The College for Social Sciences and Humanities is once again offering up to 20 Senior Fellowships to international researchers in the social sciences and the humanities. The call for applications for research stays starting in 2027 is open until 15 May 2026.

The Senior Fellowship Programme addresses established scholars in the social sciences and the humanities who feature an internationally recognised, outstanding research profile and are active members of a foreign university or research institution. Within the interdisciplinary environment of the College, Senior Fellows can work on independent research projects and expand their networks over the course of six months. Through the tandem principle, the programme enables researchers at the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) to establish new international collaborations or to expand existing contacts with renowned scholars abroad.

The College hosts up to ten Senior Fellows per half-year, with research stays commencing in March and September 2027 respectively. Beyond exceptional academic achievements, the selection criteria include the quality and collaborative character of the research project and its potential for innovation for the UA Ruhr. 

Eligible candidates are welcome to submit their applications via the website of the College until 15 May 2026.

Through the Fellowship Programme, the College for Social Sciences and Humanities seeks to promote excellence in research in the social sciences and humanities within the UA Ruhr and to intensify international cooperation with top-level researchers worldwide. Since the programme was launched in spring 2024, the College has already hosted 36 fellows.

Contact: Sophia-Helena Zwaka, Fellow Management | phone: +49 201 183 6543, e-mail: fellowship[a]college-uaruhr.de 

Building on the success of the Aurora R&I programme Aurora is launching a new Call for Incentive Research and Education Collaboration.

This new call aims to address the intersection between research and education and incentivises the formation of original collaborative research and research-driven educational in Aurora’s six thematic hubs:

• Sustainability and Climate Change
• Digital Society and Global Citizenship
• Health and Wellbeing
• Culture: Identities and Diversities
• Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Peace Education

The call supports three types of key actions:

Exploratory and Collaborative Research Projects
Projects built at the interface between research and education, contribute to the increase of knowledge, address societal challenges, and develop long-term research communities within Aurora, creating perspectives for large-scale funding opportunities in the future.

Thematic Schools and Intensive Research Seminars
Thematic schools and intensive research seminars focused on disciplinary and multi-disciplinary training that serve as a career development opportunity, a knowledge sharing hub and a network/community building activity for the participants and lecturers. 

Short-term Secondments for Research and/or Training for Early-stage Researcher
Supporting early-stage career researchers (Master, PhD, Postdocs) regarding short-term mobility for up to 3 months in a research laboratory or research unit of an Aurora 2030 full member university.