The EU-FORA programme provides a unique opportunity for organisations working in EFSA's remit to widen their networks and exchange knowledge and best practices.

The programme allows the organisations to:

• offer a work programme to a fellow from another Article 36 organisation
• identify among their staff a fellow to be trained by a partnering organisation (hosting site).

The fellowship lasts for 12 months, during which time the fellow remains a staff member of his/her institution (a competent organisation, fellow-sending organisation) and is released from his/her regular tasks at to follow a work programme offered by another competent organisation (hosting site). The majority of the programme can be followed remotely, with around a third of the time spent at the host institution.

The proposal must be co-submitted by a consortium of two eligible organisations (competent organisations under Art. 36 of the EFSA founding regulation) - a requirement which the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest fulfils - from two different EU countries, Norway or Iceland. The fellow must be a mid-career professional in the field of food safety with a full university degree in a relevant field and with less than 15 years of experience.

The grant provided by EFSA amounts to EUR 55 000, which should cover the costs incurred by the sending institution, as the fellow is released from his/her normal duties for the duration of the programme but remains on the staff of the organisation, and the costs of a physical presence in the host institution. In addition, the costs of supervising the work at the host institution and the additional administrative costs should also be financed. EFSA will pay the amount to the consortium and does not foresee its distribution between the two organisations. Applications must be submitted by the two parties as a consortium via the EU's electronic application portal. The consortium is led by the host institution.

More information on the programme is available at the following link:

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/engage/fellowship

In case of questions or queries, coworkers of the UVMB can contact the DFI staff:

Országh Erika (email: orszagh.erika@univet.hu).

The news was shared by the EFSA Focal Point, run by Nébih and EFSA.