
Outstanding young researchers in the early stages of their careers are encouraged to apply. 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;
- The project is open to candidates from all EU member states and prospective member states (Western Balkans). Priority will be given to candidates from the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Spain.
Kick Off Workshop
All project participants must take part in the kick off workshop that will be held on May 10-13, 2018 in Thessaloniki, Greece.
During the kick off workshop, and over two full days, the participants will:
- Be informed by the project coordinators about the entire concept of the project, timeframe and workplan for research, publicity and dissemination and all other relevant issues of the project implementation.
- Work intensively with assigned research supervisors to tailor and kick start their individual research projects.
- Attend master classes by professors on the specific aspects of Balkan history and politics as well as on the theoretical, conceptual and methodological considerations of studying Kosovo and Southeast Europe.
- Discuss in detail and tailor their publicity and dissemination plan with the project coordinators.
- Team up with other project participants and discuss and prepare a plan for the formation and the functioning of a sustainable research network made up of project participants and other experts.
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 research paper.
- Two-page summary of the research.
- Individual project fact sheet in a standard form provided by the organisers.
- 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
Applicants should send their full applications by email to Denion Galimuna at [email protected] by April 4, 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.
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 till 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 dissemination of its research findings. The plan should aim publicity and dissemination in 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 organisers this should be specifically mentioned and a tentative budget estimate provided. The project organisers 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 organisers 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.
A maximum of twelve candidates from eligible countries will be selected. Project participants will be informed about their selection at the latest by April 23, 2018.
For more information, visit Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS) Project for Researchers.
