At the renowned institutions of the excellence alliance, junior researchers find ideal conditions to further develop their research profile and establish themselves as independent researchers – embedded in a uniquely diverse research hub. With the goal of working together to recruit, promote, and provide the best support to young talent across the boundaries of disciplines and institutions, for the first time the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) is calling for proposals for junior research groups in various fields. The recruitment drive is aimed at outstanding scientific talent from all over the globe. Candidates have until August 1, 2021, to submit their applications for the first calls.

As part of the junior research group initiative, the researchers are tasked with designing their own projects independently and assuming responsibility for leading a small research team at one of the partner institutions of the BUA – Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The format therefore enables candidates to gain initial leadership experience in the scientific field over a period of four to five years and to develop their research profile with a view to attaining a professorship or some other prominent position in science, science management, or other fields of practice.

The junior research group leaders stand to benefit from the intensive cooperation of the partner institutions: These institutions are able to pool their strengths, thereby facilitating the cooperative use of expertise, services, research infrastructures and equipment. Junior research groups will be announced initially in the areas of Research Quality and Open Science and Diversity and Gender Studies. Calls for proposals under the Promoting Talent objective will follow at a later date.

The two junior research groups in the area of “Research Quality and Open Science” will take into account the many aspects of the topic and seek to create a theoretical as well as an empirical basis for achieving a better understanding of research quality and open science – also factoring in differences across disciplines. The junior research groups will get involved in the debate surrounding the quality and standards of research across disciplinary and institutional boundaries. They also aim to develop research practices that sustainably anchor the topic of research quality in institutions and enable the opening up of science.

Four additional junior research groups focus on new questions, methods, and approaches in the area of “Diversity and Gender Equality”. The aim is to develop innovative standards that promote the cultural shift toward a diversity- and gender-sensitive research and teaching environment. Special attention will be paid to the multidimensional and intersectional nature of diversity in academic institutions.

 

The Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance is a consortium consisting of three major Berlin universities – Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin – and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, established to shape research and education in Berlin. The four partners joined forces to further develop Berlin as a research hub with international drawing power. Together the partners explore major societal challenges, increase public outreach, promote the training of junior researchers, address issues of quality and standards in research, and share resources in the areas of research infrastructure, teaching, diversity, equal opportunities, and internationalization. The Berlin University Alliance is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the state of Berlin under the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Länder.

Joint press release from Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin along with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Press contact
Hans-Christoph Keller, acting press spokesperson of the Berlin University Alliance and press spokesperson of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Email: medien@berlin-university-alliance.de