CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
The Futures Fellow program, hosted in the North America office of UA Ruhr, stands as a competitive fellowship initiative designed for researchers affiliated with our three universities. Our unwavering commitment to global engagement propels the Futures Fellow program, serving a pivotal role in fortifying the transatlantic science corridor. Since 2021, the University Alliance Ruhr has been pioneering internationally-focused research endeavors collectively represented under the Research Alliance banner. The Future’s Fellow program is strategically crafted to foster robust transatlantic collaborations across a spectrum of disciplines, placing a distinct emphasis on elevating the internationalization efforts of our research centers.
Background
Vision
- Promote cross-disciplinary international collaboration between UA Ruhr institutions and centers and our partner universities in the United States.
- Facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills, and expertise among researchers.
- Enhance the quality of research through the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration and resource-sharing.
- Provide researchers from UA Ruhr universities the opportunity to collaborate on a research project at a partner university of their choice.
- Focus on research areas of mutual interest and strategic significance.
Fellowship Goals
- Empowering UA Ruhr early to mid career researchers (including Junior Professors) to elevate the quality of their portfolios
International research collaboration - Granting the broader US scientific community access to a wide spectrum of research subjects from UA Ruhr institutions and centers
Public presentation - Fostering stronger bonds between our research centers and partner institutions through ongoing and reciprocal exchanges.
Sustainable future goals.
Application
- Open invitation early to mid-career researchers, including junior professors of our UA Ruhr universities. While we extend a special invitation to our research centers, please note that the application is open to our university employed researchers.
- Letter of Motivation, elucidating the purpose and field of research interest.
- Invitation letter from the North American university. You are welcome to contact your faculty / international office for potential list of partners and/or build new collaborative research partners.
- Proposal of a research activity spanning three months, delineating goals, timelines, and anticipated outcomes including a public facing event during the fellowship period.
- Proposed budget (reimbursements will be at cost only with receipts, see sample budget limits).
- Please note that applicants will be responsible for securing their own visa if necessary.
Sample Rubric for Evaluation of Application
| Criteria | Points | Scoring Guidelines |
| Field of Interest and Relevance to Program | 15 | – Clear alignment with program’s focus areas.- Comprehensive grasp of research’s contribution to transatlantic collaboration. |
| Quality of Invitation Letter | 10 | – Strength and credibility of the invitation letter.- Clarity of proposed collaborative activities. |
| Research Proposal | 25 | – Well-defined, substantial research goals and objectives.- Feasibility of proposed activities within the three-month timeframe.- Potential impact on the transatlantic research corridor. |
| Budget Proposal | 15 | – Rational and precise budget projections for travel, lodging, and expenses.- Adequate justification for each budget item. |
| Track Record and Expertise | 20 | – Demonstrated excellence and impact of past research contributions.- Relevant experience in international collaboration and interdisciplinary research. |
| Letter of Support | 10 | – Strength and pertinence of the support letter from the home institution.- Evidenced commitment to the applicant’s participation. |
| Additional Considerations | 5 | – Any supplementary factors accentuating the applicant’s potential contributions. |
Budget Limits
*Reimbursements will be done against receipts and limits per expense line are as stated below.
| Details | Up To Budget |
| Airfare (for researcher only) | 2000.00 USD |
| Furnished Rental per month x 3 months | 9000.00 USD |
| Additional Costs of Living (explanation required) | 3000.00 USD |
| Networking Research Presentation (Public Facing Event) | 4000.00 USD |
| Domestic Travel (explanation required) | 1000.00 USD |
| Airfare & Accommodation for Invitational Mentor (potential opportunity to invite mentor from UA Ruhr universities to the US for a specific purpose e.g. Public Facing Event / Presentation) | 3000.00 USD |
| Total (No More than) | 22000.00 |