TWAS-ICCBS Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme

Please use the “apply now” button at the bottom of this page to start your application once the call is open.

Opening date of this fellowship: 17 April 2024

Closing date of this fellowship: extended to 15 August 2024 (midnight CEST time)

Applicants are encouraged to apply for the preliminary acceptance letter as early as possible, even before the opening date of the call. Keeping in mind that only Acceptance letters dated the same year as the year of application are eligible. For the Acceptance letters, applicants are requested to provide their two-page curriculum vitae (CV), copy of the last degree, and at least two letters of recommendation (preferably one from the last supervisor).

Programme Details

• TWAS-ICCBS Postdoctoral Fellowships are tenable at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) – comprising the H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry and the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular and Drug Research – for a minimum period of six months to a maximum period of twelve months in the following fields: organic chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular medicine, pharmacology, physical chemistry or analytical chemistry.
• ICCBS will provide a monthly stipend which should be used to cover living costs such as food, accommodation, local transportation and incidental minor illness. The monthly stipend will not be convertible into foreign currency.
• The language of instruction is English.

Eligibility

Applicants for these fellowships must meet the following criteria:

• be a maximum age of 45 years on 31 December of the application year.
• be nationals of a developing country (other than Pakistan);
• hold a PhD degree in a field of natural sciences;
• must not hold any visa for temporary or permanent residency in Pakistan or any developed country;
• be regularly employed in a developing country (other than Pakistan) and hold a research assignment there;
• provide a certificate of good health from a qualified medical doctor;
• provide an official Preliminary Acceptance Letter from ICCBS (see sample letter that can be downloaded below or contained in the online application form). Requests for acceptance must be directed to the Director of ICCBS, Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen  (farzana-shaheen@iccs.edu or hej@cyber.net.pk or pcmd@cyber.net.pk or protocol.iccbs@iccs.edu) who will facilitate the assignment of a host supervisor. In contacting Prof. Farzana Shaheen, applicants must accompany their request for a preliminary acceptance letter with copy of their CV, a research proposal outline and two recommendation letters.
• provide evidence of proficiency in English, if medium of education was not English.

• Candidates are encouraged to refer to the following resources to test their level of English:

  https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/scholarships/important-information-for-scholarship-applicants/ (see Point 9)

  https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-levels/online-english-level-test 

  https://www.britishcouncil.org/english/learn-online/englishscore

• provide evidence of proficiency in English, if medium of education was not English;

• provide evidence that s/he will return to her/his home country on completion of the fellowship;

• not take up other assignments during the period of her/his fellowship;

• be financially responsible for any accompanying family members.

Submitting your application

• The deadline for receipt of applications is extended to 15 August 2024 (midnight CEST time).
• Applicants must submit an Acceptance Letter from ICCBS when applying, or by the deadline at the latest. Without preliminary acceptance the application will not be considered for selection
• Reference letters must be on letter-headed paper and SIGNED. The subject line must contain ICCBS/PDoc and the candidate’s surname. N.B. Only signed reference letters can be accepted.
• Please be advised that applicants may apply for only one programme per calendar year in the TWAS and OWSD portfolio. Applicants will not be eligible to visit another institution in that year under the TWAS Visiting Professor programmes. One exception: The head of an institution who invites an external scholar to share his/her expertise under the TWAS Visiting Professor programmes may still apply for another programme.
• Applications can only be accepted via the online portal using the apply now button at the bottom of this page. A tutorial on how to use the online application form is available below for download.

Downloadable documents

Online Forms Tutorial

Sample acceptance letter

Contact Details

• TWAS Fellowships Office
ICTP Campus, Strada Costiera 11
34151 Trieste, Italy
Tel: +39 040 2240 687
Fax: +39 040 2240 689
E-mail: fellowships@twas.org

• International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS)
Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen, Director
University of Karachi
Karachi-75270, Pakistan
Tel: +92 21 4824 924, 4824 925
Fax: +92 21 4819 018, 4819 019
E-mail: hej@cyber.net.pk, pcmd@cyber.net.pk, protocol.iccbs@iccs.edu