The internationalization strategy of National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) is aimed at strengthening the capacity and expanding NCBJ’s reach, influence, collaboration, and impact on a world-wide scale.

NCBJ is one of the largest research institutes and one of the leading research organizations in terms of internationalization in Poland. It’s confirmed by long-term collaboration with many well-renown organizations from all continents. NCBJ’s researchers have been engaged in many international research experiments and activities dedicated to project and build large research infrastructures like European Organization for Nuclear Research - CERN, European X-ray Free Electron Laser - XFEL, European Spallation Source - ESS. NCBJ is ranked among top Polish research organizations in terms of the number of international projects (national leader in EUROATOM programme), the share of publications with international collaborations (above 80% of all publications since 2017 in Scopus database ) and commercial activities measured be revenues received from abroad.

The internationalization strategy is aligned with NCBJ’s mission, vision, research areas accepted by NCBJ’s Research Council on the 5th of December 2023. The internationalization strategy has the  following priorities (each with goal and activities):

  1. Strengthening Global Networks

    Goal: Building partnerships with international research organizations, funding agencies, and industry partners.

    Activities:  Establish formal agreements (MoUs), joint research projects, staff and student exchange programs, collaborative initiatives and platforms.

  2. Encouraging Researcher Mobility

    Goal: Encouraging researchers to engage in international conferences, workshops, meetings and to go for international fellowships and internships.

    Activities: Fellowships and internships in scientific institutions outside of Poland for researchers, especially early career researchers.

  1. Recruiting International Talents

    Goal: Attract and recruit top researchers and students from around the world for short and long term contracts.

    Activities: Pro-active HR strategy offering competitive incentives, research opportunities, and support services to facilitate integration and development of career in Poland of top researchers and students.

  2. Promoting Research Excellence

    Goal: Exploit the NCBJ's research strengths, infrastructure, and capabilities on the global stage.

    Activities: Promote the use of NCBJ research infrastructure, create and support collaborative and competitive research programs around it. Promote and support NCBJ staff access to other research infrastructures, either via participation in consortia or in existing programs or by bilateral agreements. Promote and support both individual and joint, international grant applications in high profile research competitions (e.g. ERC, EIC, EIT).  

  1. Promoting Research Recognition

    Goal: Show the institute's research strengths, and capabilities on the global stage.

    Activities: Participate in international conferences, workshops, seminars. Publish research findings in renowned international journals, if possibly in the Open Access framework. Publish accepted scientific articles in preprint repositories, whenever possible. Foster participation of NCBJ’s researchers in international managing or advisory bodies, include prominent foreign researcher in the consulting bodies of NCBJ.

  2. Global Outreach and Engagement

    Goal: Organizing and/or hosting international conferences, seminars, and workshops will elevate the NCBJ’s profile, attract global talents, and facilitate knowledge dissemination.

    Activities: Organization and co-organization of international conferences and workshops.

  1. Enhance Multicultural Competence

    Goal: Foster a diverse and inclusive research environment that values different perspectives, cultures, and experiences.

    Activities: Provide competency training, language support, bi-linguality of all administrative procedures in the institute. Provide cultural training programs and resources to facilitate effective communication and collaboration, in particular via Welcome Point. Establish Hospitality Manager, provide comprehensive support services, including visa assistance, accommodation, and cultural integration programs, ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for international researchers.

  2. Provide support for young researchers

    Goal: Support development and careers of young researchers.

    Activities: Provide variety of trainings for young researchers, ranging from topical tutoring to general and soft skills. Provide mentoring, including international mentors from outside of NCBJ.  Support multidirectional career planning, including especially international paths for postdocs that can lead to their successful return to Poland and, in particular, to NCBJ. Support exchange research projects and stays involving researchers from abroad. Support student internships. 

  1. Expand Funding Opportunities

    Goal: Apply for international research grants, scholarships, fellowships, and partnerships to secure additional funding sources.

    Activities: Explore opportunities offered by international funding agencies, government programs and industry collaborations. Build grant culture and enhance grant writing skills. Further develop system of support for grant applicants in NCBJ at all stages of application and realization of the project.

  2. Enhance Large International Infrastructure and Support Services

    Goal: Participate in state-of-the-art international research facilities and technology infrastructure.

    Activities: Support the development of large international infrastructures and deliver services to ensure their effective operations, along with participation in their scientific exploitation.

  1. Quality Assurance and Accreditation

    Goal: Ensure that international collaborations and programs meet the highest quality standards and accreditation requirements to maintain the NCBJ’s  reputation and credibility.

    Activities: Join international associations and platforms.

Above activities will be funded from external (international and national calls, especially organized by the European Commission, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, National Agency for Academic Exchange, National Science Centre, National Centre for Research and Development) and internal funds (NCBJ’s budget).

The progress of the international strategy will be monitored and reported yearly to the NCBJ’s Research Council. The strategy will be updated taking into account Council’s recommendations.