Source: https://www.fwo.be/en/fellowships-funding/phd-fellowships/phd-fellowship-fundamental-research/regulations-phd-fellowships-fundamental-research/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:33:13+00:00

Document:
§1. These regulations govern the eligibility of applications, appointment, implementation, renewal, suspension and termination of doctoral (PhD) grants for fundamental research of the Research Foundation - Flanders, calculation and payment of the grant, rights and obligations, occupational accidents, liability, child allowance and annual holidays of the grant holders.
§2. The internal and external peer review with regard to the evaluation of the submitted grant applications is governed by the FWO regulations "Internal and external peer review".
The annual call for doctoral (PhD) grants fundamental research coincides with the call for doctoral (PhD) grants strategic basic research. Candidates can submit an application for only one of both calls, as provided for in Article 7 of the general regulations of the Research Foundation - Flanders. A candidate whose application has been rejected can submit one more application for one of both calls provided the eligibility requirements are still met.
Holders of a doctoral (PhD) grant fundamental research must be affiliated to a university in the Flemish Community or to the Evangelic Protestant Faculty in Leuven or the Faculty for Protestant Theology in Brussels, possibly in collaboration with a Flemish or Federal scientific institution where they conduct their research.
§1. At the start of the fellowship, candidates must be holder of a diploma at least equivalent to a master's degree following a bachelor's degree and awarded by the competent institutions in one of the countries of the European Economic Area or Switzerland.
§2. For the application of the preceding paragraph, master-after-master diplomas, as described in the Higher Education Register at www.hogeronderwijsregister.be, are not taken into consideration.
§3. Diplomas awarded by the competent institutions in one of the countries of the European Economic Area or Switzerland or diplomas awarded by the competent institutions in the French-speaking Community are recognised as equivalent to diplomas awarded by the competent institutions in the Flemish Community in accordance with the Decision of the Flemish Government on the codification of the decree provisions relating to higher education of 11 October 2013, the applicable European directives or a bilateral agreement.
§1. The master's degree or equivalent diploma, on the basis of which the application is submitted, must have been obtained not earlier than three years before the closing date of the call.
§2. The limits specified in paragraph 1 are extended by one year per period of at least three months of maternity leave, per continuous period of at least three months of full-time parental leave or per continuous period of at least three months full-time sickness leave taken between the date of the relevant master's degree and the application.
§3. The limits specified in paragraph 1 are extended by the duration of the study programme leading to the degree of physician-specialist, pharmacist-specialist or resident veterinarian, provided the study programme has a duration of more than 1 year. A 1-year study programme cannot lead to an extension of the limits defined in paragraph 1.
§4. The Executive Committee of the Research Foundation - Flanders may exceptionally deviate from the limits specified in paragraph 1 in cases where, for social and medical reasons, there has been either an interruption in the preliminary stage, or a reduced capacity to work.
§1. At the closing date of the call, the scientific experience of candidates, both remunerated and non-remunerated, acquired since gaining a master's degree or equivalent diploma, shall not have exceeded a period of 18 months.
§2. By prior scientific experience is meant all kinds of scientific activities including those that are substantively different from the PhD proposal or that cannot be described as PhD level research, such as application- or policy-oriented research or service-oriented research.
Appointments at universities or university colleges such as Tetra, BOF, VLAIO projects, SBO, or assistant fellowships are always taken into account unless the candidate was appointed under a non-research related statute, e.g. as practice assistant or teaching assistant, or administrative or technical staff.
If the candidate was employed in the business enterprise sector, the job description is a co-determining factor.
§3. In determining the 18-month period referred to in the first paragraph, the employment percentage is taken into account.
The applications are submitted to the expert panels, who will judge the candidates. The expert panels report to the Board of Trustees of the Research Foundation - Flanders. The appointment is made by the Board of Trustees of the FWO.
§1. The research project proposed by the holders of a grant must be carried out under the supervision of a supervisor, where appropriate in collaboration with co-supervisors.
an Odysseus II grant with a Flemish university as principal host institution.
an academic programme of a Flemish School of Arts.
Furthermore, the total employment percentage at the institutions referred to in this paragraph must amount at least to 70% of a full-time equivalent.
Candidates with both a ZAP appointment of 5% and an appointment as clinical head or assistant clinical head or an equivalent function at a Flemish Academic Hospital can also act as supervisor(-spokesperson).
§3. All co-supervisors are ZAP or researchers at least at postdoctoral level.
