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Are you working academically or practically in climate protection or the conservation of climate-relevant resources in your home country, a non-European developing or transition country? If so, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation invites you to apply for an international climate protection scholarship.

With the International Climate Protection Scholarships, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enables future leaders working in a practical capacity to implement a research-based proposal in the field of climate protection or the conservation of climate-related resources during a one-year stay in Germany.

Objectives

• The global challenge posed by climate change can only be met by cross-border international collaboration. By enabling future decision-makers and multipliers to share their knowledge, methods and techniques with specialist colleagues in Germany, the programme promotes this objective, particularly by taking into account issues relating to practical applicability in the fellows' countries.
• In the spirit of the 2030 Agenda and related Sustainable Development Goals, the programme aims to contribute to the achievement of these goals by encouraging potential leaders in their endeavours and projects to combat climate change, develop and implement adaptation strategies, preserve ecosystems and biodiversity and promote the sustainable use of oceans and seas. In addition, it addresses sustainability issues related to natural resources, resource-efficient consumption and urban development. The programme encourages the development of long-term contacts and collaboration with colleagues in Germany.

Details

• If you are a potential leader, you will do a one-year research project in Germany as part of your scholarship; if you are a postdoc, long-term academic research (12-24 months). It should focus on combating climate change, adaptation strategies, the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, or the sustainable use of seas and oceans. Sustainability topics related to natural resources, resource efficiency or urban development are also welcome.
• They award up to 15 international climate protection scholarships to potential leaders and up to five to postdoctoral researchers each year. The fellowships are funded by the Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).

Scholarship specifications

• In addition to the monthly scholarship amount - depending on career stage - of €2,000, €2,300 or €2,500, the following benefits may be granted:
  • Flat-rate mobility in the form of a grant to cover the costs of necessary conference and research trips, visits to archives and libraries, etc. in Germany and abroad;
  • Subsidy towards the cost of medical and liability insurance;
  • a lump sum for travel expenses if the costs are not borne by a third party;
  • Language scholarship for an intensive German language course of one to two months in Germany immediately prior to the scholarship. Where a scholarship has been awarded, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation may provide financial support to improve the existing German language skills of scholarship holders while they are still in their own country. Scholarship holders with little or no knowledge of German are strongly advised to follow a two-month intensive language course in Germany;
  • Family allowances for visits by family members staying for at least three months;
  • For single parents: flat-rate allowance for accompanying children (under 18) for stays of at least three months;
  • Extension of the grant for up to three months if children under the age of 12 accompany the scholarship holder to Germany;
  • A European allowance for a maximum of one to two months spent doing research in an institution in another European country during the scholarship period, provided that this is necessary to complete the research project in question;
  • Research allowance of €800 per month for proposals based on research in the natural and engineering sciences and €500 for proposals in the humanities and social sciences;
  • Extend funding to former students after they have successfully completed their initial stay in Germany, in particular support for networking with collaborative partners in Germany throughout the scholar's career.

Target group

Applicants for this programme should be working in the field of climate protection or climate-related resource conservation; they should have proven leadership skills, which should be convincingly demonstrated in the application and supported by appropriate references. In addition to candidates with a background in the natural and engineering sciences, candidates who have been involved in legal, economic, health and societal issues related to climate change are encouraged to apply to this programme.

Eligibility criteria

• First university degree (Bachelor's or equivalent) obtained less than 12 years previously, countdown from the end of the application period (1 February 2023);
• Leadership skills demonstrated by initial experience in management positions and/or appropriate references;
• Extensive professional experience (at least 48 months at the time of application) in the field of climate protection or the conservation of climate-related resources; Choice of a research-based project in the field of climate protection or the conservation of climate-related resources;
• A detailed statement from a host in Germany, including a mentoring agreement; details of the proposal should be discussed with the prospective host prior to application;
• Two expert references from persons qualified to comment on the candidate's professional, personal and, where appropriate, academic suitability and leadership potential;
• Citizenship of a non-European country in transition or developing (see list of countries on the official website) which is also the applicant's habitual residence and place of work;
• Very good knowledge of English and/or German, evidenced by appropriate language certificates
• Eligible applicants must have lived and worked in an eligible country for at least 12 months in the 18 months preceding the application deadline.
• All stays outside the eligible countries (including Germany) are taken into account, regardless of their duration or purpose.

Ineligible

• Anyone who, regardless of their country of residence, has supported themselves for more than six of the last 18 months with funding from a German institution, or who has worked on a doctoral project or studied at an institution in Germany during the last 18 months, is also ineligible.
• Applicants who have already received sponsorship from the Humboldt Foundation in the form of a scholarship or bursary are not eligible to apply for this programme, but should apply to the appropriate alumni sponsorship programmes. Persons sponsored under the International Climate Protection Scholarships are excluded from applying for other scholarships offered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

For more information, please visitAlexander von Humboldt Foundation.