University of Silesia in Katowice

The program “Mobility | Science – 5th Edition” is an initiative that enables researchers at the University of Silesia to undertake scientific internships abroad, fostering the establishment and development of international cooperation, as well as the acquisition of research skills at prestigious academic institutions. Over 50 researchers have already participated in international internships through previous editions of the program, including placements at institutions ranked among the world’s top 10 universities by the Shanghai Ranking.

Program objective

The aim of the program is to stimulate staff academic mobility and support their professional development and academic advancement. The call promotes the establishment and strengthening of international cooperation, including with partners affiliated with the Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance. The program also creates opportunities for knowledge transfer and the acquisition of new skills, broadening employees’ research expertise and supporting the diversification of their academic work.

Scope of funding under the Research Excellence Initiative

The program provides funding for internships of at least 60 consecutive days at renowned foreign academic institutions and at partner institutions within the Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance. Eligible costs are listed in § 9 sec. 1 item 1 of the Regulations on Sending Employees, Doctoral Students and Students of the University of Silesia in Katowice Abroad for Scientific, Teaching and Training Purposes and on Hosting International Guests, introduced by the appendix to Ordinance No. 117 of the Rector of the University of Silesia in Katowice of 29 July 2020, as amended. Non-eligible costs are specified in the program regulations (§ 1, sec. 10). The maximum funding available to cover the costs of one scientific internship is up to PLN 50,000.

Outcomes of scientific internships

Participation in the program entails an obligation to submit, within one year after completing the scientific internship, a research proposal to one of the national or international funding agencies together with a scientific publication, or to submit a research proposal under any Horizon Europe call. Detailed information is provided in the program regulations.

Following the completion of the first edition of the ‘Mobility | Science’ programme supporting the activities of researchers at the University of Silesia in Katowice, organised as part of the Research Excellence Initiative, the call for applications for the second edition has been launched. The programme provides funding for research fellowships at renowned foreign research institutions and partner institutions within the Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance. In 2022, 13 researchers from the University of Silesia in Katowice received funding through the programme, which included fellowships at research centres in the USA, Germany, Norway, Austria and Italy. The university has allocated a total of PLN 500,000 for the second edition of the programme. The maximum amount of funds that can be granted to a USil researcher to finance their scientific fellowship, including the costs of travel, accommodation and allowances for business trips, is up to PLN 50,000. Funding covers scientific fellowships lasting a minimum of 60 days.

The main goal of the programme is to encourage the scientific mobility of the staff and support through scientific advancement, as well as to create conditions for the transfer of knowledge and enable the acquisition of new skills, broadening the scientific workshop of employees and diversification of the subject matter. Carrying out research internships in foreign research units is also the basis for establishing new forms of cooperation, including with partners of the University of Silesia as part of the T4EU alliance.

Participation in the programme is associated with the obligation to submit a research application to one of the national or foreign agencies along with the preparation of a scientific publication or submission of a research application in any Horizon Europe call for proposals.

international scientific internships

minimum 60 days (without interruption)

research staff | research and teaching staff | research and technical staff

up to PLN 50,000

5 March 2026 to 20 April 2026

The call for applications for the 3rd edition of the ‘Mobility | Science’ programme for the international mobility of researchers at the University of Silesia in Katowice, organised as part of the Research Excellence Initiative, is now open. It provides for funding of scientific traineeships in renowned foreign research units and in Transform4Europe alliance partner institutions (T4EU). In the previous years, funding received a total of 25 scientists from the University of Silesia in Katowice who participated in scientific traineeships, among others, in scientific institutions in the US, Germany, Norway, Austria, Spain, and Italy. To take part in the recruitment, the application must be accompanied by the consent of a representative of the host institution to accept the applicant.

The university allocated PLN 500,000 for the implementation of the 3rd edition of the programme. The maximum amount of funds that may be granted to a researcher from the University of Silesia to finance a research internship, including travel costs, accommodation and business travel allowances, is up to PLN 50,000. Funding covers traineeships lasting at least 60 days. In accordance with the rules and regulations, participation in the programme is associated with the obligation to submit a research application to one of the national or foreign agencies along with the preparation of a scientific publication or submission of a research application in any Horizon Europe competition within one year after the research internship.

The programme’s main goal is to stimulate the scientific staff mobility and support them on the way to academic advancement, as well as create conditions for knowledge transfer and obtaining new skills to expand the skillset of employees and diversify the issues tackled. Participating in traineeships in foreign research units also constitutes the basis for establishing new forms of cooperation, including with University of Silesia partners under the T4EU Alliance.

