New equipment, travel opportunities, new contacts, new collaborations, new publications and, above all, greater confidence – these are the benefits of Grants4NCUstudents additional financial support.
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (NCU) has been implementing the national programme ‘Excellence Initiative – Research University’ since 2019. Along with nine other universities in Poland, NCU has received extra funding to, among others, raise the international profile of the university’s activities by increasing the quality of scientific activity and education. To implement the adopted objectives, the university offers scholarships for students and doctoral students. One of the goals is to make young researchers aware that a career in HEI is within their reach.
Internal grants have a simplified procedure and shorter assessment period. This, as students emphasise, is a great advantage. It is often their first application, which allows them not only to carry out their work and verify their scientific potential but, above all, to gain self-confidence. And as the beneficiaries confirm, the appetite comes with eating – once the first success has been achieved, winning further grants and expanding the scope of research becomes more accessible.
Students can apply for scholarships for various types of projects. One of the latest nominees received funding to translate and publish the memoirs of Øivind Lunde, a Norwegian prisoner of the Stutthof concentration camp. The committee also awarded funds for research on the lumbosacral plexus in selected species of carnivores living in Poland (including also the grey wolf, badger and raccoon), for an evaluation of the potential of bacteriocins as additives to polymers used in the packaging industry, and for research on microorganisms on antique silk fabrics. According to the regulations, grants are also allocated for mobility, mainly for participation in international conferences. Such additional funding provides an excellent opportunity to establish meaningful contacts, often translating into fruitful collaborations.
So far, more than 360 applications have received funding and the number keeps growing. Several projects have been successfully published, while others have provided important contributions to the larger research conducted in the departments.
The current call runs until 29 March and the next call is planned for October 2024. NCU will continue the programme as long as it has the resources, as the university believes supporting young enterprising researchers is crucial for the future of science. Their growth is NCU growth.
