Ministry of Science and ICT , Public Notice No. 2018-0578

Announcement of Brain Pool (BP) Program

for inviting outstanding scientists from overseas

(1st round in 2019)

The MSIT (Ministry of Science and ICT) and NRF (National Research Foundation of Korea) welcome applications from host researchers in South Korea who wish to invite outstanding scientists to join the Brain Pool Program (BP Program). This program is designed to invite overseas outstanding scientists for the enhancement of research competence through joint research in R&D fields in Korea, and build a global cooperative research network more efficiently. Interested applicants are requested to file an application in accordance with the relevant procedures.

December 27th, 2018

You Young Min

Minister of Ministry of Science and ICT

1. Goals

To enhance the R&D level of Korea by attracting outstanding overseas scientists through various

joint research activities in R&D fields in Korea, and to establish long term international cooperation

networks.

 -Balancing the scientific and technical standards in the field of national research institutes, universities, and industries by focusing on compensating for the insufficient number of outstanding researchers.

2. Outline

A. Fields of Research: All fields in science and technology

- Provide strategic preferential support in areas where the country's private sector lacks R&D capabilities and where the government's role as a technology provider is critical in 8 innovation growth engine technology fields*

* Smart city, self-driving car, drone, construction automation, zero energy building, virtual land space, smart logistics, and intelligent railway

B. Eligibility of Brain Pool Candidates: Outstanding overseas scientists who have been awarded a doctoral degree for more than five years.

C. Program period: (Type 1) 6-12 months*, (Type 2) 3 years (2+1)

* (Type 1) 3-12 months for industrial bodies

※ In the case of ongoing BP project, it can be reapplied within 3 months of its closing date of the project year (for Type 1- Reapplication).

※ For Type 2, it will be decided whether to be continued or not the last year (3^rd) based on the research achievement evaluation for the first 2 years.

D. Details of Support: Personnel costs and expenses incurred for inviting the Brain Pool Fellow.

- Personnel costs: KRW 3~17 million per month

(Based on the evaluation criteria reflecting research achievements and level of current salary for invited scientist)

※ For research institutes affiliated to industries , only 70% of personnel costs will be supported.

- Invitation Expenses: up to KRW 17.6 million (airfare, child education subsidies, moving expenses (for those who participate in a 12-month project or more), insurance premiums, etc.)

3. Quota and Eligibility 

A. Quota for the 1st Round of 2019: around 100 (for Type 1: around 60, For Type 2: around 40)

-  In case those quotas cannot be filled due to lack of appropriate candidates who fit the aims of BP program, a second round will be announced at a later date.

B. Eligibility

- Host Institution : Government-funded research institutes, national/public research institutes, universities, research institutes affiliated with universities, research institutes affiliated with small enterprises of middle standing, and nonprofit research institutes.

- Host Researcher (Brain Pool Applicant): Full-time employees of the respective host institutions who have the rank of at least assistant professor, senior researcher, or chair of a research institute (corporate research institute).

- Invited Scientist (Brain Pool Candidate): Foreign and Korean scientists* who have more than five years of experiences in R&D abroad after obtaining a Ph.D.

* Brain pool candidate with Korean nationality must reside abroad when applying for the program (except for reapplying).

※ In the case of small or middle standing enterprises being the host organization, Brain Pool candidates who have five-years or more of on-site R&D experience in the overseas industry may apply regardless of his/her possession of a doctoral degree

※ Possibility of re-applying to the Brain Pool Program for a maximum of up to 3 times including the first term (For type 1)

※ Post KRF fellows who have completed the KRF (Korea Research Fellowship) program successfully and have received a higher rank for the final evaluation, are eligible as a Brain pool candidate.

※ Host researcher cannot apply for Type 1 and Type 2 simultaneously with the same Brain Pool candidates.

C. Preferences

- Minimum selection quota (30%) for ethnic Koreans or Korean nationals residing overseas.

- Preferences for Type 1 (new selected project) in the case where the hosted Brain Pool candidate is full time (Permanent employee) by the institutions which are selected as a Global R&D Center

4. How to apply and what documents to submit.

A. Application submission period: Dec. 27 (Thur.) 2018 ~ Mar. 5 (Tues.) 2019 by 18:00

※ Approval from their host institutions on ERND: by Mar. 6, 2019 (Thur.), (6 p.m.)

