Fellowships: Academic Accelerator Fellowship for 2^nd year PhD researchers typically underrepresented in academia

Duration: Up to 3 fellowships of 12 months max.; starting at the End of August 2023

Deadline for Applications: Call open from January 20 to February 28, 2023 (successful candidates will be informed by April 1, 2023)

About SCRIPTS

The Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS)” is a research consortium that analyses the contemporary controversies about liberal democracy and the market economy. The term “liberal script” relates to a set of ideas and institutional prescriptions about how society is organised based on the core principle of individual self-determination. The main purpose of SCRIPTS is to understand why the liberal model of order has fallen into crisis despite its political, economic, and social achievements.

SCRIPTS has been operating since 2019 and is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) until the end of 2025. The Cluster is hosted by Freie Universität Berlin and unites eight major Berlin-based research institutes. Cluster research teams are made up of doctoral researchers, postdoctoral researchers, and professors from social, political, and area studies. SCRIPTS is well connected with research institutes and knowledge exchange partners throughout the world, including political and cultural organisations, as well as civil society actors. In addition, SCRIPTS brings renowned visiting scholars from all over the world to Berlin.

For further information on the Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script” (SCRIPT) visit: https://www.scripts-berlin.eu/

About the Academic Accelerator Fellowship

The Academic Accelerator Fellowship addresses doctoral researchers who face structural disadvantages and/or who are typically underrepresented in academia. Interested applicants must already be enrolled in a PhD program from an academic institution other than SCRIPTS and their enrolment must be valid for the full duration of the fellowship. The fellowship at SCRIPTS is directed primarily at applicants who are in the second year of their PhD program. Accelerator Fellows will be affiliated with the Berlin International College of Research and Graduate Training (BIRT) and involved in the Cluster’s Graduate School, the Berlin Graduate School for Global and Transregional Studies (BGTS), where most of the training takes place. The aim of the Accelerator Fellowships is to improve the theoretical and methodological skills of the fellows. The program offers a mentorship, a tailored course program, and opportunities for socio-cultural capacity building and networking. The fellows are expected to enter a formal mentoring agreement, to participate in bi-weekly colloquia as well as other mandatory fellowship events, and to contribute to SCRIPTS research. To safeguard a good academic environment for the fellows, only PhD projects relevant to one of the general SCRIPTS research projects will be considered. (A list of ongoing research projects at SCRIPTS can be found at: https://www.scripts-berlin.eu/research/research-projects/index.html)

The duration of the fellowship is maximum 12 months, paid in monthly rates of €1500 (travel and relocation expenses included).

Applicants must submit the following documents:

• CV
• Cover letter explaining why you are pursuing a PhD and how you are a good fit with the fellowship’s goals and aims
• 1-page explaining why SCRIPTS would be the optimal place to receive training, including a statement on how your PhD thesis would fit to one of the ongoing general research projects and a suggestion of a possible mentor to your project from the BGTS Faculty
• 3-page outline of your PhD thesis
• Proof of enrolment within a PhD program
• Copy of relevant academic certificates and a valid travel document

The deadline for applications is February 28, 2023. Please submit your application including all required documents to: diversity@scripts-berlin.eu

At SCRIPTS, we value diversity as the means to ensure the quality and excellence of the cluster. We believe in inclusive excellence, in which a variety of research perspectives enrich the quality of our research. SCRIPTS is dedicated to create a welcoming environment and foster equal opportunities for all.

For further information visit:

https://www.scripts-berlin.eu/about-us/Diversity/Diversity-Statement/index.html