______________________________________________ From: Nathalie L'Huillier Sent: 10 April 2008 11:47 To: Kathryn Cook Subject: A Fellowship Program for Young Academics

http://www.daimler-benz-stiftung.de/home/fellowship/en/start.html

The Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz Foundation awards fellowships to young Germans working for a PhD in foreign countries, and to foreign PhD students wishing to undertake research in German institutions. The program is open to all disciplines, subjects and countries. Applicants must have a clearly defined research project of their own and a research invitation from a host institution. Workplace and supervision arrangements in the host institution must be finalized by the applicant before applying for a fellowship.

1. Who may apply? The fellowships are intended to support a new generation of academics. The program therefore applies only to persons, not to projects. Germans wishing to pursue a research stay abroad and foreign students intending to work in Germany in connection with their PhD may apply. The support provided by the Foundation is for a maximum period of 2 years. Candidates may complete their entire PhD thesis in the host country if they so wish. Applicants should not be older than 30, and must have been awarded their most recent academic degree (Master's degree or Diploma degree) within the last year at the time of the application deadline. If these requirements can not be fulfilled for discipline-specific reasons applicants should contact the Foundation. PhD theses in medicine can only be supported if the candidate is able to prove extensive experimental expertise at the time of applying.

2. Who may not apply? Fellowships are intended to provide initial support at the outset of PhD work. Bridging and final-phase funding is not available. PhD students who have already been supported by other sources for longer than one year are not eligible to apply for this program. Candidates who have spent the last 2 years of their studies or their entire study period outside their home country cannot be considered for this program. Fieldwork, visits to archives and museums etc. without attachment to an academic institution and short periods of study of less than 6 months will not be supported. Neither is the fellowship program intended for postdoctoral research or qualifications, Diploma or Master's theses, postgraduate studies, study visits or practical training.

3. How to apply Deadlines for submitting complete applications to the Foundation are March 1 and October 1 each year. The postmark is not valid! Applications arriving after these deadlines cannot be considered. After an initial review of all applications, selected applicants will be invited to present their projects at a seminar at the Karl Benz-Haus in Ladenburg (in May resp. December). Representatives of the Foundation and specialist assessors will attend this seminar. The participation in the seminar is a stringent requirement for an approval. Foreign applicants who are unable to attend the seminar due to the distance involved may be granted a reduced fellowship of 750 Euros per month for a transitional period of 3 months so that they may start their research projects in Germany. The decision to award a full fellowship will depend on a final evaluation of the project after presentation thereof at a seminar in Ladenburg during the 3-month stay. Travel costs will be reimbursed up to a maximum amount of 1000 Euros. contd.

Personal applications may be sent by mail (but not by fax or e-mail) to: Gottlieb Daimler- und Karl Benz-Stiftung Dr.-Carl-Benz-Platz 2 68526 Ladenburg Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 6203 10 92-0 Fax: +49 (0) 6203 10 92-5 E-mail: info@daimler-benz-stiftung.de Contact: Ms. Petra Jung Tel.: +49 (0) 6203 10 92-16

There are no special application forms. Please print on one side of each page only and do not use staples or covers, etc. The complete application should include the following documents, to be presented in the following order: * Brief description of the research proposal (with title) with specific details of methodology (maximum 3 pages). References should be limited to half a page. * Letter of motivation regarding the research project and the host institute (maximum 1 page) * financing plan for the research stay. Details of possible other financial contributions or revenues during the stay or awarded for the purpose thereof (e.g. payment of study fees, employment, partial grants, bridging and final-phase funding etc.). Please enclose documentary evidence. Other fellowships (except for tuition fees) or incomes will be credited against the Foundation's grant. * a letter of invitation from the host institution containing a statement of why the institution is interested in the candidate. If possible, the letter should give some indication of willingness to provide the candidate with financial or material support. * Tabular curriculum vitae with documentation of academic career. * Two confidential letters of reference in a sealed envelope to be enclosed with the application or sent to the Foundation by separate post. The letters of reference should comment on both the candidate and the project. They must be written on official headed paper from the institution at which the referee works. Informal and unsigned letters of reference cannot be considered. * Complete copies of all academic certificates (school leaving certificate, Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Diploma degree, etc.).

4. Fellowship payments Fellowships are granted for the sole purpose of covering living costs in the host country. The Foundation does not fund tuition fees, materials, supporting staff, stays in the candidate's home country or outside of the host institution, or travel costs within the research project. Fellowships are currently paid at the following rates: * 970 Euros for foreign fellowship holders in Germany * 1 025-1 250 Euros for German fellowship holders in European countries * 1 300 Euros for German fellowship holders in the USA The rates for other countries vary according to the costs of living in the respective country. In addition, the Foundation grants a one-off lump sum to cover the cost of travel to and from the host institution (up to 500 Euros for countries in Europe and up to 1000 Euros for countries outside Europe). If necessary, the Foundation can provide support for a German language course for foreign fellowship holders. Partial financing (up to 50%) can be requested from the Foundation up to twice a year for participation at conferences if the fellowship holder is presenting a paper. Allowances will also be provided to cover the cost of travel to Foundation events and the annual meeting of fellowship holders. The Foundation organizes an annual meeting of fellowship holders to promote interdisciplinary exchange. Former fellowship holders receive the status of "Fellow". The Foundation also supports initiatives by Fellows such as the establishment of multidisciplinary workshops.

Dr Nathalie L'Huillier Research Policy Officer/Business Development Manager (acting) Policy and Graduate Team Research and Enterprise Office Cottrell Building 3B1 University of Stirling FK9 4LA Stirling, UK

*: nathalie.lhuillier@stir.ac.uk *: +44 1786 466448 Fax: +44 1786 466688

All Staff and Students are welcome to attend all or part of the 4th Annual SGRS Postgraduate Research Conference on Wednesday 23rd April (10am-4.30pm).

The NEW Research & Enterprise Office website has arrived! To find out how we can help you, whatever your research or enterprise needs, simply follow this link: www.research.stir.ac.uk The University of Stirling is recognised as a Scottish Charity with registration number SC011159