Stand: Januar 2009

Fellowship Programmes for Research Visits to Germany

Stand: Januar 2009

Research Fellowships

Humboldt Research Fellowships for postdoctoral researchers / for experienced researchers worldwide, all disciplines, no quotas

Georg Forster Research Fellowships for postdoctoral researchers / for experienced researchers

researchers from developing countries research stays with relevance to development policy

for research stays in Germany

Stand: Januar 2009

Research Fellowships

Humboldt- / Georg Forster Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers 6 to 24 months; 2,250 EUR per month for scientists who completed their doctorate less than 4 years ago

Humboldt- / Georg Forster Fellowships for experienced researchers

6 to 18 months, may be divided up into three blocks; 2,450 EUR per month

for scientists who completed their doctorate less than 12 years ago

Stand: Januar 2009

Application requirementsPostdoctoral researchers

doctorate

academic publications

agreement by academic host

autonomous research project

knowledge of German and/or English

Experienced researchers

own, clearly defined academic profile

comprehensive list of academic publications

agreement by academic host

autonomous research project

knowledge of German and/or English

Stand: Januar 2009

Sponsorship provisions

travel expenses

language courses or allowance towards language course

fellowship

family allowance additional funding for project costs and scientific equipment

Stand: Januar 2009

Sponsorship provisions

Intensive and individual mentoring in Germany and abroad by personal contacts at the Humboldt Foundation

Study Tour, Network meeting, Annual meeting

Alumni Sponsorship

Return Fellowships for specific regions

Stand: Januar 2009

Application procedure

applications at any time to the Humboldt Foundation directly

assessment by independent expert reviewers

decision by Humboldt Foundation Selection Committees

duration of procedure: approx. 3 to 6 months

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von HumboldtProfessorship

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Main Goals

• To recruit academics of outstanding international repute working abroad for research in Germany

• on a long-term basis

• by means of internationally competitive offers

• To give single scientific institutions the opportunity to raise their profile by establishing or upgrading internationally visible research focus areas

• To boost the international competitiveness of research in Germany

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Endowment• 5 million EUR / 3,5 million EUR for academics working in• experimental / theoretical disciplines

• Recipient = awardee (bound to the applying institution)

• Funding period: 5 years

• Prize money includes:

• Means for research at the awardee‘s disposal

• Means for (additional) salaries of up to 180,000 EUR p.a.

• Administrative lump sum of 15 percent of the prize money

• Approx. 10 Alexander von Humboldt Professorships each year

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Target Group

• Cutting-edge scientists and scholars from all disciplines

• Firmly established abroad

• (includes German researchers working abroad)

• Proactive search of appropriate candidates more than welcome,• but nominations during ongoing appointment procedures also• possible

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Applications

• By German universities via their university directorates

• Joint applications by universities and non-university research institutions also possible

• No direct applications by candidates

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Assessment Criteria

• Candidate‘s internationally acknowledged academic eminence in his/her subject area

• Convincing strategic concept of the applying institution regarding its future research profiling

• Candidate‘s long-term contribution to achieving the applying institutions‘ strategic objectives

• No quotas, e.g. neither for countries nor for subject areas

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Selection Procedure

• References of German and foreign referees

• Peer review process: independent expert opinions to be given by external reviewers

• Decisions are made by an independent selection committee consisting of both scientists representing various academic disciplines and ex officio committee members

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

The Awardees 2008

• Oliver Brock, Informatics

• Piet W. Brouwer, Theoretical Physics

• Georgi Dvali, Particle Physics and Cosmology

• Ulrike Gaul, Development Biology

• Tamas L. Horvath, Neurobiology

• Norbert Langer, Astrophysics

• Martin B. Plenio, Quantum Optics and Quantum Information

• Burkhard Rost, Bioinformatics

• Thomas Tuschl, Cell Biology

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

The Successful Applicants 2008

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Candidates‘ Subject Areas

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1. Round 2. Round

Humanities

Law

Economics

Mathematics

Informatics

Physics

Geosciences

Chemistry

Biosciences

Medicine

Engineering

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Candidates‘ Countries of Residence

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1. Round 2. Round

USA

Canada

Japan

Australia

South Africa

United Kingdom

Italy

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Russia

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

Candidates‘ Nationalities

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1. Round 2. Round

USA

Canada

Australia

South Africa

Germany

Georgia

Greek

United Kingdom

Italy

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Russia

Hungary

Stand: Januar 2009

Alexander von Humboldt Professorships

Timetable

• Three selection rounds each year

• Deadlines in 2009:

• 16 January

• 15 May

• 25 September

• Selection committee meetings in 2009:

• Mid-February

• Early in June

• Early in October