International Senior Fellowship Programme

The College offers excellent international researchers in the social sciences and humanities the opportunity to pursue an independent research project and collaborate with fellow scholars from the University Alliance Ruhr during a six-month fellowship.

Advancing Internationalisation

Through its international Senior Fellowship Programme, the College for Social Sciences and Humanities promotes the formation of sustainable international partnerships and multilateral cooperation in research. Up to 20 Senior Fellowships per year are awarded to scholars who are active members of a foreign university or research institution, and who have an internationally recognised, outstanding research profile. Distinguishing features of the programme are its thematic openness and the collaborative approach implemented through tandem partnerships.

In the spring and autumn respectively, ten select Senior Fellows will start their residencies in Essen. As a senior researcher at the UA Ruhr, you can support the application of an international fellow scholar by acting as a tandem partner.

Detailed information on eligibility criteria and conditions are compiled in the FAQ section.

Benefits for Senior Fellows

  • As a Senior Fellow, you enjoy the liberty of focussing on an independent research project that you work on jointly with a self-selected tandem partner from the University Alliance Ruhr.
  • Various funding options for your fellowship allow arrangements best suited to your individual situation. FAQ
  • You benefit from close collaboration with your tandem partner as well as interdisciplinary exchange with other Senior Fellows and resident researchers at the College, making it easy to discuss and develop ideas on site.
  • You enjoy the advantages of the dense research infrastructure of the Research Alliance Ruhr, including a broad spectrum of disciplines and institutes, as well as collaborative research units, networks, archives, collections, and libraries.
  • The College provides individual support for its Senior Fellows and excellent conditions for conducting independent, interdisciplinary, innovative research. A furnished office in the well-equipped College facilities is at your disposal, along with various support services including professional fellow management.
  • The metropolitan Ruhr region, located in the heart of Europe, is characterised by its vibrant diversity and dense academic landscape. A unique mixture of urban landscapes and green spaces, the area offers a large variety of cultural attractions and many advantages as a living environment.

Application process FAQ

Benefits for Tandem Partners from the UA Ruhr

  • The programme offers you the unique opportunity to initiate or intensify international collaboration with fellow researchers worldwide.
  • Each fellowship includes a project budget for costs associated with the collaboration of Senior Fellows and tandem partners, e.g., for workshops, conferences, or publications.
  • The academic exchange with Senior Fellows is expected to widen the scope of research, diversify perspectives, and spur innovative discourses within the UA Ruhr and beyond.

Information for Tandem Partners

Senior Fellows

Application

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How to Apply

The call for applications is published annually in the spring for Senior Fellowships commencing in the following year. In the “Application” section, you will find detailed information on prerequisites and the application procedure, as well as conditions of the fellowship.

Learn more

Tandem Projects

Contact us

Fellow Management

Sophia-Helena Zwaka

Phone: +49 201 183 - 6543

E-mail: