Secondments

STAR aims to promote the careers of researchers in various ways. This is to prepare the recruited researchers in the best possible way for the desired career paths. During temporary research stays (secondments) at STAR partner organisation(s), fellows can continue their projects in different environments, sectoral and/or intersectoral. This enables them to gain different perspectives, learn about other methodological approaches and benefit from additional supervision and thinking. Secondments often have the potential to significantly contribute to the careers of researchers so that candidates should already consider in the application phase if a secondment would have positive effects. Any planned secondments must be described in their application. Secondments are voluntary but will be part of the application evaluation. The implementation of secondments in ongoing projects is also possible.

The following principles apply:

• Secondments can be implemented at a STAR partner organisation located anywhere in the world, including Germany.
• The maximum duration of secondment(s) within one fellowship is 6 months and can be divided into shorter mobility periods (minimum 1 month) at different partners.
• For the OUTGOING mobility scheme, a secondment can also take place at the start of the fellowship at the University of Siegen for a maximum of 3 months, allowing the researcher to start the project at the University of Siegen before moving on to the host organisation outside Germany. In such cases, the initial secondment will be considered part of the initial outgoing phase.
• To ensure a proper transfer of knowledge within the OUTGOING mobility scheme, secondments are only permitted during the initial outgoing phase.

Candidates can propose other organisations for their secondments and the initial outgoing phase (OUTGOING Scheme) than the predefined STAR-partner organisations. If so, they must accompany their application with a signed Letter of Commitment (LoC) where the new partner confirms that it will make all efforts to best implement the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers.