WZB-ISSC Global Fellowship Programme 2018/19 for early-career social scientists (Fully-funded to Berlin)

Deadline: April 30, 2018

Applications open for the 2018-2019 WZB-ISSC Global Fellowship programme. The WZB-ISSC Global Fellowship programme enables an outstanding early-career social scientist residing and working in a low- or middle-income country to conduct research at WZB for up to six months.

Located in the heart of Berlin, the WZB Berlin Social Science Center is one of Europe’s largest non-university research institutes. The WZB conducts basic social science research with a focus on the problems of modern societies in a globalized world. Around 150 German and international researchers work at the WZB, including sociologists, political scientists, economists, legal scholars and historians. The WZB offers a modern working environment, where both equal opportunities and the compatibility of work and family are highly valued. On the other hand, the International Social Science Council (ISSC) is an international organization that works to bring the best social science to bear on the biggest challenges of our time.

Through their Global Fellowship Programme, WZB and ISSC aim to contribute towards building a new generation of outstanding social scientists in low- or middle-income countries, who are willing and able to contribute to solving current global problems.

Objective

The WZB-ISSC Global Fellowship Programme enables an outstanding early career social scientist (postdoctoral researcher with no more than 5 years’ work experience after their PhD, or scientists without a PhD but with an equivalent level of research experience and output) residing and working in a low- or middle-income country to conduct research for up to six months starting between 1 October 2018 and 1 March 2019 at the WZB.

Besides allowing the fellow to focus entirely on a dedicated research project, he/she is invited to participate in the intellectual life at the WZB. The fellow will also become a member of the ISSC’s network of early career scientists. The research project of the fellow should focus on problems of modern societies in a globalized world with particular relevance to low- or middle-income country contexts. Moreover, it should be linked to research conducted at the WZB.

Benefits

The fellow will receive:

• A grant for up to six months at a level commensurate with a German postdoctoral researcher
• A contribution to local accommodation (up to EUR 500 per month)
• Economy roundtrip ticket to and from Berlin
• Workspace (equipped with PC, Internet and email access, telephone), as well as full library privileges and additional technical services.

Eligibility

• Open to early-career social scientist residing and working in a low- or middle-income country
• Both the WZB and the ISSC strongly encourage female researchers to apply.

Requirements

While in residence, the chosen fellow will be required to:

• Conduct a public talk or an academic workshop once during his/her residency at the WZB
• Write or contribute towards an article or discussion paper that will appear in one of the WZB publications.

On return to his/her country of residence, the fellow will be expected to share his/her knowledge with the scientific community there, as well as to contribute to the further development of the local science and education system. This could be achieved, for instance, through teaching Master’s or PhD level courses (where appropriate), based on the research done at the WZB.

In addition, the fellow will be encouraged to keep the WZB and ISSC informed of any publications that result from the research stay in Berlin. The above outcomes will be profiled by the WZB and the ISSC, for example on their websites.

Application

Candidates should submit the following documents:

• A letter of motivation, including the preferred timing of the research stay at the WZB in 2018/19, as well as an explanation of the difference the stay will make to their personal careers and in their home institutions (maximum 1 page).
• A brief research proposal (including title) for the duration of the residency, as well as a summary of their main research and teaching contributions, indicating how these relate to the research topics at the WZB. Candidates should also address the societal relevance of their research (maximum 1,000 words).
• A letter of invitation from the intended host research unit at the WZB (this is to demonstrate that candidates have informed themselves about WZB research)
• A curriculum vitae, including information on education, publications, participation in research projects and networks, teaching experience, awards and prizes received and other pertinent experiences. (Note: The majority of the degrees should have been awarded in lowor middle-income countries).
• 2 letters of recommendation from current or past senior colleagues.
• An indication of their English language proficiency (e.g. formal English language qualification, or a copy of a recently published article in English).
• An agreement from their home institution to the research stay in Germany, if selected (applicable only if the candidate is employed during the proposed period of the fellowship)

Applications should be submitted electronically, preferably in one PDF document, to: international.affairs@wzb.eu