Heinz Heinen Fellowship Program
Current Calls for Application
Call for Applications: Heinz Heinen Fellowships 2026/2027
Application Deadline: 10 January 2026
The Heinz Heinen Fellowship brings together excellent international scholars whose research focuses on different forms of Strong Asymmetrical Dependency (SAD) and slavery in all historical periods and cultural contexts. It is part of the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS), a Cluster of Excellence funded by the German Excellence Strategy.
The expertise that our fellows bring to the Cluster is of the utmost value and we highly appreciate their active and creative involvement. Our Fellowship Program offers a unique opportunity to bring together their collective knowledge, providing each fellow with the necessary time and freedom to pursue their own research. The program is designed to be a space for discourse, exchange, and networking, and all fellows and guests are invited to share their research projects and results in our Fellows Seminar.
Our fellows are welcome to attend our lecture series, conferences and workshops, and organise their own topic-driven workshops and other joint events. In addition, we are happy to inform about opportunities to publish research findings in one of our peer-reviewed publication formats.
Each academic year (starting from 1 October), the BCDSS welcomes
- Doctoral Fellows (about to finish their PhD) for up to 6 months;
- Junior Postdoctoral Fellows (max. 6 months after PhD to up to 4 years after the dissertation) for up to 12 months;
- Postdoctoral Fellows (more than 4 years after the dissertation; postdocs, assistant and associate professors) for up to 12 months;
- Senior Fellows (full professors) for up to 12 months;
- "Alternative Knowledge Producers" (e.g. journalists, artists, creatives, museum professionals, curators, intellectuals) for up to 6 months.
While we prefer our fellows to stay for a longer period, one or several shorter stays in Bonn are possible in order to accommodate a scholar's individual career situation.
Fellowships comprise
- monthly stipend: € 1,700 for doctoral fellows, € 2,600 for junior postdocs, € 3,100 for postdocs, € 3,600 for senior fellows;
- travel allowance (outward and return journey);
- lump sum for accommodation in addition to stipend;
- working space including a desktop computer at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies;
- the opportunity to organize a workshop in Bonn and apply for its funding;
- support in organizational matters before and upon arrival;
- support in finding daycare for children.
Contact
Sarah Dusend
Laura Hartmann