- Terje Emblem Special Adviser 22 03 72 27 tem@forskningsradet.no
Norway to host top US research fellows
The National Science Foundation plans to bolster American doctoral candidates' international experience by funding research stays in the Nordic countries. The first host countries will be Norway and Finland.
Stanford University supplies some of the US' top doctoral candidates. (Photo: Shutterstock)
In cooperation with the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Research Council has established a scheme to encourage doctoral research fellows from the US to spend part of their fellowship period at a Norwegian research institution. The scheme applies to research fellows funded under the NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).
The scheme entitled "Nordic Research Opportunity" offers a number of US doctoral candidates the chance to increase their international experience early in their careers. Norway and Finland have been selected as the first partner countries.
The grant recipients will continue to receive their salary from the NSF during their stay in Norway, while the Research Council will provide support for their living expenses for two to twelve months. The scheme is planned to run for an initial three-year period.
Fabulous opportunity for host institutions
"The Research Council is very pleased to see this scheme in place. The doctoral candidates funded under the NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship Program are selected through an intensely competitive process and are therefore highly qualified. Many of them will surely assume prominent positions in US research in coming years. This gives Norwegian research communities a fabulous opportunity to establish and strengthen their relations with US research," says Arvid Hallén, Director General of the Research Council.
Terje Emblem, Special Adviser at the Research Council, has developed the Norwegian component of the scheme, in close dialogue with US colleagues and the Counselor for Science at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, DC. "Norwegian institutions that serve as host for these research fellows will have a good opportunity to expand their scientific networks and enhance their international reputation," says Mr Emblem.
Long-term collaboration yields results
The new scheme must be viewed in light of the long-term collaboration between the Research Council and the National Science Foundation. The Americans took the initiative to establish the Nordic Research Opportunity, but the measure is completely in keeping with Norway's strategy to increase cooperation with North America on research and technology. The Ministry of Education and Research, with Minister Tora Aasland as a key advocate, has given its full support to the development of the scheme that is now being launched.
Read more about the Nordic Research Opportunity scheme.
- Published:
- 24.11.2008
- Last updated:
- 05.05.2010
