The European Charlemagne Prize Fellowship

The application period for the current year starts in July and is followed by the selection procedure from July until September. The grants will be awarded on the basis of the relevance and originality of the research question and the professionalism of the research proposal. A high-level selection committee, representing various perspectives and backgrounds, will decide on the outstanding candidates, who will receive financial -, administrative - and academic support during the following months. The applicants will be informed about the selection outcome latest by the end of October.

What

As a contribution to European integration and for the exchange of the young generation in Europe, the Charlemagne Prize Academy aims to identify future challenges and problems of European society and, by awarding research fellowships annually, to develop approaches to solutions at an early stage, which are discussed in dialogue with representatives from science, politics, business, and the public to determine their feasibility and practicability.

The Charlemagne Prize Fellowship is an endowed one-year non-resident programme of the European Charlemagne Prize Academy, addressing European junior researchers, next-generation policy experts, innovators, and thought leaders that work toward a better European Union. 

The Fellowship includes a stipend of 25,000 € per research project. With the grant, our Fellows are offered the opportunity to conduct an independent research project individually or in a group. We highly encourage applicants to look for a suitable host institution that could provide a work place and research facilities at the preferred location during the Fellowship. In addition, the Fellow can choose to implement their project with the help of a self-selected mentor. During the Fellowship programme, the Fellows are able to travel and network with experts and international and European decision-makers, and to present the research results in the final annual publication as well as in front of a large audience at the concluding conference summit. A unique aspect of the Fellowship is the connection with former Charlemagne Prize Laureates and the participation at the Charlemagne Prize award ceremony in Aachen in spring. 

When

The application period for the current year starts in July and is followed by the selection procedure in September. All applicants will be informed about the outcome of the selection process in October. Our Fellows are selected by a high-level and diverse selection committee on the basis of the relevance of the research question and the professionalism of the research proposal. 

The Fellowship starts with a prospective conference in autumn, comprising first thematic discussions, networking opportunities and the grant-award ceremony. At the start of the research year, the Fellows will agree on milestones that they want to achieve after each research quarter. These could be surveys, articles, policy papers, or social outputs that aim for societal and academic relevance and the successful implementation of the final project. During the research year, the Academy will organise various additional networking events with partner organisations. The research results should be handed in by August in the following year in order to be published in the Academy's annual publication. The research year will end with the concluding summit after 12 months. 

Where

The Charlemagne Prize Academy is a purely virtual academy. Our Fellows conduct their research projects in an EU member state or as an EU citizen in a non-EU country. This means that the topic-related tasks will be carried out independently by the candidates under academic supervision and support in their respective countries of residence or at the local offices of an institution of choice. The Fellows can therefore implement their research project next to their professional or academic positions. 

During the Fellowship programme, different opportunities for networking and exchange will be organised by the Charlemagne Prize Foundation and its partner organisations. Our Fellows will get the chance to present the individual research progress in front of a larger audience. With the completion of the research project, the Fellows and the Foundation will work on a joint publication to present their findings, data, and comments on future developments in Europe. 

The concluding summit will present the possibility to discuss and implement individual findings and to create exchange between the Charlemagne Prize Fellows and international and European decision-makers. Afterwards, the Fellows will become part of our alumni network and will get the chance to continue growing their personal and professional connections.