Employees who were the beneficiaries in previous editions of the ‘Mobility | Science’ programme cannot apply for funding under the 3rd edition of the programme.

Following the completion of the first edition of the ‘Mobility | Science’ programme supporting the activities of researchers at the University of Silesia in Katowice, organised as part of the Research Excellence Initiative, the call for applications for the second edition has been launched. The programme provides funding for research fellowships at renowned foreign research institutions and partner institutions within the Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance. In 2022, 13 researchers from the University of Silesia in Katowice received funding through the programme, which included fellowships at research centres in the USA, Germany, Norway, Austria and Italy. The university has allocated a total of PLN 500,000 for the second edition of the programme. The maximum amount of funds that can be granted to a USil researcher to finance their scientific fellowship, including the costs of travel, accommodation and allowances for business trips, is up to PLN 50,000. Funding covers scientific fellowships lasting a minimum of 60 days.

The main goal of the programme is to encourage the scientific mobility of the staff and support through scientific advancement, as well as to create conditions for the transfer of knowledge and enable the acquisition of new skills, broadening the scientific workshop of employees and diversification of the subject matter. Carrying out research internships in foreign research units is also the basis for establishing new forms of cooperation, including with partners of the University of Silesia as part of the T4EU alliance.

Participation in the programme is associated with the obligation to submit a research application to one of the national or foreign agencies along with the preparation of a scientific publication or submission of a research application in any Horizon Europe call for proposals.

scientific traineeship

minimum of 60 days

research employees | research and didactic employees | research and technical employees

PLN 50,000

from 22 February 2024 to 18 March 2024

Following the completion of the first edition of the ‘Mobility | Science’ programme supporting the activities of researchers at the University of Silesia in Katowice, organised as part of the Research Excellence Initiative, the call for applications for the second edition has been launched. The programme provides funding for research fellowships at renowned foreign research institutions and partner institutions within the Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance. In 2022, 13 researchers from the University of Silesia in Katowice received funding through the programme, which included fellowships at research centres in the USA, Germany, Norway, Austria and Italy. The university has allocated a total of PLN 500,000 for the second edition of the programme. The maximum amount of funds that can be granted to a USil researcher to finance their scientific fellowship, including the costs of travel, accommodation and allowances for business trips, is up to PLN 50,000. Funding covers scientific fellowships lasting a minimum of 60 days.

The main goal of the programme is to encourage the scientific mobility of the staff and support through scientific advancement, as well as to create conditions for the transfer of knowledge and enable the acquisition of new skills, broadening the scientific workshop of employees and diversification of the subject matter. Carrying out research internships in foreign research units is also the basis for establishing new forms of cooperation, including with partners of the University of Silesia as part of the T4EU alliance.

Participation in the programme is associated with the obligation to submit a research application to one of the national or foreign agencies along with the preparation of a scientific publication or submission of a research application in any Horizon Europe call for proposals.

research fellowships

minimum of 60 days

research employees | research and didactic employees | research and technical employees

PLN 50,000

from 12 January 2023 to 20 February 2023 [end of recruitment]

“Mobility | Science” is another programme supporting the activities of scientists of the University of Silesia in Katowice organised as part of the Research Excellence Initiative. The programme provides for financing research internships in renowned foreign research institutions and in partner institutions within the Transform4Europe alliance (T4EU). The university allocates a total of PLN 500,000 for the implementation of the programme. The maximum amount of funds that may be granted to a researcher from the University of Silesia to finance a research internship, including travel costs, accommodation and business travel allowances, is up to PLN 50,000. Financing covers research internships lasting a minimum of 60 days and can be financially settled until 15 December 2022. Applications are accepted continuously until funds are exhausted.

The main goal of the programme is to encourage the scientific mobility of the staff and support through scientific advancement, as well as to create conditions for the transfer of knowledge and enable the acquisition of new skills, broadening the scientific workshop of employees and diversification of the subject matter. Carrying out research internships in foreign research units is also the basis for establishing new forms of cooperation, including with partners of the University of Silesia as part of the T4EU alliance. In accordance with the regulations – participation in the programme is associated with the obligation to submit a research application to one of the national or foreign agencies along with the preparation of a scientific publication or submission of a research application in any Horizon Europe competition within one year after the research internship. A positive decision of the rector on granting the financing means a simultaneous consent to the granting of long-term paid training leave for the programme beneficiary.

research internships

minimum of 60 days

research employees | research and teaching employees | research and technical employees

up to PLN 50,000

recruitment has been stopped