FAQ

It stands for (s) MAchine learning for Science and Humanities.

No, all applications should be submitted online, via application platform.

Yes, the supplied templates must be used, otherwise the application will be disqualified as ineligible and not involved in the evaluation procedure. The templates, in conjunction with the Guide for Applicants contain all the relevant details. The proposal and templates contain the sections required for a competitive application, set out against the scoring criteria.

Yes, the CV should include details of relevant selected publications.

Full details of what should be included in the CV are found in the template document.

Yes, a letter of support from the host institution is needed. It has to be requested via application platform by sending an email message to the supervisor, who needs to provide and upload the letter into the application platform not later than the call deadline. As part of the eligibility checks, Executive Board will check if the letter is provided and to make sure that selected supervisor supports that applicant’s research project.

No. Applicant cannot apply for multiple positions. Only one application is possible per call and with the support of one primary supervisor from the primary selected host institution.

No. The fellowship is tied to the selected host institution. However, each applicant will have the opportunity to perform a part of his/her fellowship during 2 secondments in another host or associated partner institution in Slovenia and abroad.

Secondments are necessary part of your fellowship. As mentioned in the guide for applicants, 2 secondments are compulsory. Applicants have to briefly define and describe where and in which organisations they want to spend their secondments. Precise parameters of secondments (timing, length, etc.) can be included after the fellowship has started, but applicants are highly encouraged to plan and describe them already in the project proposal.

When deciding on including a secondment, applicant should make sure that the proposed secondment complements his/her application.

No, secondment costs would be taken from the outlined research costs (equivalent to the research Training and Network costs associated with standard MSCA projects).

Of course, the costs of a secondment could be additionally supported by secondment subsistence, after approval by the EB, but only for secondments in places with high costs of living.

Any applicant who is not happy with the outcome of any evaluation step (i.e., eligibility checks, remote review, interview) can apply for redress. The redress template is available at the SMASH website, under “Application procedure - redress procedure”.

Requests can be made with regard to procedural errors. Requests with regard to the scientific judgement of reviewers at any stage will not be taken into consideration. Applications must be made within 7 days of relevant notification to the email: smash@ung.si. Executive Board responses will be issued within 7 days of application receipt. The decision of the Executive Board is final.

Yes, there are restrictions on holding funding from other sources.

In line with many MSCA programmes, all our appointed Fellows will commit 100% of their time to the Fellowship. This means that additional work cannot be undertaken while committed to the Fellowship.

This does not mean that additional resources (i.e., non-salary components) to support, e.g., consumable costs, travel costs or secondment costs cannot be applied for and used during the SMASH Fellowship.

Yes, it is possible but the usual transnational MSCA mobility eligibility criterion must also be met. If you had completed your PhD in Slovenia a number of years ago and then travelled for work abroad, it might be possible to return to Slovenia to take up this position.

Yes, it is strongly encouraged to get in contact with the named supervisor in advance to consult on the proposed project as well as to assure he/she will prepare and upload the letter of support before the application deadline.

Yes, re-submissions are accepted and encouraged!

These should be recognized experts with expertise in the field(s) of applicant's project proposal. They should not have any conflict of interest (e.g. not past research collaborators, do not come from one of the applicant's previous institutions ...). For more information please read the Conflict of Interest policy for evaluators here.

In a nutshell, the experts the applicant suggests should NOT be his/her past collaborator or supervisor, should NOT be SMASH supervisors and members of SMASH implementing or associated partner departments. Check the list of SMASH partners here.

Yes, applicants need to say where they will go to secondments (minimally one in Slo and one abroad, one of which should be interdisciplinary or intersectorial). They have to motivate that decision - i.e. why they would go to such place, i.e. what critical knowledge they will get during secondments.

Applicants do not have to choose among institutons that are already partners, but could choose other institutions as well (that will become Associated Partners later). In case that applicant choses other institution he/she should explain why is that institution a better option than ones in the list. if the supervisor agrees that this is the best option, we will include this additional institution as an Associate Partner (of course they must also agree).

The secondments periods and duration can be changed later if the project is approved, Those should not be changed drastically since the proposal points will be given also based on the secondments plans, but some flexibility is possible.

The idea is that in the text you write a citation in a square bracket, say [1] and then in the footnote on the same page, you give that citation, as [1] “this paper", this journal (this year). You do not need reference list at the end, all citations should be listed in the footnotes, in the order they appear in the text.

Motivation letter is evaluated together with research proposal and should be fully anonymous in that sense you should avoid any mention of your name, surname, gender and other identifying personal information among wIch is also nationality.

Gantt chart and Ethics self-assesment are not counted towards the 10 -page limit.

Financial Plan for Reseach and Travel- related Costs