The Ministry of Science and ICT has launched a brand new program to choose 40 distinguished researchers round retirement age and support them with KRW 250 million yearly for up to 5 years. Getty Images Bank
As an growing variety of eminent students choose to transfer to China due to difficulties in securing analysis funding and house as they method retirement, the South Korean authorities has launched a brand new program to support their continued analysis inside the nation.
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) introduced on the thirtieth that it has posted the choice plan for brand spanking new initiatives underneath the ‘2026 Support Program for Utilizing Domestic Global Scholars’ Research Capabilities’.
MSIT established this system as a part of its ‘Support Program for Eminent, Senior, and Retired Scientists and Engineers,’ aiming to ‘foster a fundamental analysis ecosystem and understand a science and know-how expertise powerhouse.’ The program’s aim is to guarantee secure analysis situations in order that the capabilities and expertise of senior researchers are usually not misplaced upon retirement.
With the retirement of child boomer researchers now in full swing, scientists nearing retirement age are facing disruptions to their analysis actions, together with difficulties profitable long-term initiatives and having to quit their labs after leaving their posts. MSIT has ready these support measures to keep the know-how of those students as a nationwide asset and allow them to proceed contributing their experience to the home analysis ecosystem.
In February, MSIT held regional conferences to collect opinions from the analysis group. After reviewing challenges raised within the conferences, similar to job instability earlier than and after retirement and the lack of analysis infrastructure, the ministry designed the support necessities to permit researchers to keep their present labs and gear and deal with their work.
The program might be operated by a system the place analysis establishments take the lead in figuring out and recommending certified candidates. Each establishment should choose excellent students by its personal standards and choice course of and might advocate up to three candidates to MSIT.
The standards for an ’eminent scholar’ embody researchers with globally acknowledged excellence, similar to winners of worldwide or top home science awards; these ranked within the top 1% or 2% of researchers by citations; or these within the top 1% for SCI citations. Also eligible are researchers with publications in prestigious tutorial journals or a number of papers within the top 5% of their discipline over the past 5 years. Patent and know-how switch information may even be thought of within the analysis.
Eligibility is open to eminent students born on or earlier than December 31, 1964 (age 61 or older) who’ve already retired or are scheduled to retire inside three years of the analysis begin date, July 1, 2026.
MSIT plans to choose round 20 researchers this yr and a further 20 in 2027, supporting a complete of 40. Selected researchers will obtain roughly 250 million gained in analysis funding yearly for up to 5 years (a 3-year time period with a potential 2-year extension). Each analysis establishment should match the federal government’s funding quantity and submit a letter of dedication from its head, detailing support similar to analysis house and experimental gear.
Detailed details about the decision for proposals could be discovered on the web sites of MSIT (www.msit.go.kr) or the National Research Foundation of Korea (www.nrf.re.kr).
Lee Joon-bae, Director-General for Future Talent Policy, said, “The very process of eminent scholars deepening their knowledge without leaving the research fields they have cultivated throughout their lives will become a precious driving force for South Korea’s science and technology.” He added, “We will spare no effort in providing support to ensure that the research careers of these scholars continue to be a core strength of our national R&D.”
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