Within the framework of their Memorandum of Understanding, Peking University (hereinafter referred to as PKU) and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (hereinafter referred to as IIASA) have launched the PKU-IIASA International Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, aimed at training highly qualified early-career postdoctoral researchers to carry out research in fields of mutual interest at both PKU and IIASA, which include but are not limited to applied mathematics, system analysis engineering, statistics, demography, physical geography, agriculture, forestry, environmental economics, resource and energy management, ecology, biology, water engineering, urban planning and meteorology.
PKU-IIASA Postdoctoral Fellows will have the opportunity to develop international and interdisciplinary research skills and become part of a vibrant, dynamic, diverse, and international scientific research community both at PKU and at IIASA. This opportunity will give the fellows the chance to advance their skills and broaden their research interests.
Additionally, the fellows will gain first-hand experience in applying systems analysis to real-world problems and issues. The fellows will have access to a network of international collaborators, many of them with highly successful careers in their own specialized scientific areas, which can help in boosting future career prospects.
Duration
The Program will offer no more than five postdoctoral fellowships every year. Each fellowship is to be awarded for 24 months. In general, a fellow (fellowship recipient) should first register and conduct research at PKU for 12 months and then at IIASA for 12 months. In addition, exchange visits by the fellow to IIASA when the fellow is at PKU and vice versa are expected; this will include a mandatory inaugural visit, to ensure co-design of the research and to strengthen collaboration between PKU and IIASA. The exact time and sequence to be spent at both institutions shall be discussed and decided between the fellow and their host supervisors at both PKU and IIASA. The extension of the fellowship beyond the first 12 months shall be subject to a joint mid-term evaluation.
Candidates will be required to start the fellowship between September and December 2021.
Funding
PKU will pay fellows in RMB through Boya Postdoctoral Fellowship of Peking University(click it for detailed information), even when fellows are working at IIASA. For each fellow, an annual pre-tax salary of RMB200,000 and annual insurances of RMB91,000 will be provided. While at PKU, a fellow may choose to live in the PKU postdoctoral flat or choose to receive a subsidy of RMB5,000 per month and to find their own accommodation. While at IIASA, a fellow will be required to find their own accommodation but will also receive an accommodation subsidy of RMB3,500 per month (the equivalent in Euro). IIASA will be responsible for bearing the costs of the accommodation subsidy and health insurance for the fellow while they are at IIASA.
Costs for relocation travel and the inaugural and subsequent exchange visits of the fellow between PKU and IIASA are borne by the supervisors of the receiving institution. The host supervisors of the fellow at PKU and IIASA are expected to cover the cost for conducting the collaborative research of the fellow and may cover extra travel expenditures.
Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria
The Fellowship is open to applicants of all nationalities who are highly qualified early-career researchers. They must have received their Ph.D. no more than five years prior to the start of the appointment.
Due to the requirements of the Chinese National Postdoctoral Affairs Management Committee, candidates over the age of 35 years will not be considered and applicants holding tenure or in tenure-track faculty positions are not eligible.
Each applicant must identify at least one faculty member from each institution who agrees to serve as his/her host supervisor. For information of faculty members at Peking University, please visit: https://www.pku.edu.cn/department.html
Selection is based on the academic excellence of the applicant, the quality of the proposed research project, compelling demonstration of the anticipated synergy of a joint postdoctoral project, and the commitment of the respective hosts at both institutions. The research proposal should include information on how the project will benefit from the research environments of both institutions and how the proposal interfaces the fellow’s own research interests with the research agendas pursued by PKU and IIASA. Applicants are advised to review the research section of the PKU webpage (or visit https://www.pku.edu.cn/department.html for postdoc supervisors' information at PKU )and the research section of the IIASA webpage.
Application
Fellowship applicants are required to prepare application documents in English and include all of the following (except the two recommendation letters) in one PDF document:
PKU-IIASA International Postdoctoral Fellowship Application Form
Full CV or Resume
Two recommendation letters (directly send by referees to coordinators listed below. including one from the applicant’s doctoral supervisor)
An endorsement letter or e-mail from each of the envisaged postdoctoral supervisors at PKU and IIASA. The letter or e-mail should include applicant’s qualifications, detailed information on the added value of the research project and a clear statement of commitment regarding the physical and intellectual research environment that the supervisor will provide to the fellow.
Application Deadline
The call will open on 2, March, 2021, All applications must be received by 30, April 2021.
Important Deadlines
Mid June 2021 – Selected fellows will be notified
Between September and December 2021 – Preferred commencement of fellowship
Submission and Queries
Applicants are requested to submit their application document as one PDF file by email simultaneously to the following four coordinators:
For PKU General and Scientific Queries
Dr. Fan Deshang
Director of Division of Postdoctoral Affairs
Office of Human Resources
Peking University (PKU)
E-mail address: boguanban@pku.edu.cn
Dr. Sun Wenjie
Postdoc Coordinator
Peking University
Tel:+86-10-62751229
E-mail address: wjsun@pku.edu.cn
For IIASA General Queries
Ms. Aleksandra Cofala
Postdoc Coordinator
IIASA
E-mail address: cofaleks@iiasa.ac.at
For IIASA Scientific Queries
Ms. Gui-Ying Cao
Senior Research Scholar
Exploratory and Special Projects
IIASA
E-mail address: cao@iiasa.ac.at
These contacts are also available for queries as stated above.
Additional Information
1. Please direct all further inquiries to the coordinators of the program as stated above
2. All fellows have to register at the Office of China’s National Postdoctoral Affairs Management Committee before commencing their postdoctoral research at PKU. For registration information and procedure, please visit https://postdocs.pku.edu.cn/bshyw/jzsq/26218.htm
3. Fellows will have to sign an agreement with PKU to initiate the visa application procedure before conducting their postdoctoral research at PKU.
4. IIASA will assist accepted fellows with obtaining their visa/residency card while working in Austria.
5. IIASA does not carry out lab-type research, and consequently no laboratories are available at the institute.
6. Insurance fees at PKU are changeable due to the changes of insurance policies in Beijing and China.
7. Postdoctoral researchers registered at Peking University may apply for the fellowship if the termination date of his/her contract is no more than six months prior to the deadline of this call for applications.
For the call on IIASA webpage, please visit PKU-IIASA_Postdoc_Program.html