The Max Weber Programme is Europe’s largest postdoctoral programme in the social sciences and humanities. It is funded by the European Commission (DG Education and Culture) and hosted by the European University Institute in Florence where the research community of professors, researchers and fellows provides an excellent environment for the Programme.
The Programme, open to all nationalities, is designed for junior post-docs who have received a doctorate in economics, law, history, social and political sciences, or a related field, within the last 5 years and who want to advance in their research and academic training, in an active multidisciplinary environment before entering the international job market, or in the early stages of their academic careers.
Fellows are selected on the basis of their research accomplishments and potential, their academic career interests, and the availability of the EUI faculty to provide mentorship.
Fellows are supported and encouraged to pursue their research agendas and participate in the research activities of the EUI, and in particular, the research activities of the Max Weber Programme and of the EUI Departments with which they are affiliated.
The Max Weber Programme, hosted in the beautiful Villa La Fonte, provides excellent research facilities, a range of activities to improve communication skills (writing, presentation and teaching), and actively supports Fellows looking for an academic job; for those interested, it offers a range of teaching-training possibilities (within the EUI, Florence and abroad), and it organizes multidisciplinary research workshops and discussions on different aspects of academic careers. Many of these activities are organized by the Fellows themselves. All these elements (see the Programme of Activities for more details) make the Max Weber Fellowship a unique and productive multicultural and multidisciplinary personal and intellectual experience at the beginning of a promising academic career.
As a service to the academic community at large – especially to those starting an academic career in the social sciences and humanities – the Programme hosts the Academic Careers Observatory
The Max Weber Programme offers 1- and 2-year fellowships. The annual deadline for applications for these Max Weber Fellowships is 25 October but please note that applications for self-funded fellowships are considered until 20 April.
Eligibility
Max Weber Fellowships are open to candidates who have received their Ph.D. or officially been accepted for defense by the time of the start of the programme (1 September).
Candidates are eligible during the five-year period following the successful completion of their Ph.D. For example, to apply for 2011/2012 you should have received or submitted your Ph.D. betweeen 1/9/2006 and 1/9/2011.
Extensions to the five-year rule are allowed for applicants whose academic career has been interrupted for maternity leave or illness. Cite circumstances in the application in the field ‘Additional Notes’. Successful candidates will be asked to provide supporting documents.
EUI graduates can only apply for Max Weber Fellowships after having been away from the EUI and in a full-time occupation or with another fellowship for at least one year after defending their Ph.D.
Nationality
Candidates of all nationalities are eligible for the Max Weber Fellowships.
Languages
Fellows should have a good knowledge of English, the working language of the programme, and any other language relevant to their proposed research.
Duration
The Fellowships are awarded for 12 or 24 months. Candidates should indicate the preferred period in their application.
The EUI reserves the right to award 12 months due to the high demand for MWP Fellowships.
The period will be indicated in the award letter.
Extensions or renewals are not allowed.
In case a fellow leaves before the fellowship ends (before late July), the stipend will be accordingly interrupted and no grant will be paid for the month of August.
Residence
Fellows are required to live in Florence for the duration of their Fellowship in order that they may take an active part in the programme and in the academic activities of their department.
Financial conditions regarding the Max Weber Fellowships funded by the Max Weber Programme
Stipend
The basic stipend is € 2,000 per month.
Successful applicants who receive other grants or salaries must disclose this to the EUI. The amount of the fellowship will be fixed at a lower rate (minimum €1,250 per month) depending on the amount of the additional income.
If applicable, family allowances will be added to the basic stipend (see below).
Family Allowance
A household allowance of € 300 per month is paid to fellows with a partner if the partner lives with them in Florence and on condition that the partner’s income is not over € 2,000 per month.
There is a dependants allowance of € 200 per month for each dependent child living with the Fellow in Florence.
Fellows are entitled to these allowances if they are not receiving any similar allowance from another source, and on presentation of relevant certificates (mariage certificate or equivalent, birh certificates).
A school or university certificate is required for dependent children in full-time education and over the age of 18.
Taxation
MWP Fellowships are not taxed by the EUI, but are required to comply with any other tax provisions which may be applicable to them.
Medical Insurance
Fellows must have adequate medical insurance cover during their stay at the Institute.
Fellows can either provide proof of their own insurance scheme or subscribe to the EUI’s Van Breda Insurance Scheme at their own expense.
Travel Expenses
Fellows (but not their families) receive 1 return trip from their home town to Florence as follows:
1st-class rail for distances under 500 km (car travel also reimbursed on this basis)
economy class Y air fare over 500 km
Reimbursement cannot be more than a Florence-Helsinki air fare.
This may mean that travel expenses are only partly reimboursed for Fellows coming from outside Europe.
Removal/installation Expenses
There is no provision for removal or installation expenses.
Selection Criteria
The following criteria guide the selection of Max Weber Fellows:
* Research accomplishments and potential. Research excellence is assessed on the basis of the candidate’s contributions (publications, PhD thesis, etc.) and other supporting evidence (i.e., letters of reference and research plan).
* Academic career interests are assessed on the basis of the CV, the ‘Research and a academic career statement’ and other supporting evidence (i.e. letters of reference), with the aim of assigning Max Weber Fellowships to those candidates, satisfying the research excellence criteria and committed to an academic career, who can benefit the most from the Max Weber Programme, oriented towards the early stages of the post-doc academic career.
* In addition the above two criteria, the capacity and availability of EUI faculty to provide mentorship is taken into account; however, while having common research interests may be helpful, it is not a necessity for mentorship.
Selection Procedure
Candidates are reviewed by the Director of the MWP and the professors of the relevant Department, and selected by the Max Weber Steering Committee.
Final approval is made by the Executive Committee of the EUI. Their decision is final and no appeal is possible.