Sofja Kovalevskaja Award for Top Level Junior Scientists and Scholars

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation based in Bonn, Germany, announces that it now accepts application for the prestigious Sofja Kovalevskaja Award for Top Level Junior Scientists and Scholars. Below is the official announcement from Dr. Georg Schütte, Secretary General of the Foundation:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Political debate on higher education is currently focused on enhancing the internationalisation of Germany as a research location. Endeavours are underway to improve the showcasing of German research and to create offers designed to promote collaboration between German and foreign researchers. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is delighted to be able to contribute to this by announcing once again the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award for Top Level Junior Scientists and Scholars. This attractively endowed research award is an outstanding career opportunity for junior research talents of all disciplines from abroad to establish their own junior research groups at German research institutions.

The award recognises outstanding talent, above average initiative and a creative approach to research and grants exceptional research conditions: The award amount totalling up to 1.65 million EUR provides award winners with valuable risk capital, enabling them to put innovative research ideas into practice. They may spend five years working on research projects at an institute of their own choice, untroubled by administrative constraints. Furthermore, building up their own working groups allows the award winners to lay important foundations for a promising research career at a very early stage. The programme is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Scientists and scholars of all disciplines from abroad with outstanding qualifications, who have completed their doctorates within the last six years, are eligible to apply. The programme is also open to German academics working abroad. Applications must be submitted by 15 October 2009.

We should be very grateful if you would help us to search for international research talents. For example by disseminating the announcement at your institution or asking researchers you know to draw the attention of junior researchers who might be potential candidates to the award. Details of the application procedure for the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award can be found on our website at http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/SKP_en

Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Oliver Lange (0228-833-274, oliver.lange@avh.de) or Monika Appmann (0228-833-186, monika.appmann@avh.de) if you have any further questions regarding the Sofja Kovalevskaja award.

With many thanks for your support and kind regards,

Dr. Georg Schütte

Secretary General

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation