Please prepare your application to the Dioscuri Programme thoroughly before starting the online application process. To do so, consult the Call for Dioscuri Centres, the corresponding Supplementary Regulations as well as our website for detailed information about the aim and scope of the Programme. Furthermore, we kindly ask you to take note of the Max Planck Society's Rules of Good Scientific Practice.

In order to apply for a Dioscuri Centre (DC), you will need to find a Host Institution in the Czech Republic as well as a Partner from Germany. The Host Institution shall provide the adequate environment for your proposed research concept and be willing/able to host your DC. A list of Czech Scientific Institutions that have already declared their willingness to host Dioscuri Centres can be found here. You may use the list to search for a suitable host in your respective research field. Please note that all Czech research units, regardless of their prior registration, are eligible as host institutions in the current call. The Partner shall be an experienced scientist who is well suited to advise on the scientific and structural development of the DC.

To apply to the Dioscuri Programme, you will need to submit an application via our application platform consisting of an application form, application documents, a short and full research concept as well as three signed attachments. Below you will find detailed instructions for each of these components.

After submitting the application via the application platform, applicants must send all application documents to the prospective host institution. The host institution must submit a package of all application documents plus a form to be filled by the host institution (in Czech) via the MEYS’ databox. For more information, please check the MEYS website: https://www.msmt.cz/vyzkum-a-vyvoj-2/vyzva-k-podani-zadosti-o-poskytnuti-dotace-ze-statniho-1

 

How to Apply via our application platform

First, you will need to create a new account to register for our application platform (see box on the left 'User Login'). During registration, you will be asked to accept the terms and conditions of our Data Protection Security and Privacy Policy. After creating your account, you will be able to fill in the application form and upload all necessary application documents. You may save and edit your application as often as you like before submitting it. Once you have submitted your application, you cannot change the data and/or files provided. Please make sure that your email and contact data remain valid until the end of the evaluation process. Should this not be possible, please inform the Dioscuri Office about your updated contact data.

The application deadline is July 25th, 2022.

Application Form

The application form includes: your basic personal information, basic information about the Dioscuri Centre (DC) you are proposing to establish (including a short abstract), basic information about your Partner from Germany and a justification for selecting her/him as a Partner (must not exceed 4000 characters), basic information about the Host Institution (HI) and a justification for choosing the HI (must not exceed 4000 characters), a budget outline and budget table for the DC, as well as your requirements from the Host Institution.

The application form must be filled in and submitted via the application platform. For purposes of offline preparation and information you may download the offline version of the application form.

 

Application Documents (to be uploaded)

You will be asked to upload the following documents in PDF format:

• Applicant’s CV (must not exceed two pages)
• Complete list of applicant’s publications
• Complete list of applicant’s invited lectures
• No more than 5 important publications of the applicant [individual upload fields for up to 5 PDFs]
• CV of Partner from Germany (must not exceed two pages)
• Complete list of Partner’s publications
• Complete list of Partner’s invited lectures
• No more than 5 important publications of the Partner [individual upload fields for up to 5 PDFs]
• Short research concept [must not exceed 25,000 characters (including spaces)]
• Full research concept [must not exceed 65,000 characters (including spaces)]

We kindly ask you to name each file in the following way: LastName_FileName.pdf [e.g.: Curie_ApplicantCV.pdf; Curie_ListPartnerPublication.pdf; Curie_Publication1.pdf etc.] Please observe the page limit. Documents in other formats or with higher page counts will not be accepted. Please do not upload any encrypted PDFs.

 

Short and Full Concept for Establishing a Dioscuri Centre

You will be asked to provide a concept for the DC you plan to establish, in a short (must not exceed 25,000 characters, including references) and a full version (must not exceed 65,000 characters, including references). The concept shall include

(a) an innovative research programme

(b) an outline for the DC’s structural development, which might include the envisioned relationship with the Partner from Germany, plans for securing qualified personnel and additional (external) funding, as well as strategies for positioning the DC in the local and international scientific community.

 

Attachments 1 to 3 (signature and upload)

We ask you to provide three signed documents: a declaration of the applicant (Attachment 1); a declaration of the Czech Host Institution (Attachment 2); and a letter of intent of the Partner from Germany (Attachment 3). These three documents will need to be signed by the respective party, either electronically or by hand, and uploaded via the online application platform. Should the document be signed by hand, please upload a scan of the signed document.

Download the Attachment forms here.

After an eligibility check, all eligible applications will be forwarded to the Dioscuri Committee. The Dioscuri Committee will be responsible for the overall evaluation and selection process.

In the first stage, the Committee will review all eligible applications and - based on the applicants' scientific accomplishments and their short research concept for a DC - select up to around 15 applications for the second stage. Selected as well as rejected applicants will be informed about this decision by the end of October 2022 via the application platform.

In the second stage, the remaining applications will be subject to external scientific reviews based on the full research concept. Building on these reviews, the Dioscuri Committee will select up to around 6 applicants for final interviews. Selected as well as rejected applicants will be informed about this decision in January 2023 via the application platform.

In the third stage, the remaining applicants will be invited for personal interviews to take place in Prague on February 28th and March 1st, 2023. After that, the Dioscuri Committee will select up to three applicants for funding within the Dioscuri Programme.

We kindly ask you to refrain from individual inquiries concerning the status of your application.

All reviews will be based solely on the scientific merit of the candidates and the quality of their research concepts. Please note that the proceedings of the Dioscuri Committee are confidential. All decisions made by the Committee are binding collective decisions, individual feedback will not be provided.

Candidates selected for funding will start negotiating specific conditions for their DC with representatives of the respective Czech Host Institution and the MEYS in March 2023. Negotiations should be concluded within several months of the Committee’s final decision.

Please consult the Call for Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence for detailed information about the eligibility of applicants, the design of Dioscuri Centres and the requirements for Host Institutions and Partners.

To provide a comprehensive overview of the Dioscuri Programme funding and to support potential applicants in preparing their application, we will offer webinars during the call period. The webinars are scheduled for: Tuesday, 26.04., 14:00-15:30 CEST and Wednesday, 18.05., 14:00-15:30 CEST. To register for one of our webinars, please send an e-mail to programdioscuri@msmt.cz

Any further questions can be addressed to dioscuri@gv.mpg.de.