GFCE Research Committee: Open Call for Applications

The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) is calling for applications to the new GFCE Research Committee! The deadline for applications is Friday, 10 July 2020.

Background
The GFCE community has voiced the need for the GFCE to realize a research mechanism to address knowledge gaps and contribute new, practical knowledge on cyber capacity building. The GFCE is now responding to this call by seeking to collect and prioritize research needs identified in GFCE Working Groups to develop a Global Cyber Capacity Building Research Agenda. As a first step, the GFCE will test the mechanism by running at least two Pilot Research Projects in 2020 based on research ideas that have been collected through the community. To help support the development and delivery of the Research Agenda, the GFCE will establish a Research Committee as a new group in mid-2020.

The aim of the Global Research Agenda is to support the work of the GFCE Working Groups and the activities of members of the GFCE Community. Research generated via this mechanism will therefore focus on practical and applied research, to provide material, content, evidence and data that will directly inform the work of the Working Groups as well as the wider cyber capacity building community.

Role of the GFCE Research Committee
The main role of the GFCE Research Committee is to support GFCE Working Groups with research matters and provide technical assistance in translating ideas or policy questions into research questions with time/cost/manpower estimates. As this will be the first installment of the new Research Committee, the group will also be consulted on and expected to provide substantial input on the Research Committee’s modalities of work as detailed in the GFCE Research Committee Terms of Reference (in development) and other documents relevant to the Research Agenda. Some of the responsibilities envisaged for the first Research Committee are:

• Advise on the Research Committee’s modalities of work, at least two Pilot Research Projects in 2020, and the Global Research Agenda in 2021;
• Support the GFCE Working Groups (WG) with research matters by:
  • Acting as a ‘research committee liaison’ between the WGs and the Research Committee;
  • Translating ideas into research questions with time/cost/manpower estimates;
  • Ensuring that GFCE research meets good quality standards;
• Support and give input on documentation regarding the Research Agenda;
• Provide advice and assist the GFCE Secretariat with a periodic review of the Research Agenda process.

The Research Committee will comprise of a maximum of 10 persons including a chairperson, 2 Advisory Board members and half the seats reserved for the GFCE Community. The Research Committee will be represented in each of the GFCE Working Groups/Task Forces by at least 1 member who will act as a ‘research committee liaison’.

Members of the Research Committee are appointed in their personal capacity and must act independently of their organization.

Candidate profile
Applicants to the Research Committee will be evaluated based on the below criteria:

• Applies in his/her individual capacity;
• Expertise and work experience in a research position and/or specialized knowledge in one or more areas of interest for the GFCE WGs;
• Have a genuine interest in and a good command of cybersecurity/cyber capacity building research in an international context;
• Ability to think and communicate across disciplinary boundaries and between different stakeholders;
• Willing and able to dedicate time to GFCE work. Time estimate is 8 hours a month*;
• Involvement and active participation in the GFCE is a plus but not essential;
• Commitment to serve in the Research Committee for a period of at least two years, starting from mid-July 2020.

In addition, the GFCE Secretariat will strive to achieve gender balance, diversity of backgrounds and a good representation of all regions in the Research Committee.

* Please note that this position is voluntary and unpaid.

Candidate profile

1. Applicants are encouraged to send a short biography, their CV and a completed application form to the GFCE Secretariat at contact@thegfce.org. Deadline for applications is Friday, 10 July 2020.
2. Following the application deadline, the GFCE Secretariat will shortlist applicants based on the evaluation criteria and documents submitted.
3. The GFCE Foundation Board will perform a review of the shortlisted applicants and select successful candidates by taking into consideration: availability, relevance of expertise and experience, diversity of backgrounds and geographic and gender balance.
4. The GFCE Foundation Board will then present the candidates that have been selected for the GFCE Research Committee to the GFCE Community in mid-July.

Please find the application form here and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.