Whether or not fellows are required to undergo a medical examination at the occupational health service of the institution where they carry out their research, depends on the in-house regulations of their host institution. If a medical examination is required under the regulations of their host institution, their appointment will not be effective until a favourable medical report is obtained.
§1. The doctoral (PhD) grant fundamental research falls within the scope of the Royal Decree of 28 November 1969 implementing the Law of 27 June 1969 amending the Decree Law of 28 December 1944 concerning the social security of workers as provided for in Article 15(2) of the said Royal Decree.
§2. The doctoral (PhD) grant fundamental research is exempt from personal income tax in accordance with Article 90(2) of the Income Tax Code of 10 April 1992, the Com. I.B. 41/22 and Circular Ci. RH 241/430.824 of Direction II/6 for a period of two years, which, where appropriate, can be extended once for another two years.
§3. Pursuant to Article 143(1) of the Income Tax Code of 10 April 1992 and the Com. I.B. 136/27, grants are not considered as income.
Grant holders qualify as tax dependents.
§1. The doctoral (PhD) grant fundamental research can be renewed once for a period of two years.
This second period must be subsequent to the first period.
§2. This renewal must be requested during the second year of the fellowship, no later than the closing date stated in the call, regardless of any suspensions.
§3. In the course of the first grant period, the Research Foundation - Flanders invites the grant holders to submit an application for a second grant period to the Board of Trustees of the FWO, together with a progress report and the supervisor's opinion on the requested renewal of the fellowship.
Based on these documents, the Board of Trustees of the FWO decides on the granting of a second grant period. For this decision the Board of Trustees of the FWO follows the opinion of the supervisor.
§4. The Board of Trustees of the FWO has the right to call at any time on the supervisor and/or the grant holder to provide details on the progress of the PhD activities.
§5. Regardless of the supervisor's opinion, the grant holder has the right to request the Board of Trustees of the FWO to appear before a commission of external experts to defend his/her grant application. The expert panel's decision to grant or not to grant the grant renewal always takes precedence over the supervisor's opinion.
§6. A grant holder who obtains a PhD by thesis within his/her first fellowship year cannot apply for renewal of his/her fellowship.
Grant holders undertake to complete a PhD by thesis.
§1. Grant holders fall under the administrative and legal authority of the Board of Trustees of the Research Foundation - Flanders, represented by its chairman and its secretary general. Grant holders fall under the disciplinary authority of the academic authority of the university.
§2. Grant holders undertake to comply with the regulations of the Research Foundation - Flanders and those of the academic authorities of the universities.
§3. Candidates with an academic degree second cycle from a university outside the Flemish Community are assumed to have sufficient knowledge of Dutch to enable their integration into the research environment in Flanders.
Grant holders are allowed to change the subject of their research only for proper and justified reasons and subject to approval from their supervisor and the Research Foundation - Flanders. They are not allowed to change host institutions unless expressly authorised by the host institutions involved.
The specific location where the grant holder will be carrying out his/her research may be determined in consultation with the host institution.
§1. Grant holders may enrol on a PhD course. In addition, they may undertake other courses in relation to their research, provided this does not jeopardise the completion of the PhD thesis within the term of the fellowship.
§2. The total workload, including both other coursework and duties assigned by their supervisor, shall not exceed 8 hours per week. Such duties include: supervision of exercises, practicals, seminars, or administrative or clinical tasks.
The work load for exercises, practicals or seminars is double-counted. One hour worked in the context of such duties is equivalent to a two-hour work load.
§3. Grant holders are not allowed to take on teaching assignments or attend teacher training courses.
§1. The doctoral (PhD) grant fundamental research may not be accumulated with any other remuneration or compensation.
§2. However, at the request of the fellow, the Research Foundation - Flanders may allow full or partial accumulation with grants for study stays abroad.
§3. Holders of a travel grant from the FWO, the Flemish Community, the Federal Government or as part of cultural agreements, may accumulate such grant with their fellowship.
Holders of such travel grants must notify the FWO thereof.
§4. Masters of Law, holders of an FWO grant, must not have been registered with the Bar.
Grant holders must submit a report on their scientific activities to the Research Foundation - Flanders at the end of their fourth fellowship year.
§1. All publications and reprints of grant holders must mention their title of holder of a postdoctoral (PhD) grant fundamental research of the Research Foundation - Flanders and the FWO file number of their fellowship.
§1. Fellows who wish to spend a study stay abroad must ask for permission from the Research Foundation - Flanders and the relevant host institution.
