Ei dian otsikkoa

1
How to survive a Marie Curie Fellowship
experiences and hints Timo Lajunen Department
of Psychology Middle East Technical
University Turkey Marie Curie Fellowship
Association
2
My experience

• Marie Curie Fellow at Department of Psychology of
  University of Manchester, UK, 1997-1999
• Coordinator and project manager in ToK SAFEAST
  project hosting incoming MCFs, 2004-2008
• Member of Marie Curie Fellowship Association
  (www.mariecurie.org)

3
Marie Curie Fellowship can be

• A dreadful experience only enforcing your
  negative attitudes about foreign countries
• A fantastic and unique opportunity to pursue
  your scientific goals free of extra
  responsibilities like teaching
• What your fellowship would be, depends on you and
  your host FP6 only gives you the financial
  opportunity

4
Academic mobility special features

• relatively short stay in a new place
• Sojourners well educated and motivated
• home return anticipated and planned
• Motivation to adaptation to a new country may be
  weak
• Need to operate effectively, academic performance
  expected
• Need for fast adaptation
• Usually from less-developed to developed
  countries

5

• General problems
• Lack of social support
• No matter who provides social support as far as
  it is provided
• Insufficient linguistic and cultural skills
• Prejudice and discrimination
• Loneliness
• Homesickness
• Problems related to academic culture
• Different learning styles
• Work-related values
• Individualism-collectivism power distance
• Conflicting expectations

6
Socio-cultural adaptation in first 12 months
Entry
4 Months
6 Months
12 Months
7
Suggestions for making adaptation easier

• Before leaving
• Financial etc. matters solved well before
• Cultural training
• Well defined and reasonable academic aims
• In the host country
• Language course (free obligatory)
• Peer-pairing programmes to meet the host
• Training of the academic advisors
• Organisations where to meet co-nationals
• Meetings among non-compatriots who are in the
  same situation

8
Conclusions

• Marie Curie Fellowship period can be a very
  enjoyable part of your academic career which
  helps you to clarify your aims
• Marie Curie Fellowship can teach you a new
  working style
• What ever it will be, depends on YOU and your host