Call for Applications

The cooperation project “Forced Migration and Refugee Studies: Networking and Knowledge Transfer” (FFVT) aims to strengthen interdisciplinary forced migration and refugee research in Germany. To this end, the project brings together research and knowledge transfer on forced migration and refugee issues with migration, development, conflict and violence, climate change, health, governance, human rights and other fields of study. FFVT is jointly run by the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC), the Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (CHREN, University of Erlangen Nuremberg), the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (IMIS, University of Osnabrück) and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). To promote international networking in the field, FFVT offers a global fellowship programme.

FFVT fellowships are granted to researchers from abroad or with a refugee background working in forced migration and refugee studies, supporting their stay as guests at (mainly) one of the collaborative partners of FFVT. The fellowships serve to support and/or further conceptionally develop a research or knowledge transfer project or joint research proposals of the fellows' own choice in cooperation with their hosts. The collaborative partners provide the necessary infrastructure on site and support the fellows during their stay.

Topics may include but are not limited to: Im/mobilities, global standards of refugee protection, post-colonial perspectives, data production, refugee voices, biases and distortions in refugee and forced migration research, research ethics, categorisations, global governance and externalisation, climate change and forced displacement, effects and after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Designated fellows are researchers working in scientific or transfer-oriented institutions in the field of forced migration and refugee research at different stages of their career: Senior researchers, post-doctoral researchers, doctoral students / junior researchers.

The FFVT fellowship programme offers participants an interdisciplinary research environment with concrete exchange and networking opportunities at renowned institutions, the opportunity to (further) develop, discuss and implement research and/or knowledge transfer ideas, involvement in FFVT events (including workshops, discussions, summer schools), longer-term integration into the FFVT network, possible cooperation on joint proposals and publications.

Fellowships are provided for stays of 2–3 months between 1 January and 31 December 2024.

Fellowship allowances include a monthly scholarship (1.550€/2.050€/3.000€ gross per month depending on experience level) and travel costs (1 international return, national travel costs).

Applicants choose the FFVT institute they consider best-fitting to their area of interest (up to two priorities can be specified). The exact funding conditions differ in detail between the institutes and can be found here.

Applicants should explain how they will contribute to FFVT's goals with their own research project and/or knowledge transfer activities or how they can contribute to the research and/or knowledge transfer priorities of the collaborative institutes and develop these further during their stay. Certain formats such as lectures, contributions to teaching, joint development of proposals can be listed as possible products.

In particular, we invite applications that are relevant for refugee and forced migration studies also beyond the applicant’s immediate project, address fundamental questions in their research projects, proceed reflexively and demonstrate innovative approaches.

Application procedure

Applications in English should be sent as a single PDF file to .... The next meeting of the selection committee will be in autunm 2023. Applications sent in by 31 October 2023 will be considered in the next review round. All applicants will receive feedback by early winter 2023.

Applications must include:

A letter of motivation covering a short description of the current project, the desired time period (+ one alternative period) and the chosen FFVT institute(s) (up to two priorities), including reasons for the choice and contact details (2–4 pages).
A draft of the project that is to be developed/carried out during the stay including how this project fits into the FFVT-framework and a schedule (4–6 pages including bibliography)
An academic CV including a list of relevant key publications

General questions on FFVT-fellowships can be addressed to: ...

Host institute-specific questions can be addressed to

CHREN: Johanna Günther, ...
BICC: Maarit Thiem, ...
IDOS: Merlin Flaig, ...
IMIS: Marcel Berlinghoff, ...

Data Protection Disclaimer

The personal data submitted during the application process will be stored for the purpose of awarding the fellowship in accordance with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR) and deleted at the latest six months after the end of the selection process. Personal data collected, stored and processed include name, address, professional-biographical data (CV, certificates). Only the project staff responsible for selecting the fellows at the four project institutions (BICC, CHREN, IDOS, IMIS) have access to the confidential data. The data will not be passed on to third parties. In the event of selection and acceptance of the fellowship, the necessary data will be used for the administrative implementation of the fellowship and subsequently deleted. Applicants have all rights provided in Art. 13 EU-GDPR including the right to request from the controller access to and rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing concerning the data subject or to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Therefore, applicants may contact .... Responsibilities are shared according to Art. 26 GDPR (Joint Controller). The data protection officer responsible can be contacted at ....

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