FRIAS Sustainable Governance Senior Fellowships 2026/27 – Funded Research Opportunity in Germany for African Scholars

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FRIAS Sustainable Governance Senior Fellowships 2026: Overview

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) invites applications for the Sustainable Governance Senior Fellowship Programme 2026/27. This prestigious 6-month fellowship is open to experienced researchers based in African institutions, providing an opportunity to pursue independent research in the Humanities and Social Sciences with a focus on sustainable governance at the University of Freiburg, Germany.

Application Deadline: 12 September 2025 at 13:00 (Germany time)

Financial Assistance

✅ Fellowship contract or equivalent compensation
✅ Research cost contribution
✅ Mobility allowance
✅ Round-trip travel expenses

Fellowship Categories

• Senior Fellowships in Humanities and Social Sciences

• Thematic Focus: Sustainable Governance

FRIAS Sustainable Governance Senior Fellowships 2026: Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be based in an African country and of any nationality

• Hold a PhD and have at least 8 years of postdoctoral experience

• Have completed at least 6 months of study/research abroad outside their country of first degree

• Have received a Master’s or PhD from an African institution

• Have a minimum of 5 peer-reviewed publications since 1 January 2016 (including at least one co-authored work)

• Submit a letter of cooperation from a University of Freiburg professor willing to support the research

• Propose a high-quality, original research project relevant to sustainable governance

Documents Required

• Online application form (includes project abstract, layman’s summary, motivation, and ethical issues)

• Project proposal (max. 3000 words incl. references and graphics)

• CV in the mandatory FRIAS template (PDF)

• Publication list (max. 8 entries; 5 peer-reviewed since 2016)

• PhD certificate (PDF)

• Letter of Cooperation from a Freiburg-based professor

Important Notes

• Fellowship duration: 6 months

• Fellowship period: 1 September 2026 – 31 August 2027

• Research must be carried out full-time at FRIAS in Freiburg

• The programme is highly competitive (approx. 10% success rate)

• Only proposals in Humanities and Social Sciences related to sustainable governance will be considered

Selection Process

• Competitive, merit-based evaluation of research proposal and academic track record

• Quality, originality, and interdisciplinary potential of the project

• Strength of academic partnership with Freiburg faculty