The programme supports doctoral researchers when conducting a research stay at a university or research institute abroad. The programme promotes the individual qualification of doctoral researchers and should not be used for the sole purpose of carrying out project work. Moreover, the purpose of the programme is to
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foster international research exchange and offer doctoral researchers the opportunity to get to know other research cultures,
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provide doctoral researchers early on with important opportunities to build their own networks necessary for a successful academic career, and
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give doctoral researchers the opportunity to interact on a more continuous basis with researchers outside the University of Konstanz and receive valuable and in-depth feedback on their doctoral research project.
Doctoral researchers are especially encouraged to conduct a research stay at one of the partner institutions of the Cluster (see https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/en/inequality/about-us/our-partners/) or at institutions collaborating with their respective cluster project. Research stays in Germany are not part of this funding programme.
Outgoing doctoral researchers will be supported in the administrative planning of their research stay abroad by the University of Konstanz’s Outgoing Centre.
What is funded?
Co-funding is available for a duration of two to five months per selected doctoral researcher. The Cluster aims to make the period of the research stay appropriate also for parents with children. Hence, the stay can be divided into two phases, if necessary. The minimum stay per phase is four weeks. Extension of the stay via other funding opportunities is possible; double financing is not.
Funding is available to cover additional costs of the stay abroad while the employment contract/stipend of the doctoral researcher continues. Funding for travel and accommodation expenses may be granted up to a maximum amount of 4.000 EUR per doctoral researcher, depending on the duration of the stay and the costs incurred. Doctoral researchers can only once receive funding from this programme during their doctoral studies. The programme cannot be used as an extension/prolongation of the existing contract.
In case doctoral researchers are accompanied by their children, an additional flat rate is paid, as well as travel and accommodation expenses.
Note that the programme aims to support a research stay abroad, not participation in a graduate programme at another university. Enrolment fees cannot be covered.
Who can apply?
Doctoral researchers affiliated with the Cluster “The Politics of Inequality” (Affiliated Members in accordance with Cluster Bylaws and Complementary Regulations). Doctoral researchers need to be at least in their second year of doctoral studies when conducting their research stay abroad.
How to apply
To apply, please submit the following documents:
- Letter of motivation explaining the project the applicant wants to work on during the research stay and detailing how the project and the applicant’s career would benefit from the research stay and the collaboration with the host
- Updated CV
- Confirmation of the host that she/he/they will integrate the applicant into her/his/their working group
- Confirmation of the supervisor that she/he/they supports the research stay
- Calculation of the expected costs of the research stay (travel and accommodation costs)
- Current overview of study achievements (doctoral programme)
Please submit your application as a PDF file by e-mail to application.inequality@uni-konstanz.de
Co-Fundings for outgoing doctoral students are offered at any time throughout the year.
Additional information
The Managing Office helps with any questions: application.inequality@uni-konstanz.de
The University of Konstanz is one of eleven Universities of Excellence in Germany. Since 2007 it has been successful in the German Excellence Initiative and its follow-up programme, the Excellence Strategy. The Cluster “The Politics of Inequality” includes researchers from political science, sociology, economics, linguistics, psychology, law, and education studies. They study how people perceive these inequalities, how they lead to collective mobilization, and how political actors respond to them.
This Call is funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG) under the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments – EXC-2035/1 – 390681379 - and is in accordance with the Bylaws for the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality: Perceptions, Participation and Policies” of the University of Konstanz.
For more information on the Cluster, please visit: http://inequality.uni.kn