Valorisation and industry
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Web location: http://www.fom.nl/live/english/valorisation_and_industry/collaboration_with_companies/fsr/fsr.pag
Pilot FOM sabbatical regulation for industrial researchers
The FOM Foundation has set up the FOM sabbatical regulation (FSR) as a pilot to strengthen the ties between universities, FOM institutes and industry and to facilitate the collaboration between all three. The FSR offers researchers from an industrial company the opportunity to carry out scientific research at a FOM institute or workgroup for a period of about one year. This regulation allows FOM to contribute to innovation in the Dutch knowledge economy in a new way by means of fundamental research.
The regulation
FOM enables the FSR researchers from industrial laboratories to do research for a period (usually one year) in a FOM workgroup or at a FOM institute on a current project, independently of the company they come from. The sabbatical position is a scientific position that enables the industrial researcher to acquire more in-depth knowledge and expertise. The research is relevant for the company concerned but is not research done on behalf of the company. Possible research projects that the sabbatical candidate could work on are ones that:
a) strengthen existing research lines within the company;
b) allow an exploration/introduction in a new research field where the company would like to develop new competencies.
Who is eligible?
The FSR is aimed at researchers who hold a doctorate and who have gained some 4 to 7 years of research experience since then, who work in an industrial laboratory or a comparable department, and who wish to develop or specialise further as a senior researcher. Carrying out scientific research in an academic environment can provide a relevant widening or deepening of the expertise of such sabbatical researchers. The regulation is also available to researchers from TNO or the Large Technology Institutes.
How can a sabbatical position be obtained?
There is no application round for this regulation. To obtain a sabbatical position the sabbatical candidate can apply to a position within a FOM research project. This can be done at any time as follows.
The sabbatical candidate applies to the workgroup leader (or FOM institute) of an existing FOM project where a postdoc position is available. Prior to this any necessary discussions will have taken place between the company (group leader of the sabbatical candidate) and the FOM Central Office. If necessary, the FOM Central Office can help to provide further guidance for the request. The workgroup leader (or FOM institute) is responsible for the scientific quality of the research and decides whether or not to accept the sabbatical candidate. This procedure safeguards the scientific quality of the research performed.
Secondment
If the workgroup leader expresses an interest in the candidate then FOM will convert part of a personnel position into a sabbatical position. Next the candidate, the company and FOM will sign a sabbatical agreement that covers matters such as rights and duties of the participating parties, intellectual property rights and finances. The agreement is a secondment agreement; the researcher continues to be employed by the current employer and is seconded to FOM.
The company can submit a claim for some of the personnel costs to FOM up to a maximum of k€ 55 (excl. Dutch VAT) per year (on the basis of 1 fte).
Basic principles
In cases of doubt the Dutch version of the text takes precedence.
Contact
For expressions of interest or for questions about the FSR you can contact Pieter de Witte, +31 (0)30 601 127 3 or Marcel Bartels, +31 (0)30 601 12 17, at the FOM Foundation.
FOM enables the FSR researchers from industrial laboratories to do research for a period (usually one year) in a FOM workgroup or at a FOM institute on a current project, independently of the company they come from. The sabbatical position is a scientific position that enables the industrial researcher to acquire more in-depth knowledge and expertise. The research is relevant for the company concerned but is not research done on behalf of the company. Possible research projects that the sabbatical candidate could work on are ones that:
a) strengthen existing research lines within the company;
b) allow an exploration/introduction in a new research field where the company would like to develop new competencies.
Who is eligible?
The FSR is aimed at researchers who hold a doctorate and who have gained some 4 to 7 years of research experience since then, who work in an industrial laboratory or a comparable department, and who wish to develop or specialise further as a senior researcher. Carrying out scientific research in an academic environment can provide a relevant widening or deepening of the expertise of such sabbatical researchers. The regulation is also available to researchers from TNO or the Large Technology Institutes.
How can a sabbatical position be obtained?
There is no application round for this regulation. To obtain a sabbatical position the sabbatical candidate can apply to a position within a FOM research project. This can be done at any time as follows.
The sabbatical candidate applies to the workgroup leader (or FOM institute) of an existing FOM project where a postdoc position is available. Prior to this any necessary discussions will have taken place between the company (group leader of the sabbatical candidate) and the FOM Central Office. If necessary, the FOM Central Office can help to provide further guidance for the request. The workgroup leader (or FOM institute) is responsible for the scientific quality of the research and decides whether or not to accept the sabbatical candidate. This procedure safeguards the scientific quality of the research performed.
Secondment
If the workgroup leader expresses an interest in the candidate then FOM will convert part of a personnel position into a sabbatical position. Next the candidate, the company and FOM will sign a sabbatical agreement that covers matters such as rights and duties of the participating parties, intellectual property rights and finances. The agreement is a secondment agreement; the researcher continues to be employed by the current employer and is seconded to FOM.
The company can submit a claim for some of the personnel costs to FOM up to a maximum of k€ 55 (excl. Dutch VAT) per year (on the basis of 1 fte).
Basic principles
- The sabbatical is for a minimum of four days per week. The period is subject to negotiation but will be for about one year.
- During the sabbatical, the sabbatical researcher will be accountable to a FOM workgroup leader or a group leader at a FOM institute.
- During the sabbatical, the sabbatical researcher should devote the time to FOM research and will not perform any company activities of any significance or have any obligations towards the company.
- Agreements about intellectual property rights, finances, liability, et cetera will be laid down in an agreement between the sabbatical researcher, the company and FOM.
- In principle, secondment is not possible within programmes that the company already participates in.
- The FSR is not an 'economic measure’ like the Knowledge Workers Regulation.
- The FSR will start as a pilot. It will be evaluated during the course of 2013.
- The FSR is not a regulation for realising contract research. FOM already provides opportunities for contract research, and you can contact the FOM IPP office about this.
In cases of doubt the Dutch version of the text takes precedence.
Contact
For expressions of interest or for questions about the FSR you can contact Pieter de Witte, +31 (0)30 601 127 3 or Marcel Bartels, +31 (0)30 601 12 17, at the FOM Foundation.