§2. Such permission can only be granted if the fellow can continue to be subject to the Belgian social security system during his/her stay abroad. Therefore, the grant holder must have been registered under the Belgian social security system for at least 30 calendar days prior to his/her departure.
In exceptional cases, based on a justified request, the Secretary General may decide to exempt the fellow from the requirement of continuing to be subject to the Belgian social security system.
A copy of the medical certificate must be sent, via the supervisor, to the competent service of the university where the fellow carries out his/her research.
§1. The fellowship cannot be suspended or deferred for any reason whatsoever except for those set out in this article.
§2. The fellowship may be suspended in cases of prolonged sickness leave, pregnancy and breastfeeding leave, parental leave, palliative leave and leave for medical assistance. In these cases the fellowship will be extended by the period during which no payments were received.
Any application for renewal of the fellowship must, in any case, be submitted during the second fellowship year.
§4. The Executive Committee of the FWO may exceptionally grant an extension of up to five years in cases where social and medical reasons result in reduced capacity to work.
§5. Pursuant to the applicable legal provisions, an application for time credit can be submitted three months in advance. This shall not give rise to an extension of the fellowship.
§6. Fellows must notify the FWO as soon as possible of any interruptions in their activities.
With the exception of the provisions of Article 19, holders of a doctoral (PhD) grant fundamental research should not belong to the Academic Assistant Staff or Independent Academic Staff of any university or equivalent function levels at any other institution.
§1. Subject to the general law of contract termination, the fellowship, and therefore the grant agreement, will, as a rule, end upon expiry of a period of two years.
§2. The grant agreement will be immediately terminated by operation of law, without any compensation, if the grant holder is no longer affiliated to a host institution referred to in Article 4 of these regulations, possibly in collaboration with a Flemish or Federal scientific institution, or if the supervisor no longer holds at least one of the positions referred to in Article 10 of these regulations.
§3. In such a case, the grant holder has the right to propose, in consultation with the host institution, an alternative supervisor who meets at least one of the relevant criteria set out in Article 10 of these regulations, so as to prevent the agreement from being terminated.
§4. If the supervisor of the grant holder is found to have committed a serious breach of integrity which, in the opinion of the host institution, is serious enough to disqualify him/her as supervisor, the grant holder can designate an alternative supervisor in consultation with the host institution.
Furthermore, the grant agreement will be terminated by operation of law, without compensation or notice to the researcher, if the latter commits a breach of integrity which immediately and definitively renders any professional collaboration between the Research Foundation - Flanders and the researcher impossible.
d) terminate the agreement by operation of law as provided for in Article 16 of these regulations.
§4. For the evaluation of the application for renewal of the fellowship, the above consequences a) and c) can be taken into consideration.
Grant holders may at any time resign their fellowship provided they have notified the head of the host institution, their supervisor and the Research Foundation - Flanders thereof.
§1. The amount of the grant is limited to the net salary which the beneficiary would receive as assistant at a university in the Flemish Community, as laid down by the Decision of the Flemish Government of 4 May 2001 laying down the salary scales of assistant academic staff of the universities in the Flemish Community.
§2. The net grant amount per month is minimum €2,015.51, indexed with 1.7069 as determined on 1 October 2018.
§3. The grant is adjusted to the pecuniary seniority awarded to the grant holder. The grant takes into account the family situation and is subject to Social Security deductions.
§4. The holiday pay and the end-of-year bonus correspond with the holiday and the end-of-year bonus that the beneficiary would receive as an assistant at a university in the Flemish Community.
§3. Each eligible period of prior employment shall be supported by a solemn declaration.
The grant is linked to the health index insofar as applicable to the academic staff of the universities in the Flemish Community.
The grant is paid monthly, at the end of the month, into a Belgian financial account.
§1. Grant holders are covered by legally required insurance against risks inherent in regular seminar and/or laboratory work, and against accidents on the way to and from work. The legally required insurance policy covers also risks of regular seminar and/or laboratory work as well as accidents on the way to and from work during the temporary assignments abroad for which prior permission has been obtained from the Research Foundation - Flanders.
§3. The occupational health service of the host institution with which the fellowship is affiliated, as well as the supervisor, must be notified of the occupational accident.
§1. The holiday periods for fellows are the same as those stipulated in the regulations of the host institution and are established in consultation with the supervisor.
§2. Grant holders must inform the secretariat of the Research Foundation - Flanders of the dates of their annual holidays.
§3. The holiday pay, calculated on the basis of the grant of the month of June, will be paid into the fellow's account during the month of May.

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