Call for PhD candidates, Master students and Researchers mobility (up to 3 months in EU)

First Call is Closed

• Are  you a PhD candidate, Master student or Researcher ?
• Do you want to go for up to three months in EU in order to improve your research and to work with experience scholars?
• Are you employed or enrolled in one of the following Khmer universities: National University of Management, Royal University of Law and Economics, University of Battambang or Royal University of Agriculture?

If the answers of above questions are “YES”, you could apply for this international research mobility

 DOCtoral program in Khmer universities Strengthening the International Development of Environmental and maritime research

(DOCKSIDE) 

Terms of Reference for

Mobility of Researchers, PhD and Master Degree students

            I. Description of the project

DOCKSIDE is a structural project between European and Cambodian universities, and the Cambodian Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS). It aims to improve the quality of doctoral programs and to increase the research capacity of Khmer Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The key factor of success for this project lies in the scientific multi-disciplinary cooperation on a few specific topics. The implementation of DOCKSIDE has officially started in October 2016 (http://www.dockside-kh.eu/).

                   1. Background

DOCKSIDE supports MoEYS in the reform of higher education and restructuring actions for high-standard research. Improving and managing efficiently higher education are the main pillars of this reform. Experts and professors from EU will provide Khmer HEIs with recommendations for syllabus development, innovative research methodologies, e-learning and administrative efficiency of HEIs. Cambodian staff members will learn from the good practices experienced in European institutions.

DOCKSIDE will also empower Khmer students through research mobility programmes in European universities. EU students will also be involved in the international mobility program by attending the thematic summer schools and participate in traineeships. These two-way exchange opportunities will allow project partners to establish a variety of contacts for future joint-master and PhD programs.

                 2. Project Objectives:   

The development objectives of DOCKSIDE are to:

1. Create a scientific cooperation between researchers and PhD students;
2. Improve the quality and attractiveness of PhD programs in Cambodian universities;
3. Develop multidisciplinary research;
4. Strengthen the collaboration between Cambodian and European universities as well as Cambodian universities themselves;
5. Make Cambodian and European universities more internationalized.

                3. Short Term Impact of the Project

The expected short-run impacts of the project are as follows:

1. Raising awareness of Environmental and Maritime Research (EMR);
2. Expand the knowledge on environmental and maritime issues;
3. Development of organizational capacity of Cambodian HEIs in order to implement the administrative reform proposed by Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS);
4. Research capacity development within the Khmer universities;
5. Improvement of relevance and quality of PhD and Master Programs.

       II. Mission and Purpose

In order to answer to our development objectives, one of the project’s missions is to encourage and facilitate the international mobility of Cambodian students, researchers and teaching staff associated with the project’s consortium members through research internships and training in European universities. The purpose of this international mobility is to improve the research capacity of PhD students and researchers. International mobility will allow them to observe quality European research practice, to expand their networks, to find potential PhD co-supervisors and to create co-authorships with EU researchers. Cambodian students and researchers will be hosted in the different research units of the EU partner for a stay of no more than 3 months for students and 1 month for researchers. Up to 14 students and 8 researchers will be selected.

       III. Location

PhD students and researchers will be hosted in one of these three universities: The University of Nantes in France, the Southern Denmark University in Denmark and the University of Vigo in Spain.

       IV. Skills, Qualifications and other Requirements:

The mobility is open to PhD students and researchers (junior and senior) who fulfilled the following requirements. MSc students with a strong desire to start a PhD may be accepted but will not be a priority.

• PhD students or researchers associated with the Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE), the National University of Management (NUM), the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) and the University of Battambang (UBB).
• Minimum master degree requirement of research in an appropriate discipline that is relevant to economics, management, law, geography, education, international relation and related fields (see Annex for a further detail on possible research topics).
• PhD students and a research topic related to environmental and maritime research are preferred.
• Proficiency in English (both writing and speaking skills).

To be noted: the topic of the research has to be covered by the expertise of one of the professors of partner universities (see Annex).

       V. Outputs and Reporting

Output: The first draft of an article with at least one EU researcher as a co-author has to be written within the 3 months. With the EU researcher agreement, a PhD co-supervision may be launched.

Reporting: Following the return from the host university, students and researchers must submit a detailed report regarding their training/internships, with an emphasis on the knowledge acquired, how it can improve their research capacity and how they will share this experience with other people (such as students, colleagues, etc.).

       VI. How to apply?

All interested candidates are invited to submit (in soft copy):

• A CV
• A research proposal for Researcher and PhD Student, and a PhD proposal for MSc students.
• A motivation letter clearly indicating why this international mobility is important to their ongoing or future research.

To these following emails:

• Nikola KUTIN: nikola.kutin@num.edu.kh; and cc to:
• Laurent MESMANN: laurentmesmann@gmail.com
• Vichet SAM: samvichet77@yahoo.com

Deadline for submission: Friday 30 June 2017

If you have any questions, please contact:

1. Nikola KUTIN: nikola.kutin@num.edu.kh for students or researchers associated with the National University of Management (NUM)
2. Laurent MESMANN: laurentmesmann@gmail.com and samvichet77@yahoo.com for students or researchers associated with the Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE)
3. Sovanna SEAV: sovannaseav@yahoo.com for students or researchers associated with the University of Battambang (UBB)
4. Chim CHAY: chaychim@rua.edu.kh for students or researchers associated with the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA)

        VII. Remuneration and length of stay

The DOCKSIDE project will be in charge of all expenses related to this international mobility (visa fee, travel costs, and DSA). The length of the stay will be maximum 3 months for students and 1 month for researchers.

Annex