Resume

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's Sofja Kovalevskaja Award is granted to young exceptionally promising researchers from abroad in recognition of outstanding academic achievements.

The award is designed to enable them to embark on academic careers in Germany by establishing their own junior research groups at research institutions in Germany.

The programme is open to scientists and scholars from all countries and disciplines who completed their doctorates with distinction less than six years ago. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation particularly welcomes applications from qualified, female junior researchers.

Criteria

Award winners will be selected solely on the basis of their academic qualifications. There are no quotas for individual disciplines or countries.

The most important assessment criteria are: academic publications in internationally reviewed journals and / or publishing houses statements on the candidate's academic profile and potential in the form of expert reviews, requested by the candidate, from different institutions and, where possible, from different countries the academic quality and feasibility of the research project proposed by the candidate

Requirements

Application requirements

1. Doctorate or comparable academic degree (Ph.D., C.Sc. or equivalent), completed with distinction less than six years prior to the application submission deadline.

2. Career level: the award would enable the successful applicant to take on a leadership position (e.g. head of a junior research group) in Germany for the first time. Moreover, the applicant must not have held or accepted an offer of permanent employment in Germany prior to the selection date.

3. Cutting-edge academic achievements documented by a comprehensive list of independent academic publications reviewed according to international standards and printed in journals and / or by publishing houses.

4. Support of the German host institution, evidenced by a detailed expert's report from the academic host as well as the host's agreement and the confirmation from the administration at the host institution.

5. Three supporting expert reviews from academics (at the applicant's own institute or other institutes, where possible including some outside the applicant's country of origin).

6. Language skills: scholars in the humanities or social sciences and physicians must have a good knowledge of German if it is necessary to carry out the project successfully; otherwise a good knowledge of English; scientists and engineers must have a good knowledge of German or English.

7. No previous Sofja Kovalevskaja Award. Potential applicants who have been in Germany for more than six months at the time of the application submission deadline are not eligible to apply.

8. Origin: Foreign academics staying in Germany are eligible to apply if they been in Germany for less than six months at the application submission deadline. Educational residents are subject to the regulations governing Germans. German academics are eligible to apply if they have been working in an academic capacity abroad for a longer time.

9. The Humboldt Foundation assumes that candidates will abide by the Rules of Good Scientific Practice and the legally-binding principles of scientific ethics during the application and sponsorship periods.

Funding

1.650,000 €

Duration

5 years

How to apply

See documents attached.

In case of interest, contact with Research's Department no later than 24th July.

Documents will we send to Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Selection Department. Jean Paul Str. 12. 53173 Bonn, Germany.