The EURAXESS network has long recognised the benefit to researchers of greater exposure to working on an international-scale. This position was reinforced recently in the Royal Society 2017 Report ‘International mobility of researchers’ which found that ‘mobility is associated with better international networks, more research outputs, higher-quality outputs and, for most, better career outcomes’. Through the Researcher Links scheme, the British Council provides early career researchers with a taster of the benefits associated with being internationally mobile through travel grants for overseas placements.With funding from the Newton Fund, managed by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, we supported Turkish Researcher Ali Büyükkileci to undertake a placement in Reading University.
Photo credit: Ali Oguz Büyükkileci
Here's what Ali had to say about his experience:
"During my visit, I used these facilities to assess the potential of the materials that I had produced in my home institution. The outcome of this study will be published in scientific journals and presented at different conferences.
“I discussed the results of the laboratory work with professors and other scientists. This helped me to learn the state-of-the-art in my research field and evaluate and shape my research activities because of the valuable input I was able to receive.
“In addition to the laboratory work, I was able to make several connections and we have agreed on collaborating in the near future.”