The KIU Sur-Place Fellowship in Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies

The KIU Sur-Place Fellowship in Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies supports innovative and significant research on topics related to Ukraine for scholars residing in Ukraine. 

Together with the Center for Urban History, KIU invites researchers from various disciplines such as history, cultural studies, social sciences, economics, legal studies and related fields to intensively advance their research, broaden their networks and connect themselves and their work to an emerging vibrant Ukraine-related research environment located in the Berlin-Brandenburg capital area.

KIU is a project initiated and led by the European University Viadrina, in cooperation with its partner institutions – the Centre for East European and International Studies Berlin (ZOiS), the Humboldt University Berlin, the Free University Berlin, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin.

With its Sur-Place Fellowship program, KIU seeks to support those excellent scientists who have remained in Ukraine despite all the adversities caused by the war, carrying out highly relevant research projects there and enriching our understanding of Ukraine, its past, present and future, and its entanglements. Fellows will be offered a one-time stipend of 4050€ (covering up to 9 months) for individual research. KIU fellows are expected to connect virtually with a host from the KIU network, and to enjoy intellectual exchange and international inspiration in a regular KIU digital or hybrid colloquium with KIU research fellows and faculty.

Fellows are offered the opportunity to spend a period of collaborative work from two weeks up to one month at the Center for Urban History. The fellowship at the Center will offer accommodation in guest rooms close to the Center, a small working place, administrative support, access to the library and the Media archive, and assistance with scholarly contacts. Fellows will be invited to present and discuss the preliminary results of research within the Urban Seminar and public lectures and contribute to other activities at the Center for Urban History.

Aims and Scope

The KIU Research Fellowships are intended to support scientists of all career stages from 2 years after completing their doctorate in their individual studies, and to connect them both with KIU and the Lviv Center for Urban History. Fellows are expected to focus on a project, contribute to the regular digital/hybrid KIU colloquium with at least one presentation of their own work, and to explore the potential of joint research work both with other fellows and with KIU members and in particular their individual virtual hosts.

In 2024, nine Sur-Place fellowships are offered for committed scientists from all the above-mentioned disciplines, starting in September 24. Research topics should be related to, but are not limited on our recent umbrella topic: "War in Ukraine: Destruction of heritage – mastering legacy."

Fellows are welcomed to continue their collaboration with other fellows and with their host of the network after their time as a KIU fellow within the framework of project proposals or publication projects developed during their stay. Proposals and ideas outlining this continued cooperation will be positively considered in the application.

How to apply

Interested and eligible researchers are invited to send the following documents by 11.08.2024 in one pdf file to [email protected] with the subject line "KIU Sur-Place fellowship application". 

Please note that applications that consist of more than one file or that are submitted after August, 11th 2024 cannot be considered.

Fellowship applicants are encouraged to propose their future virtual host, a member of the KIU, related to their research.

Required documents

• A project proposal of max. 750 words, describing your research project, work plan and intended outcomes to be implemented during your Sur-Place fellowship.
• A proposal for your academic host, including information on the extent to which you have already contacted or collaborated with your host, and any joint projects or publications already planned. Recommendations or a letter of intend from your future virtual host will be highly appreciated.
• Your CV, including publications list, highlighting your most relevant 5 publications.