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Become a host for a Feodor Lynen Research Fellow
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Feodor Lynen Research Fellows require academic support and a point of contact at their host institution during their stay abroad. You can act as a host for outstandingly qualified researchers from Germany planning a research stay abroad if you are established and work at a university or research institution outside of Germany and belong to one of the following groups of people:
- You are a researcher sponsored by the Humboldt Foundation.
- You have already been a host to a researcher sponsored by the Humboldt Foundation.
- You are currently or were previously a member of the Humboldt Foundation’s academic selection committees.
- You have taken part in a Frontiers of Research Symposium organised by theHumboldt Foundation.
- You have been awarded a specified research award.
If you are eligible as a host and have given consent to your personal details being published, potential applicants may find you using the Lynen host search. Your personal details shown in the search can be updated here at any time.
The Humboldt Foundation seeks to have host institutions contribute to the financing of the fellowship. The sum of this contribution is approximately one third of the total fellowship amount. For hosts from certain countries (see list of countries (PDF)), a contribution from the host institution is not required. In the event that the host institution encounters demonstrable financial difficulties, the Humboldt Foundation is prepared to find an individual solution.
Please refer to our website or the Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship programme information to find out exactly what is required of the applicant.
The research proposal
First, applicants must coordinate their independently developed research proposal with you. The proposal outline should come to approximately five pages in total (including bibliography) and cover the following questions:
- What is the current state of research (evidenced by approx. five relevant publications from the research area; one page max)?
- What questions are to be examined? What is the significance of these questions for the advancement of the research area?
- What scientific methods are to be used to achieve the objectives of the proposal (substantiated by references, where applicable)?
Alongside the applicant’s previous academic career, the quality of their key publications and their prospects for the future, a further criterion that plays a crucial role in the independent peer reviewers’ and Selection Committee’s evaluation of an application is the originality of the research proposal. It is therefore important that the applicant has developed the research proposal her- or himself.
Your statement
To enable you to submit a meaningful statement on the applicant’s qualifications and on the proposed research, you will generally require the following documents:
- research outline
- CV
- key publications
- the names of the expert reviewers
Your statement is crucial to the review process and very important to the Selection Committee. Your expertise should focus on the applicant’s creative potential and the innovative idea underlying the intended research.
In drawing up your assessment please refer to the list of questions for the statement by the host (PDF)and answer these questions in the order given, where possible. Upload the completed document together with the signed confirmation of research facilities and support (DOC) to a secure area associated with the application;the applicant will send you the corresponding link to this area by email. Your statement will, of course, be treated as confidential.
Please note
The applicant cannot submit an application online until your host’s statement and the signed confirmation of research facilities and support have been provided. We therefore recommend that you upload the necessary documents as soon as possible once you have been notified by the applicant.
As soon as we have received and formally reviewed the application documents in their entirety, we will forward them to external peer reviewers and notify you and the applicants of the scheduled selection date. Selection meetings are held three times a year (in February, June and October); the selection procedure takes between four and seven months. After the selection meeting we will inform you of the outcome as quickly as possible by email.
If the application is unsuccessful, we may provide you with reasons for our decision. Please request this information informally by email. You and the applicant will receive a letter with the outcome of the application approximately five weeks after the decision has been made. General information on the selection procedure can be found in the Timeline of Selection Procedure.
When integrating your guest researcher into your working group you undertake to
- abide by the Principles of Scientific Ethics
- comply with the Rules of Good Scientific Practice
- observe the regulations relating to the prevention of arms-relevant technology transfer
- stay alert to the danger of illegal or undesired knowledge transfer.