About the opportunity
The joint fellowship program between the Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS) and the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH) offers outstanding scholars an opportunity to conduct independent research in peace and security studies while engaging with an interdisciplinary cohort of international fellows. Based in Hamburg, fellows benefit from a fully equipped workspace, individual tandem partners at IFSH, access to local research networks, and university guest housing options. The fellowship focuses on critical topics such as political violence, great power conflict, European security architecture, cybersecurity, and climate-related security resilience.
Funding and benefits
- Funding provided by IFSH either via a stipend or through reimbursement of teaching replacement costs to the fellow's home institution
- Fully equipped workspace in central Hamburg with administrative support from HIAS and IFSH
- Assigned IFSH-based academic tandem partner to facilitate integration into local research networks and infrastructure
- Access to housing at the University of Hamburg guesthouse, featuring fully furnished apartments
- Support for accompanying family members, including assistance with finding suitable schools and childcare facilities
Who can apply?
- Open to outstanding scholars holding a doctorate (minimum requirement) in the humanities, social sciences, or natural/life sciences
- Artists, policymakers, and other professionals may apply if their work engages substantively with scholarly inquiry in peace and security
- Applicants must have an interdisciplinary and international research profile with relevant publications and research experience in core program topics
- Applicants must have a very good command of English
- Applicants residing within the Hamburg metropolitan region are NOT eligible
- Female and non-binary scholars, early career researchers, and scholars from underrepresented regions are strongly encouraged to apply
Required documents
- Cover letter (specifying desired period of stay, potential IFSH academic tandem partner, prospective partial financing via sabbatical, and intended contribution to the fellow group)
- Curriculum Vitae including list of prizes and awards
- List of most important publications (maximum 2 pages)
- Description of the planned research project (maximum 3 pages)
- Project description written for a non-specialist audience (maximum 1 page)
- Letter of intent from a prospective IFSH tandem partner (1 page, required only if already acquainted/collaborating)
- Optional link to an online video, talk, or lecture
When to apply
- Application deadline: November 16, 2026
- Earliest possible fellowship start date: October 2027
- Fellowships last between 3 and 9 months during the academic year (October 1 to June 30; July, August, and September are excluded)
How to apply
- Review the program's core research topics and identify potential academic tandem partners at IFSH
- Prepare all required application documents in English
- Merge all documents into a single PDF file
- Submit the PDF file via the official IFSH online application portal before November 16, 2026
Additional information
- Fellows must physically reside and work in Hamburg during the fellowship period; remote participation is not permitted
- Participation in weekly lunches, colloquia, and dinners at HIAS is mandatory for all fellows
- Co-funding or sabbatical support from the applicant's home institution is encouraged and should be noted in the application
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Mid-career or early-career scholars with a doctorate focusing on peace, deterrence, cybersecurity, climate security, or European security architecture
- Researchers seeking dedicated time in Hamburg with guaranteed workspace and structured academic tandem support at a top German security institute
- Scholars who thrive in active interdisciplinary settings and can participate in mandatory weekly colloquia, dinners, and group exchanges
What should you think carefully about?
- Requires full-time physical presence in Hamburg for 3 to 9 months, ruling out candidates who require fully remote or hybrid arrangements
- Fellowships cannot be scheduled during July, August, or September as those months fall outside the active academic fellowship period
- Local researchers already residing in the Hamburg metropolitan region are strictly ineligible
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This fellowship provides an ideal platform for researchers aiming to complete a major monograph, launch an interdisciplinary security research project, or build sustainable European academic networks. By offering flexible funding through direct stipends or institutional replacement support alongside furnished family housing assistance, the program fits scholars seeking focused sabbatical stays in an internationally collaborative environment.
Our take
Doctoral-level scholars and policy experts seeking a funded, on-site research stay in Hamburg between 3 and 9 months should apply by November 16, 2026. Local Hamburg-based academics or those unable to relocate on-site for the term will need to seek alternative opportunities.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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