PhD Fellowships - CYENS Doctoral Training Program

CYENS’s Doctoral Training Program (DTP) kicked off in 2019 providing the best possible experience of impactful collaboration, following best practices from across Europe. CYENS’s DTP is a far more valuable and engaging experience compared to working only with an individual supervisor or a small group in a University. CYENS DTP provides a collaborative cohort environment, offers a wide range of research projects and innovation activities, and training opportunities.  The program fosters knowledge transfer and student engagement with the wider community and the partner institutions.

CYENS’s DTP is an in-house program for supporting and guiding PhD students who will be registered at a University of the CYENS consortium (University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology or Open University of Cyprus). The program allows students to participate in scientific colloquia, research presentations, mobility activities and visits, joint supervision of PhDs, and projects organized in collaboration with CYENS’s advanced partners (UCL and Max Planck) and other members of its developing network. CYENS will also facilitate the development and innovation of research ideas and outcomes and provide mentoring opportunities (e.g., peer feedback, guidance by senior researchers).

A CYENS DTP student has to take a minimum of 4 courses or series of seminars offered by CYENS’s DTP program. These courses are independent of any coursework/seminar PhD requirements by the Host University. The selection of the courses will be on the students and their supervisors and must take into consideration the availability of the courses.
 
Indicative list of DTP courses:

1. Project Management

2. Innovation, Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial skills for Research Engineers

3. Product from Concept to Market

4. IP Protection Workshop: Key IP, commercialization, methods for Higher Education: licensing, spin-ins and spin-outs

5. Research Methods and Research Ethics

6. Science communication and dissemination

7. Grant-writing

8. Other seminars

CYENS DTP aims to provide a direct link to the advanced partners via short-term placements at their premises, and to support PhD students’ participation in conferences and study visits at established research centres across Europe.
 
CYENS will award a certificate for the participation in the CYENS DTP program.
 
CYENS DTP PhD Fellowships – September 2021

For the academic year 2021-2022, as part of its Doctoral Training Program, CYENS will offer up to five (5) PhD fellowships to eligible candidates. Fellowships will be for up to 3 years, during which candidates are expected to complete their PhD. The fellowship covers: (1) full-time employment at CYENS with an attractive renumeration package, (2) coverage of the tuition fees of the host University, (3) placement expenses at the external partner university.

DTP Requirements:

1. Registration at one of the local partner Universities of Cyprus (i.e., Host University), under the supervision of a CYENS academic. Note: PhD students have to adhere to the doctoral program’s expectations and examination procedures of the host university. CYENS will not interfere with the PhD requirements of the host university. The PhD degree will be awarded by the Host University.

2. Dedicating 75-85% of the time at the CYENS Centre and 15-25% at the external partners. Note: CYENS will cover the placement costs at the external partners.

3. Completion of a minimum of 4 in-house program courses/seminars offered by CYENS’s DTP, preferably during the first 2 years of the program. Note: These courses may count towards the course requirements of the PhD program at the Host University, providing the Host University/Department agrees.

4. Engagement in year-round communication and dissemination activities of CYENS (e.g. poster days, industry events)

Failure to adhere to CYENS’s DTP requirements, may result in the discontinuation of the fellowship.


Eligibility Criteria


Applicants must have:

• Have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited University in the area of the dissertation research topic or other relevant area.
• A Master’s degree (MA/MSc) from an accredited University in the area of the dissertation research topic or other relevant area.
• A proven record of high achievement
• A PhD thesis proposal centred on the topic of interest from the composed list of thematic areas.
• Excellent knowledge of English (written and verbal)
• Current PhD students can apply as long as they do not exceed one full year by the expected start date of the fellowship.
• For non-EU applicants a work permit will be required

 
Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following items via email to vacancies@cyens.org.cy and use the Email subject line “Application: CYENS DTP PhD Fellowship September 2021”:
 

1. The selected topic (one application per topic).

2. Full and updated CV

3. Complete transcripts of all previous studies

4. English language proficiency certificate

5. A letter of interest or statement of purpose describing 1) previous work performed in the topic under study 2) why the candidate wishes to undertake the specific studies (1000 words max)

6. A PhD thesis proposal centered on the topic of interest including initial research objectives (1000 words max).

7. Names and contact information of two academic referees. Note: Referees will be contacted (by CYENS) only for shortlisted candidates.

Application deadline: Monday, April 12^th, 2021.

For general inquiries, applicants may contact the HR Department of the centre at vacancies@cyens.org.cy.
The applicants may address any technical or research related inquiries to research@cyens.org.cy  
 
CYENS is an equal opportunity employer. The positions are open to nationals of all EU and non-EU countries.
 
All applications are treated in the strictest confidence.
 
About CYENS

CYENS (formerly known as RISE) is a research centre of excellence in Nicosia, Cyprus. CYENS CoE is a significant investment supported by the European Commission, the Republic of Cyprus and its founding Partners, the Municipality of Nicosia, Max Planck Institute, University College London, the University of Cyprus, the Cyprus University of Technology and the Open University of Cyprus. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017 (Teaming Phase 2) under grant agreement No. 739578, as well as from the Cypriot Government, local and international partners, and other sponsors.
 
The Centre conducts excellent, internationally competitive scientific research in the areas of visual sciences, human factors and design, communication, and artificial intelligence delivered by high-calibre multidisciplinary research teams. CYENS engages in knowledge transfer and innovation activities aiming to bridge the gap between scientific research and STEM-led innovation and entrepreneurship.
 
The research focus of CYENS is on interactive media, smart systems, and emerging technologies. Interactive media have become an integral part of our lives, changing the way that information is conveyed to the user and the ways users interact with devices, with other people, and with the world around them. Smart systems have offered a novel way of producing automated solutions to hard problems for which the mere use of the human intellect is insufficient. Research in CYENS integrates the Visual Sciences, Human Factors & Design, and Communications & Artificial Intelligence, in a tight synergy that provides a unique interdisciplinary research perspective that emphasizes an “Inspired by Humans, Designed for Humans” philosophy. CYENS is designed to act as an integrator of academic research and industrial innovation, towards the sustainable fuelling of the scientific, technological, and economic growth of Cyprus and Europe.

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