Aspasia Fund
The Aspasia Fund is currently inviting applications for the academic year 2024-2025.
The fund facilitates small grants for lecturers (D), assistant professors (UD) and associate professors (UHD) which can be tailored to individual needs that fit the applicants’ career stage as well as their personal circumstances in terms of, for example, care duties. Women can apply for temporary increase of research time, but also for (small) travel grants, research support, et cetera (see below). Applicants are asked to outline within their application why they are applying for a certain type of grant within the Aspasia Fund scheme, how this fits within their career plans (and, if they see fit, their personal circumstances) and why the UvA FGw Aspasia Fund provides an opportunity that isn’t available through other routes. We welcome applications from women of diverse backgrounds and/or who have experienced a break in their career due to additional responsibilities (e.g. due to leave and/or care tasks). Women academics on a teaching contract without allocated research time are also invited to apply.
The FGw Aspasia Fund was made available by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) as part of Aspasia grants awarded to UvA researchers Carolyn Birdsall, Chiara de Cesari, Maartje van Gelder, Danielle van den Heuvel, Jill Hilditch, Yolande Jansen, Eva van Lier, Esther Peeren, Yolanda Rodríguez Pérez, Judith Rispens, Josje Verhagen, and Justyna Wubs. As stipulated by NWO, part of these grants is to be used for gender diversity policies.
What can be applied for?
Examples of types of grants that researchers can apply for include:
- Temporary increase of research time to focus on research output such as monographs and articles and/or to prepare and write grant applications to strengthen the research profile (0.2FTE for one semester (6 months) or 0.1 FTE for two semesters;
- Temporary increase of research time by 0,3fte for four months after returning from fulltime (at least one month) maternity/parental/care leave in order to strengthen their academic profile (in a broad sense);
- Travel grant for a research visit, conference attendance, etc.;
- Temporary research support, for example a research assistant (maximum 0,3 fte for six months);
- Relevant training related to professional development, such as coaching or a leadership course;
- Impact related activities.
The maximum amount that can be applied for is €5000 OR the equivalent of 0.2fte for one semester (6 months) or 0.1fte for two semesters for extra research time. The grant should be used in the academic year 2024-2025 (between September 2024 and September 2025) in consultation with the applicant’s department chair/supervisor.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants are women researchers (D, UD, or UHD) employed by the Faculty of Humanities, UvA, who are not eligible for the starting grants (startersbeurzen). Full professors cannot apply for a grant from the Aspasia Fund. All eligible women researchers can send in one application within this Call for proposals – Aspasia Fund 2023.
How to apply?
Applications are drawn up in accordance with the guidelines (please see separate document) and include the application, the curriculum vitae, and the statement of consent from the Department Chair and the director of the Research School. Applications should be submitted by e-mail to aihr-fgw@uva.nl as a single file in PDF format.
Applications assessment and criteria
A panel consisting of Aspasia laureates will assess the applications based on the following criteria:
- The quality of the proposed grant project
- The wider relevance of the proposed grant project (e.g. in terms of research, teaching, leadership, et cetera). You can also focus on the relevance for your research team, the research school(s), and/or the department(s).
Timetable
- 15 January 2024 - Applications deadline
- First half of February 2024 - Assessment and final decision by the panel
- Second half of February 2024 - Result announced to applicants
- Academic year 2024-2025 (between September 2024 and September 2025) – grant activities take place (in consultation with the applicant’s department chair/supervisor)