APSR Short-Term Research/Training Fellowship
Aims and expectations
The APSR is funding a fellowship programme with the aims of:
Promoting science and research in respiratory medicine in the APSR region;
Supporting the exchange in the APSR region of young scientists and clinicians actively involved in respiratory medicine;
Contributing to the development of research and science of respiratory medicine in the APSR region.
The Research Fellowships applications are reviewed by the Research Committee and recommendations for awards passed to the Executive Committee for endorsement.
In order to keep a high standard of applications, the APSR will strictly enforce the rules for the management of the fellowship and will ensure the high quality of the work supported. Presentation of the findings at the APSR Congress, and publication of results Respirology is encouraged.
APSR Fellowship programme
The fellowship is funded by the APSR with the objectives of enabling young investigators and clinicians, to develop, acquire, and apply advanced research procedures and techniques in the area of respiratory medicine for up to three months in a foreign country/region in the APSR region.
The proposal should elaborate on how the partnership between the host and the candidate will take full advantage of the unique facilities, resources, and materials available in their respective countries/regions. The initiation or development of collaborative projects between the host and home institutes are encouraged.
Candidates should be actively engaged in respiratory research, with appropriate scientific or medical qualifications.
Candidates will typically be under 40 years old.
Candidates should be members of the APSR.
Awards are conditional on the return of the Fellow to the home institution at the end of the fellowship and on the availability of appropriate facilities and resources to apply the newly acquired skills.
The APSR fellowship can also be used as an extension of previous support from other sources. Candidates who are already in the host institution at the time of application will also be considered as long as the fellowship is intended to support exchange.
Priority will be given where the candidate's home supervisor or host supervisor are members of the APSR.
General Conditions
The Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR) offers for the year 2011, fellowship schemes for professionals actively engaged in clinical and basic research in respiratory medicine. The duration of the programme is initially for one month and can be extended up to 3 months.
The awards are funded by the APSR. They enable qualified doctors and respiratory investigators to carry out specific research and clinical projects or to obtain training in a clinical or research unit in another country/region in the APSR region.
The fellowship can be sponsored by industries if the APSR approves.
The fellowship may be utilized in collaboration with an existing international training programme in respirology if approved by the APSR.
3.1 The APSR Fellowship
The APSR Fellowship:
requires the host supervisor to be located in the APSR region.
is not intended to run concurrently with other awards, even those funded by other agencies.
may not be financially supplemented by agencies other than the home or host institutions, or the Fellows personally.
is not granted for basic training, courses, lectures, meetings, conferences, congresses, etc.
that is terminated prematurely, must be notified promptly to the APSR and appropriate funds reimbursed.
requires an end-of-project report in English within a month of the end of the project. The reports will be published on the APSR Website.
is granted subject to adequate funds being available.
does not guarantee any tax issue that may arise either in the home or in the host country/region and any taxes have to come out of the fellowship award.
3.2 Applications
Applications:
and all supporting documents must be submitted in English by email, fax or post.
are accepted and processed three times a year. The application closing dates are March 31, July 31 and November 30.
will be acknowledged promptly and candidates advised if items are missing.
that have undergone a review and selection process and were not approved for funding cannot be resubmitted.
should normally specify only one institution as host unit.
3.3 Candidates
Candidates:
must possess professional qualifications and experience appropriate to the specific fellowship applied for.
must be currently engaged in pulmonary research or clinical pulmonary practice.
will typically be under 40 years old.
should be members of the APSR.
must be on the staff payroll of a university, research laboratory, institute or hospital to which they will return at the end of the fellowship.
must select a host laboratory in the APSR region.
must have adequate fluency in a language that permits effective communication at the host institution.
may submit applications for only one APSR fellowship proposal at any application round.
3.4 Selection
Selection is made on the basis of scientific and expert evaluation of the application and the proposed work as set out by the candidates in the project description. Reviewers of the highest international standing in their respective fields carry out this task. Their assessments are strictly confidential and cannot be divulged outside the APSR, or to the candidates themselves.
No distinction will be made between candidates on the basis of gender, ethnic origin, religious or political beliefs.
The decisions are final and appeals are not considered.
3.5 Awards
Awards are funded US$1,000 per month, plus one round trip air fare of least cost, for the Fellow.
In order to avoid duplication of expenditure, particularly with national sources, it is a condition of any award by the APSR that a full declaration be made to the organization of all other grants, awards and contributions applied for towards the same travel and subsistence expenditures. Continuation in whole or part of existing salary and income must also be declared. It will be separately considered by the APSR in the light of any explanations furnished by the Fellow of the necessity of continuing expenses not connected with the APSR fellowship. The APSR may reduce its normal financial intervention by a corresponding sum or, where appropriate, annul it entirely.
APSR Fellows are encouraged to engage in teaching, discussion and similar activities of the institution they visit. They may not, however, engage in any paid or salaried activities during the course of their fellowships.
APSR Fellows are not insured by the APSR against medical expenses for themselves or their families; neither are they insured for accidents during their travel to and from the host institution. The APSR does not recognize recipients of its fellowships as agents or employees of the APSR and accepts no liability in respect of any of their actions or activities or in respect to the health or safety of their persons. In their own interest, recipients of the fellowship are, therefore, urged to make sure that they, their families and the institutions which receive them are fully covered by the necessary insurances.
The APSR is a non-governmental international organization whose awards are not automatically endowed with any particular tax privileges. It is the sole responsibility of the recipient of an award to pay any tax which may be levied upon him/her by the appropriate national authority.
Guidelines for completing an APSR fellowship application
Each fellowship programme has its own particular aims and characteristics. Choose the one that is appropriate to your scientific, medical and clinical background, as well as your past experience and future professional objectives.
4.1 Supervisor approval
Your home supervisor's Release Form should authorize your leave of absence during the planned project period, indicate that, if successful, a position will be open to you on completion of the fellowship, and confirm the relevance of and support of your proposed work. It should attest to your proficiency in the working language at the proposed host institute.
Your host supervisor needs to provide to the APSR a signed Host Acceptance Form, which can be downloaded from http://www.apsresp.org/scholarships/2011/APSR-res-fel-ap01.doc You should pre-complete it as necessary and send to your host for signature.
4.2 Proposed start and finish dates of your project
These dates should fall within the specified duration of the fellowship you applied for. They should allow sufficient time after the expected date of the funding decision for you to complete travel, visa and passport formalities.
Decision is taken within 60 - 90 days after submission closing dates (application closing dates are March 31, July 31 and November 30).
4.3 References
Two references are required. (Forms can be downloaded from http://www.apsresp.org/scholarships/2011/APSR-res-fel-ap01.doc).
You should choose as referees independent professional colleagues, who are familiar with your work. Your current home or host supervisors cannot act in this capacity.
The Reference Form should be pre-completed by the applicant and returned by the referees directly to the APSR. References must be received by the application closing date.
All references are confidential.
4.4 Project description
This is the most important component of your application. It should be prepared by yourself and have the approval of your home and host supervisors. The description must not exceed four pages. It must address in sufficient scientific, medical and/or technical detail all of the following points:
objectives and underlying hypothesis.
material, methods, procedures.
relevance to respiratory medicine.
relevance and potential benefits to activities in the home institute and for patients.
relationship to your past, current and future professional activities.
reason(s) for choice of host institution.
reference to recent publications in the project field from the host and others, where applicable.
justification of project duration.
facilities available upon return to continue the work and to apply and disseminate the newly acquired skills.