Selection criteria and recruitment procedure

Applicants for a BRIDGE fellowship are submitted for academic assessment based on the following criteria:

Scientific excellence

• The applicant’s qualifications with regards to academic track record, publication record, awards, funding, international experience and collaboration, project management
• The potential for scientific independence and the academic maturity of the applicant; prior results and achievements, passion for research, motivation for being part of the BRIDGE Programme, match between applicant competencies and proposed translational project
• The quality of the project with regards to clarity of the project description, consistency of the project problem statement, hypotheses and objectives, originality and relevance of the question raised, potential for scientific progress beyond the state of the art

Impact 

• The degree to which the fellowship and the individual translational project will help the applicant attain a position of professional maturity and independence
• The extent to which the project addresses an important challenge in translational medicine
• The potential for added value for the life science industry
• The appropriateness of the means for disseminating and communicating the project findings

Implementation 

• The applicant’s access to mentoring and scientific expertise, support staff, equipment and infrastructure
• The appropriateness of the methodology
• Timescales and project goals
• The project description and justification of ethical issues as well as account for ethical approvals if necessary
• Budget

Translational environment

• The potential for the establishment of a translational environment and synergy between the dual host environments, the mentors and the fellow.

The received applications will be shortlisted and assessed according to the Ministry Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities 2012 and the University of Copenhagen’s guidelines 2013.  

Upon the application deadline, the authorised recruitment manager will select applicants for assessment based on the advice of the Appointment Committee. The Appointment Committee is composed of a subset of members of the BRIDGE - Executive Scientific Committee assisted by supplementary health experts in Denmark.

All applicants will be notified on whether or not their application has been passed for assessment. The Assessment Committee will do a non-prioritised assessment based on the applicant’s academic qualifications and on the match between the fellow and their translational research project. All applicants will have the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant themselves.

Read more about recruitment processes at University of Copenhagen here.  

Following the completion of the assessments, a subset of candidates will be invited for an appointment interview with the Appointment Committee. The BRIDGE programme will reimburse travel and accommodation expenses for invited applicants.

The interviews are scheduled to take place mid May. Please note that mentor teams will need to be present for a short introduction at this interview.

Financial composition of the fellowships

The fellowships covers salary in accordance with the collective agreement between AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) and the Ministry of Finance. The financing of running costs for the individual research projects will be covered by the hosting environments. Each fellow will in addition receive an annual sum of DKK 50.000 during their two-year employment to cover costs for PC, travel, language courses, conference and workshop participation and other activities outside the programme.

 Successful fellowship recipients will be enrolled in the BRIDGE – Translational Excellence Programme and employed at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at UCPH.  

Upon fulfilment of course participation and the individual research project fellows will be awarded a Certificate of Excellence.

Please note that applicants who, on the closing date for applications, have more than eight years' experience since obtaining their PhD are not eligible. Any documented periods of leave (maternity leave, paternity leave, family care leave, illness, military service, etc.) will be accepted as extensions of this deadline.

Please also note that more than two years of postdoc-experience based at UCPH prior to programme enrollment is not allowed. Any documented periods of leave will be accepted as extensions of this time limit (maternity leave, paternity leave, family care leave, illness, military service, etc.). Please refer to the applicable governmental jurisdiction here.