(Applications will only be accepted for projects that obtain approval from their host institutions within the application period.)

※ Date/Time is based on Korea Local Time (UTC/GMT +9 hours)

※ Please complete submitting application at least 3-4 hours before the deadline to avoid a flood of applications.

B. How to apply: Online

- Host research institutes discover Brain Pool Fellows and apply through the Integrated Research Support System of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) (https://ernd.nrf.re.kr)

※ Information of Host Researcher (mandatory) must be updated three to four days in advance as

when and how the updates are reflected to the KRI system differs according to the applicant’s affiliate.

※ Application should be uploaded on the ERND system by the host researcher (BP applicant)'s ERND account not by the BP candidate's. The application shall be prepared within the deadline and made certain the BP application and necessary documentation required is uploaded in time)

C. Documents to be submitted: Please refer to a list of documents to be submitted in [Reference] and [Appendix]

5. Evaluation Methods

A. Evaluation procedures

B. (Type 1) Evaluation Items and Distribution of Points for a New Application

(Type 1) Evaluation Items and Distribution of Points for a Reapplication

※ For a reapplication of projects that have benefitted from the program, the evaluation shall be conducted with a separate evaluation criteria and panel apart from new application projects

.※ For a reapplication of BP projects, 3-5 percent of selection evaluation scores will be added or deducted depending on evaluation results

C. (Type 2) Evaluation items and Distribution of Points

6. Schedule for the Brain Pool 1^st round (2019) Recruitment

7. Application and participation restrictions

A. Brain Pool Fellows are required to enter the Republic of Korea and commence research within three months from the date of final selection.

※ Failure to enter Korea within the time limit will lead to the cancellation of selection

B. Researchers under sanctions to participate in National R&D programs can neither apply for nor participate in the program.

C. This program is excluded from the projects subject to the restrictions (The number of R&D projects that can be simultaneously conducted by a host researcher shall not exceed five, among which the number of R&D projects that can be simultaneously conducted as a principal investigator (PI) shall not exceed three) referred to in Article 32 of the Regulations on Management, etc. of National Research and Development Projects.

8. Others

- In principle, the residence of Brain Pool Fellows is provided by host institutions (institution that host the Brain Pool fellows).

- Unclear research purpose or contents, or missing information in the application form may lead to disadvantages for the screening evaluations.

- Brain Pool fellows must enter Korea and launch their research within three months after being selected.

- For more information, please visit the website of National Research Foundation of Korea* or refer to the Brain Pool Guidelines (Appendix 4).

* (Visit www.nrf.re.kr (in Korean )- by selecting Program Information on Menu – Program Classification – Training and Human Resources Development – Global Research Invitation Programs -> Notice)

[Reference]       List of Documents to be Submitted

<List of documents to be submitted>

※ Please select an application form between [1-1] to [1-3] based on whether it is a new application or a re-application (within 30 pages excluding cover, summary, appendix and instruction)

※ Acceptance letter of Brain Pool candidates-no fixed form.

Exchange of letters (e.g. e-mail) including signature can also be accepted.

  ※ The paystub for the entire recent year is a mandatory document for the calculation of the personnel costs when selected as a Brain Pool fellow

  ※ Documents must be written in Korean or English. Other languages should be translated into Korean or English, and the translation should be notarized. The translated notarial documents should be attached.

*  In principle, the application form should be written in Korean by the host researcher (academic parts like research contents can be written in English as to share research plans with overseas researchers). “General Information of Invited Scientist (Brain Pool candidate)” shall be written by Brain Pool candidate in Korean or English.

※ Any false information in documents submitted may lead to withdrawal of selection even after the final evaluation.

※This guideline has been translated from original Korean documents with regards to Korean research.

 Therefore, this translation has focused on providing the main contents and points to brain pool overseas candidates for better understanding and subject to change without prior notice. The actual details will follow the “Guidelines for the Management of the Brain Pool(BP) Program” and “BP agreement”.

※In the event of any discrepancy between the Korean original and this English translation, the Korean original shall prevail.