The Earth and Biosphere Institute at the University of Leeds is proud to announce the renewed recognition of its postgraduate training programme by the European Union. The European Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research (BIOCONS) has been designated as a Marie Curie Early Stage Training site, and thus as a 'centre of excellence'. This designation under Framework 6, beginning in September 2005, follows on from an earlier (Framework 5) designation, providing support for a considerable expansion in our postgraduate fellowship programme. Under the new arrangements, three categories of fellowships will be available:
(a) Doctoral fellowships (of 3-year duration),
(b) Masters fellowships (1 year in length, associated with our MRes or MSc programmes in Biodiversity and Conservation)
(c) Short-term fellowships (of between 3 and 12 months) for students pursuing doctoral studies elsewhere.
Marie Curie Fellows are treated as University employees, and receive salaries, travel cost allowances and have access to generous research and training funds during their stay. Fellowships are available to both European and non-European candidates, although EU rules stipulate that no more than 30% of the person-months can be awarded to non-European fellows. Prospective fellows must be 'early stage' researchers, not having worked more than 4 years in research jobs since their qualifying degree, and they must also not have spent more than 12 months in the UK in the past 3 years (for more detailed eligibility requirements, see the European Office website).
All seven doctoral fellowships have now been awarded, but applications are still welcome for Masters and Short-term fellowships. BIOCONS is proud to have attracted a set of world-class research fellows to work on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function in tropical forests, the effects of genetic diversity on population viability, the role of enemy release in biotic invasions, and the impact of invasive species on biodiversity at multiple scales.
Masters Courses in Biodiversity & Conservation