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POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES

Institutional Regulation for Postdoctoral Research of theNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Government Gazette B’ 4087/07.09.2021)

The Senate of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Taking into consideration:

  1. The provisions of Article 8, paragraph 2, andArticle 13, paragraphs 2(b) and 2(e)of Law 4485/2017, “Organization and Operation of Higher Education, Regulations for Research, and Other Provisions” (Government Gazette A’ 114), as amended and currently in force.
  2. The fact that, to date, the internal regulations of the NKUA, as required by Article 8 of Law 4485/2017, have not yet been issued.
  3. The provisions of Law 4009/2011, “Structure, Operation, Quality Assurance of Studies, and Internationalization of Higher Education Institutions” (Government Gazette A’ 195), as amended and in force.
  4. The excerpt from the minutes of the Senate of the NKUA (33rd session, 15th July 2021).
  5. The fact that this decision does not incur any expenses to the State budget.

Decides:

To approve the Postdoctoral Research Regulation of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, effective from the academic year 2021–2022, as follows:

Article 1: Organization of Postdoctoral Research

  1. The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) provides the opportunity for scientists to conduct postdoctoral research in fields that fall within the research interests and academic areas of its Schools and Departments.
  2. The main objectives of conducting postdoctoral research are:
    1. To extend the specialization or the results acquired through the researchers’ doctoral dissertation into new scientific directions relevant to the School or Department.
    2. To support scientists capable of contributing to the advancement of science, research, and its applications.
    3. To qualitatively and quantitatively enhance scientific research.
    4. To disseminate results and facilitate knowledge and technology transfer.
    5. To promote the academic prestige and international recognition of the research conducted at NKUA.

Article 2: Procedure for Approval of Postdoctoral Research

  1. Applicants for postdoctoral research must hold a Doctoral Degree from a recognized higher education institution in Greece or an equivalent degree from a recognized foreign institution.
  2. Applicants must have excellent knowledge of the language in which the postdoctoral research will be conducted.
  3. The Department may: a) announce positions for postdoctoral research at the beginning of the academic year, b) accept applications from interested researchers throughout the year, submitted to the Secretariat of the School/Department, or c) apply a combination of the two options above.
  4. The application (application form: Greek / English) must indicate the faculty member under whose supervision the postdoctoral research will be carried out and must include the following supporting documents:
    1. Copy of a degree or diploma from a recognized Higher Educational Institution (HEI) in Greece, or an equivalent degree from a recognized foreign institution.
    2. Copy of a postgraduate diploma – if applicable – from a recognized HEI in Greece or an equivalent degree from a recognized foreign institution (according to the list of recognized departments abroad by DOATAP)
    3. Copy of the Doctoral Degree from a recognized HEI in Greece or an equivalent foreign institution (according to the list of recognized departments abroad by DOATAP).
    4. Detailed curriculum vitae (CV).
    5. List of scientific works that have been published or completed.
    6. Two (2) recommendation letters, either from university professors or from researchers of grade A, B, or C, holders of a Doctoral Degree, affiliated with recognized research centers in Greece or abroad.
    7. Proposal for the postdoctoral research project.
    8. Letter of acceptance of supervision from the faculty member of the School or Department.
  5. The Secretariat of the School/Department, to which the application is submitted, checks the legality and completeness of all submitted documents and forwards the application to the Assembly of the School/Department.
  6. The Chair of the School/Department appoints a three-member Committee from the faculty of the School/Department to examine the research proposal. The Committee evaluates the relevance of the proposed research to the academic areas covered by the School/Department, as well as the research fields currently addressed or intended to be addressed by the School/Department. If the feasibility and relevance of the proposed research are substantiated, the Committee forwards the proposal to the Assembly of the School/Department for approval.
  7. The supervising faculty member must hold the rank of Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor, or be a retired member, and must have expertise in the same or a related scientific field as the one in which the candidate will conduct the postdoctoral research.
  8. In the case of a postdoctoral research announcement, the appointment of the supervising faculty member is made by the Department Assembly. In the case of interdepartmental research within a School, the supervisor is appointed by the Dean after approval of the research by the Assemblies of the involved Departments.
  9. In the case of an application outside of an official announcement, the candidate proposes a supervising faculty member. The appointed supervisor may differ from the one proposed by the applicant only based on a specifically justified recommendation of the Committee.
  10. If the candidate has been awarded a competitive scholarship, the application is not reviewed by a three-member Committee but is submitted directly to the Department Assembly for approval. During the same session, the Assembly also appoints the supervising faculty member, if one has not been proposed by the candidate.
  11. The Assembly appoints, for each researcher, two (2) faculty members holding the rank of Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor, or retired faculty, with relevant expertise. Together with the supervising faculty member, the above three form the advisory committee, which monitors and supports the progress of the research.
  12. The Secretariat of the School/Department is informed of the approval and registers the researcher in the Department’s Postdoctoral Researchers Registry.

