At the beginning of May, the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) will announce another program “Polish Returns”. The aim of the initiative is to enable outstanding Polish scientists to return to the country and take up employment in Polish universities and research institutes

The financing of the Polish Returns program includes remuneration for the returning scientist, members of the project group and the inviting person, as well as the costs of resettlement of the returning scientists who receive attractive and stable employment in Polish research institutions. The latest program will be expanded with an application financed by the National Center for Research and Development (NCBR). The agreement was signed by the director of NAWA, Dr Grażyna Żebrowska, and Dr Remigiusz Kopoczek, acting director of the NCBR.

“Polish Returns is one of our flagship programs. We enable scientists who have already developed their careers abroad to work in Poland. Thanks to the assumptions provided by the program, the best researchers obtain opportunities comparable to those they have in the best academic and research centers in the world. “Polish Returns” allow scientists to use the acquired experience and networks of contacts to increase the potential of Polish science and provide the opportunity to build their own research teams. Everyone benefits, both scientists and the centers employing them”, explains Dr Grażyna Żebrowska.

NAWA encourages scientists to apply for research grants that will provide additional research funding. The start-up grant allows them to start research immediately after returning to Poland, before obtaining further funding.

So far, the Polish Returns program has allowed 63 scientists to obtain funding for research. They include recognized researchers who have returned from academic and research centers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Spain, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Switzerland, USA, UK and Italy.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński