This year, 2020, is the third consecutive year that AFSR invites young French and Swedish post-docs and doctoral students to present ongoing or intended research projects oriented towards the green, inclusive and sustainable city of the future. For 2020 we suggest an overarching theme that may include different, specific topics. We hope thereby to attract the interest of young post-docs and doctoral students from different disciplines and faculties, with different perspectives on the subject matter.

Overarching theme and examples of possible topics for AFSR's Prize of 2020

French and Swedish post-docs and doctoral students are invited to present projects or project ideas which fall within the overarching theme of AFSR's Prize of 2020, which is:

• Ideas and solutions converting the vision of green, inclusive and sustainable cities into reality.

The ideas and/or solutions can be based on a technological, organizational, econo-sociological or ecological approach. Examples of topics that fall within the overarching theme may be:

• Improvement of the daily quality of life of citizens through user-centered strategies such as transport systems; energy-efficient buildings; innovative, efficient and sustainable public services etc.
• Policies and measures to increase the employability and improve the integration of newly arrived refugees into working life.
• Policies and measures to enhance the safety and quality of life of elderly people in French and Swedish cities. An analysis against the background of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Criteria for evaluation

A winning application should meet all, or most of the following characteristics:

• It presents ideas and/or solutions likely to be useful when identifying, attacking or solving problems or challenges related to the chosen topic
• It demonstrates an interdisciplinary understanding
• It reflects an ability to combine a theoretical and critical approach with a concrete and operational approach
• It is action oriented and impacts day-to-day life
• It has an innovative dimension

Eligibility criteria and need of confirmation of cooperation partner

Eligible to apply for the prize are young post-docs and doctoral students working in a French or Swedish university or research institution during the academic year of 2020-2021.

The purpose of the prize is to reward scientific excellence of young post-docs and doctoral students in France and Sweden, and, at the same time, to encourage and promote scientific co-operation between the two countries. It is therefore mandatory for the applicant to present a Swedish (for somebody applying from France) or French (for somebody applying from Sweden) research institution where she/he is welcome to spend a 2-4 week long (post-docs) or 2-week long (doctoral students) internship.

The existing co-operation or the possibility of future co-operation should be confirmed, in writing, by the partnering institution in the other country.

Available prizes and travel grants

In France:

• One prize, postdoctoral researcher: 7,000 euros
• One prize, doctoral student: 4,000 euros
  
  

In Sweden:

• One prize, postdoctoral researcher: 7,000 euros
• One prize, doctoral student: 4,000 euros

In addition to the prize money, the winners are entitled to a travel grant to defray travel and subsistence costs related to the internship. The travel grant is maximum 4,000 euros for post-docs and 3,000 euros for doctoral students.

Application requirements

Applicants of both categories should present complete applications via e-mail to:
info@afsr.se
on Monday, November 30, 2020 at the latest.

The application should, with the exception of a short biographical sketch, and appendices to which the applicant wants to refer, not exceed three (3) pages, or 1,500 words or 10,000 characters (with spaces).