ERSTE Foundation Fellowship for Social Research 2012/2013

Demographic and socio-economic changes affecting the transformation processes in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe are among the most significant challenges for the future of social cohesion and intergenerational solidarity. ERSTE Foundation invites researchers, scientists and practitioners from Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe studying or dealing with economic and socio-demographic change to apply for fellowships. The fellowships will be awarded based on a proposal for a research paper or project dealing with the issues listed below, in a theoretical, empirical or practical way.

The fellows will be selected by an independent jury.

“Labour markets and employment in CEE”

Many European societies face various challenges when it comes to employment and labour market. This is particularly true for the CEE region. Countries in CEE have some of the lowest labour market participation rates in Europe. What does this mean for the capacity of these countries to tackle future economic, social and demographic changes? What are the possible long term effects of a low participation rate? Are there perspectives/models for improving the participation rates? How do they fit with the political and institutional setting in CEE countries?

What role does labour migration and remittances play in this context? Which population groups remain on the margins or completely outside the formal labour market? How could they be better included into the formal sector of employment? Is the informal sector able to compensate for low formal employment? If the informal sector does compensate for a low participation rate, is this positive or negative for societies in CEE? What lessons can be learned for our understanding of labour markets, the concept of gainful employment and the socio-economic consequences of low formal employment? What are the practical implications of these lessons?

The fellowship includes:

• • Financial support for up to one year for the proposed paper or project;
• • Invitation to a scientific conference;
• • Affiliation with a network of researchers and practitioners interested in socio-economic and
• demographic change, employment and unemployment, aging, migration and intergenerational
• transfers;
• Participation in internal workshops, an ERSTE Foundation Summer School and selected other public events;
• • Publication and promotion of results.

Target group: Researchers, scientists and practitioners from Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe studying or dealing with employment, labour markets and socio-demographic change in this region in a theoretical, empirical or practical way.

Time table: deadlines and milestones

• • Receiving applications for the fellowship until 10 June 2012
• • Pre-selection of potential papers/projects until 15 July 2012
• • Meeting of selected applicants for a final interview in September 2012 in Vienna
• Final decision on the selected papers/projects until 1 October 2012
• • Discussion of first results among research fellows in April 2013, location tba.
• • Summer School on labour markets and employment in July 2013, location tba.
• • Delivery of a research paper until 1 December 2013
• • Review and revision of research papers in December 2013 and January 2014
• • Publication of results in 2014

The results will provide a timely, well-founded and practical basis for the planning and decision making of policy-makers, civil society and business, but also for ERSTE Foundation.

The researchers’ specific recommendations will be promoted in the region by ERSTE Foundation and its project partners, to the relevant organisations and institutions active in the political sphere, civil society and the economy.

Working / publication language: English

Financial support: Subsidies for research activities, meetings, data purchase, expert-interviews, translation and travel expenses will be granted by way of a quarterly stipend.

Applications: Applications may be handed in by e-mail until 10 June 2012 and should comprise an abstract of the proposed paper (max. 2 pages), a short budget estimate and a CV of the applicant.

Applications should be sent to:

Alina Serban
Tel: +43(0)50100-15416
Email: alina.serban@erstestiftung.org

ERSTE Foundation

In 2003, ERSTE Foundation evolved out of the Erste Oesterreichische Spar-Casse, the first Austrian savings bank. ERSTE Foundation is the main shareholder of Erste Group. The foundation invests part of its dividends in the development of societies in Austria and Central and South Eastern Europe. It supports social participation and civil-society engagement; it aims to bring people together and disseminate knowledge of the recent history of a region that has been undergoing dramatic changes since 1989. As an active foundation, it develops its own projects within the framework of three programmes: Social Development, Culture and Europe.

www.erstestiftung.org