Leping

1 / 4

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON COOPERATION BETWEEN

ESTONIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, LATVIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES,

LITHUANIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ESTONIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION

FOR UNESCO, LATVIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR UNESCO AND

LITHUANIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR UNESCO

Estonian Academy of Sciences, reg. No 74000168, represented by its President Mart Saarma,

with the official e-mail address for electronic signature [email protected],

Latvian Academy of Sciences, reg. No 90000022543, represented by President Ivars Kalviņš,

with the official e-mail address for electronic signature [email protected],

Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, reg. No 111958852, represented by its President Jūras

Banys, with the official e-mail address for electronic signature [email protected],

Estonian Academy of Sciences, Latvian Academy of Sciences and Lithuanian Academy of

Sciences separately referred to as the “National Academy of Sciences” and collectively as the

“National Academies of Sciences”,

and

Estonian National Commission for UNESCO, reg. No 70000941, represented by its

Secretary-General Kerli Gutman-Normak, with the official e-mail address for electronic

signature [email protected],

Latvian National Commission for UNESCO, reg. No 90000089305, represented by its

Secretary-General Baiba Moļņika, with the official e-mail address for electronic signature

[email protected],

Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO, reg. No 188734151, represented by its

Secretary-General Miglė Mašanauskienė, with the official e-mail address for electronic

signature [email protected],

Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian National Commissions for UNESCO separately referred to

as the “National Commission for UNESCO”, collectively as “National Commissions for

UNESCO” and together with the National Academies of Sciences as the “Parties”,

mindful of UNESCO Call to Action “Closing the Gender Gap in Science”,

hereby agree on the following:

1. Purpose of the Agreement

1.1. The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (hereinafter the “Agreement”) is

to regulate the cooperation between the Parties regarding establishing the “Women in

Science Baltic Fellowship” (hereinafter the “Fellowships”) by the National Academies

of Sciences in cooperation with National Commissions for UNESCO to support young

women in their pursuit of a career in the field of scientific research in the Baltic States

and organising the contest for the “Women in Science Baltic Fellowship” in 2025

(hereinafter the “Contest”).

2 / 4

1.2. Rules and regulations of the 2025 Contest are attached to the Memorandum of

Understanding as Annex 1.

2. Obligations of the Parties

2.1. Each National Academy of Sciences in cooperation with the National Commission for

UNESCO of the relevant country shall:

2.1.1. ensure the funding necessary for the Fellowships, including relevant taxes if

applicable, and cover the costs of organising the Contest;

2.1.2. organise the submission and evaluation process of the applications for the

Fellowships involving the relevant Jury of the Contest;

2.1.3. organise the communication for the Contest;

2.1.4. be responsible for following data protection requirements at all levels

(institutional, national, international).

2.2. The Parties shall agree on:

2.2.1. the timetable of the Contest;

2.2.2. the general principles of the Contest and the number and size of fellowships to

be awarded;

2.2.3. the general principles and timetable for the communication activities of the

Contest.

3. Term of the Agreement

3.1. This Agreement shall enter into force upon signature and shall be in effect till 31

December 2025.

Signatures:

Estonian Academy of Sciences:

(signed electronically)

Mart Saarma

President

Estonian National Commission for UNESCO:

(signed electronically)

Kerli Gutman-Normak

Secretary-General

Latvian Academy of Sciences:

(signed electronically)

Ivars Kalviņš

President

Latvian National Commission for UNESCO:

(signed electronically)

Baiba Moļņika

Secretary-General

3 / 4

Lithuanian Academy of Sciences:

(signed electronically)

Jūras Banys

President

Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO:

(signed electronically)

Miglė Mašanauskienė

Secretary-General

4 / 4

Annex 1

RULES AND REGULATIONS 2025

1. In the fields of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Medical and Health

Sciences, Agricultural and veterinary sciences 1 the “Women in Science Baltic

Fellowship“ will grant 4 fellowships as follows:

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros in Estonia to a Doctor of Sciences;

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros in Lithuania to a Doctor of Sciences;

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros to an Estonian Doctoral Candidate;

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros to a Lithuanian Doctoral Candidate.

2. In the fields of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Medical and Health

Sciences, 2 fellowships will be granted in Latvia as follows:

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros to a Doctor of Sciences;

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros to a Doctoral Candidate;

3. In the field of Social Sciences and Humanities, the “Women in Science Baltic

Fellowship” will grant 3 fellowships as follows:

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros will be granted in Estonia to a Doctor of Sciences;

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros will be granted in Latvia to a Doctor of Sciences;

− 1 fellowship of 7000 euros will be granted in Lithuania to a Doctor of Sciences;

4. Granting the Fellowship to the Doctor of Sciences is subject to the condition that no

more than 7 (seven) years has passed since the Doctor of Sciences has obtained her

doctorate. If the applicant has been on maternity leave after obtaining her doctorate the

time limit shall be extended by 18 months per each maternity leave.

5. The amount of the Fellowship must be used for the pursuit of scientific research in the

relevant Baltic country. Fellowship awardees shall submit a free-form report on the

progress of their research at the end of the agreed funding period.

6. The recipients of the Fellowships will be publicly announced in autumn 2025 and

awarded at a joint ceremony taking place in Riga.

1 OECD (2015), Frascati Manual 2015: Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development, The Measurement of Scientific, Technological and Innovation Activities, OECD

Publishing, Paris, pg 59, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264239012-en