At the heart of the reforms is a career stage model which replaces the previous age limits. The new system offers more flexibility and targeted opportunities for each individual group of applicants or nominees, tailored to their particular career situation.

In the new model post-docs will be granted longer-term fellowships in order to be able to plan their research projects with greater certainty. Experienced academics will profit from greater flexibility, allowing them to divide up their fellowships into as many as three blocks. In this way, independent research group leaders or newly-appointed professors will be able to build up international collaborations with partners in Germany without having to give up their own positions or be reliant on generous leave of absence regulations at their own institutions. Another innovation are return fellowships for researchers from developing countries as well as for junior researchers returning to Germany.

Furthermore, at the beginning of the year, an additional allowance for research costs was introduced amounting to as much as 800 EUR per month. It contributes to creating optimum conditions for cooperation between fellows and their academic hosts in Germany. Every year, approximately six million EUR will be provided for this purpose. The funding may be used for items such as financing essential research equipment or enabling fellows to participate in conferences.

Source: avh-website

On the website of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation you can easily search for the sponsorship programme suitable for your carreer stage and country of origin.

For further information:
Antonia Petra Dhein and Kristina Güroff
Humboldt Foundation Press Office
presse@avh.de