NGI Enrichers Program

The Next Generation Internet Transatlantic Fellowship Program, or NGI Enrichers, provides an opportunity to host researchers and innovators from the European Union and associated countries at the University of Minnesota. 

Fellows will spend 3 to 6 months in Minnesota to work and collaborate, promote knowledge-sharing, and establish long-term collaborations. The European Commission will cover costs associated with the fellows’ visits (including travel, visa, and insurance) and provide a monthly living allowance. There is no financial commitment for the University to host fellows.

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Topics of Interest

Topics of interest include information and communication technologies broadly along with applications to societal needs. Specific topics include:

  • Autonomous V2X Digitalization
  • E-mobility
  • Energy Transition
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Immersive Environment
  • Inclusiveness
  • Industry 4.0
  • Intuitive User Experience
  • Lifelong Learning

Tracks

There are three ways that fellow visits can be arranged:

  • Challenges: UMN faculty can post a challenge problem or research area in which they would consider hosting a fellow. Fellow applicants can then submit responses to the challenge.
  • Paired Visits: UMN faculty work with current collaborators in Europe to jointly develop an application that the potential fellow will submit.
  • Open Ideas: Fellow applicants in Europe can indicate their interest in particular areas, and UMN faculty can review these applications to see if there is a fit.

Timeline

Applications for new fellows will be open from July 1 to September 30, 2023. Submissions from hosts should be completed well before the closing of the fellow application process.

After September, the NGI Enrichers program will review fellow applications and suggest matches or confirm paired visits. Host organizations will have the opportunity to also review applications and to interview applicants before committing to serve as hosts.

The process is competitive—more applications are anticipated than will be accepted.

Learn More

  1. Learn more on the NGI Enrichers program website.
  2. Interested UMN faculty should contact Dr. Tariq Samad at tsamad@umn.edu for help with next steps, including completion of the form for hosts. Dr. Samad, from the UMN Technological Leadership Institute, is a member of the NGI Enrichers Advisory Board.

The University of Minnesota’s participation in NGI Enrichers has been arranged by the Research and Innovation Office (RIO), the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance, and the Technological Leadership Institute (TLI).