Article 3: Conduction and Completion of Postdoctoral Research

  1. The duration of postdoctoral research shall not exceed three (3) years from the date of the Department Assembly’s approval. An extension beyond three (3) years may be granted based on a substantiated proposal by the supervising faculty member for the completion of the research work, and with the decision of the Department Assembly.
  2. In the event of the relocation, election, or invitation of the supervising faculty member to another department of a HEI in Greece or abroad, a new supervisor shall be appointed by decision of the Department Assembly.
  3. Upon completion of the postdoctoral research, the researcher, in cooperation with the supervising faculty member and with the consent of the other two members of the three-member advisory committee, submits a research completion report to the Assembly of the School/Department (report form: Greek / English).
  4. The Chair of the School/Department certifies the completion of the postdoctoral research, and the Secretariat of the School/Department updates the Postdoctoral Researchers Registry.

Article 4: Benefits for Postdoctoral Researchers

  1. During the conduct of postdoctoral research, postdoctoral researchers may use the title and affiliation of the School/Department with respect for the University’s reputation and in accordance with ethical standards.
  2. Postdoctoral researchers have access to the laboratories and clinics of the School/Department, as well as those of other Schools and Departments of the NKUA, including the corresponding equipment; to the University’s libraries with borrowing rights; and to computer workstations, as well as an institutional email account.
  3. The title of postdoctoral researcher does not create any obligation for remuneration by the University.
  4. Postdoctoral researchers may apply for funding for activities approved by the Department, the School, or the competent University authorities.
  5. Postdoctoral researchers may receive remuneration from national or international funded research projects, and may also receive scholarships from national or international organizations or institutions.
  6. The supervising faculty member is obliged to inform the postdoctoral researcher about safety regulations in the facilities and laboratories, as well as ethical and research integrity standards.

Article 5: Obligations of Postdoctoral Researchers

  1. Postdoctoral researchers are required to prepare progress reports on their research in collaboration with their supervising faculty member at regular intervals, as determined by the School/Department. These reports are submitted to the School/Department Assembly for information.
  2. Postdoctoral researchers may present the progress of their research in seminars, lectures, or other activities organized by the School/Department under the responsibility of the supervising faculty member, with the ultimate aim of disseminating their research through peer-reviewed publications where feasible or by other appropriate means.
  3. Postdoctoral researchers must acknowledge the School/Department under whose “academic affiliation” their postdoctoral research is conducted in all publications.
  4. Postdoctoral researchers are expected to behave in accordance with the standards of the academic community and to comply with and respect the internal regulations of the University.
  5. The School/Department may assign supplementary teaching duties to postdoctoral researchers within undergraduate or postgraduate programs, in accordance with applicable law (Article 29, paragraph 7(a), Law 4009/2011).

Article 6: Completion of Postdoctoral Research

  1. Postdoctoral researchers, in cooperation with the supervising faculty member and with the consent of the other two members of the three-member advisory committee, shall prepare and submit the postdoctoral research completion report to the School/Department Assembly. They are then required to present their research findings publicly on a date and at a venue determined by the School/Department Secretariat. Additional completion requirements may be specified in the Postdoctoral Research Regulation of each Department.
  2. Upon completion of the research, a certificate of postdoctoral research is issued, indicating the University, the Department, the full name of the researcher, the researcher’s father’s name, the research field, the period of research and public presentation, and the name and position of the supervising faculty member. The certificate is signed by the Chair of the School/Department. This certificate does not constitute an academic degree.

Article 7: Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual property rights are regulated in accordance with Law 2121/1993, as amended and in force.

Article 8: Deregistration of Postdoctoral Researchers

  1. A postdoctoral researcher may be deregistered by decision of the School/Department Assembly for, among other reasons:
  1. Failure to fulfill their obligations.
  2. Use of ideas, methods, or results, or copying parts of the work of others without proper attribution.
  3. Conduct that damages or harms the University or the School/Department hosting the researcher.
  4. Submission of a deregistration request by the researcher themselves.

Article 9: Authorizing Provisions

  1. Specific terms and conditions for conducting postdoctoral research, the maximum number of postdoctoral researchers, and instructions for submitting a postdoctoral research proposal are included in the Department Regulations.
  2. The postdoctoral research regulations of the Schools/Departments are harmonized with this Regulation and are approved by the University Senate following a recommendation from the School/Department Assembly.
  3. The postdoctoral research regulation is published on the website of the School/Department.
  4. Announcements of postdoctoral research positions are posted on the websites of the School/Department and the University.

PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC PROSPECTS: