European Charlemagne Prize Fellowship 2024 one-year non-resident programme for Young Leaders

European Charlemagne Prize Fellowship 2024 one-year non-resident programme for Young Leaders. Apply below.

When is Application Deadline:

11th August 2024. 

Tell Me About Award:

As a contribution to European integration and for the exchange of the young generation in Europe, the Charlemagne Prize Academy aims to identify future challenges and problems of European society and, by awarding research fellowships annually, to develop approaches to solutions at an early stage, which are discussed in dialogue with representatives from science, politics, business, and the public to determine their feasibility and practicability.

The Charlemagne Prize Fellowship is an endowed one-year non-resident programme of the European Charlemagne Prize Academy, addressing European junior researchers, next-generation policy experts, innovators, and thought leaders that work toward a better European Union. 

The Fellowship includes a stipend of 25,000 € per research project. With the grant, our Fellows are offered the opportunity to conduct an independent research project individually or in a group. We highly encourage applicants to look for a suitable host institution that could provide a work place and research facilities at the preferred location during the Fellowship. In addition, the Fellow can choose to implement their project with the help of a self-selected mentor. During the Fellowship programme, the Fellows are able to travel and network with experts and international and European decision-makers, and to present the research results in the final annual publication as well as in front of a large audience at the concluding conference summit. A unique aspect of the Fellowship is the connection with former Charlemagne Prize Laureates and the participation at the Charlemagne Prize award ceremony in Aachen in spring. 

Which Fields are Eligible?

Type:

Who can Apply?

• postgraduate degree (preferably Master or equivalent)
• younger than 35 years of age
• professional English language skills (minimum C1)
• citizen of an EU member state or resident in Europe during project implementation
• submission of an innovative research proposal, compatible with the annual focus
• current and prospective relevance of the proposed research question
• proposal of a host institution for the duration of the Fellowship 

Profile:

• university graduates, young professionals and employees of scientific, political, economic, or cultural institutions/organisations
• individuals or groups that would like to research on a specified topic within a period of 12 months
• reliable personalities with previous research experience

How are Applicants Selected?

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

All applications are then checked for completeness and fulfilment of all application criteria (see above) before they will be analysed by our high-level and diverse selection committee. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to short (approx. 10-15 minutes) online interviews during the 25th and the 29th of September 2023.
The final decision will be made by the Foundation Board in October. Subsequently, all applicants will be informed about the final decision.

If selected, the grant agreement and mentoring contract will be drawn up and signed before the official stipend award ceremony will take place in autumn. 

Where will Award be Taken?

The Charlemagne Prize Academy is a purely virtual academy. Our Fellows conduct their research projects in an EU member state or as an EU citizen in a non-EU country. This means that the topic-related tasks will be carried out independently by the candidates under academic supervision and support in their respective countries of residence or at the local offices of an institution of choice. The Fellows can therefore implement their research project next to their professional or academic positions. 

How Many Awards?

Not specified

What is the Benefit of Award?

• Expanding your network: Together with a group of other Fellows and within a growing group of Academy alumni, the Fellowship within the Charlemagne Prize Network comprises exciting partner organisations and many impressive personalities that you will meet during networking events, the Charlemagne Prize Summit, and the Charlemagne Prize award ceremony in spring. You will get the opportunity to engage with specialists on an academic as well as on a professional level, depending on your career prospects.
• Financial support for your creative and individual research project. The grant will help you to implement your ideas and formats independently.
• Administrative and scientific support: You will be assigned a mentor, who is an expert in your research field and who will support you with the implementation of your ideas and research. By attending networking events and receiving support in achieving your milestones, you will have the chance to focus on your individual research progress.
• Time for your thoughts: The Fellowship programme allows you to implement an individual project before entering the professional world or academia independently. This could be a step that was not possible during previous studies, and an opportunity for training and further engagement with scholarly work.
• Acclimatisation to the global stage: Presenting your own work and engaging with international decision-makers will train your confidence and skills to promote your ideas and to work on constructive approaches.
• Standing out from the crowd: The Charlemagne Prize Fellowship presents the opportunity to mark an exceptional path on your CV, suitable to individual plans and ambitions.

How Long will Award Last?

one year

The application period for the current year starts in July (Apply now!) and is followed by the selection procedure in September. All applicants will be informed about the outcome of the selection process in October. Our Fellows are selected by a high-level and diverse selection committee on the basis of the relevance of the research question and the professionalism of the research proposal. Check out the application requirements here!

The Fellowship starts with a prospective conference in autumn, comprising first thematic discussions, networking opportunities and the grant-award ceremony. At the start of the research year, the Fellows will agree on milestones that they want to achieve after each research quarter. These could be surveys, articles, policy papers, or social outputs that aim for societal and academic relevance and the successful implementation of the final project. During the research year, the Academy will organise various additional networking events with partner organisations. The research results should be handed in by August in the following year in order to be published in the Academy’s annual publication. The research year will end with the concluding summit after 12 months. 

How to Apply:

We highly encourage graduates from all academic fields, young professionals, and employees of scientific, political or public institutions and organisations to hand in their research ideas for the research year. The next application period will begin in summer 2024. Find out more about the application requirements here.

The Fellowship programme is open to all projects and disciplines that offer concrete, innovative, and feasible approaches to address the annual focus topic. 

You will need to upload the following documents [in English]:

• Your CV (pdf) – mandatory
• Your Research Proposal (pdf) – mandatory
• Supporting documents, references, and certificates (as one pdf file) – optional

Within the application form, you will also be asked about your thoughts on the biggest challenge(s) for Europe’s future. The main focus of our evaluation will be your research proposal. 

Visit Award Webpage for Details