Room for Research (Freiraum für Forschung)

Room for Research is an interdisciplinary scholarship for advanced female postdocs. The aim is to support young female scientists by offering individual relief options for completing a postdoctoral thesis, a ‘major’ article in renowned journals, planning the next steps in their career or applying for an (international) joint project. In this way, the programme supports women in their scientific career development and planning.

The scholarship is a measure from the Equality Concept for Parity at the University of Münster, which is a prerequisite for participation in the 2030 ‘Female Professors Programme’. The Rectorate supports Room for Research with up to five research grants of € 10.000 per semester.

  • Nature and aim of the programme

    • Support for advanced female postdocs through a scholarship
    • Support for up to five Room for Research grants of € 10.000 per semester
    • A maximum of one grant per person is possible                

  • Examples of relief options

    • Awarding teaching assignments
    • Reduction in teaching
    • Increasing existing positions in the faculty
    • Auxiliary staff hours to support postdocs
    • Relief for e.g., committee work, exam invigilators, corrections
    • etc.

  • Requirements for application

    • The researcher must be demonstrably on a promising path to completing her habilitation (or equivalent)
    • Female postdocs with permanent or fixed-term contracts at the University of Münster are eligible to apply

  • Documents to be submitted (maximum 10 pages)

    • Curriculum vitae
    • List of publications with an overview of teaching, research and third-party funding
    • Brief research concept and prospective planning (in tabular form) for fulfilling the habilitation requirements (or equivalent) in comparison with the subject-specific minimum requirements in accordance with the habilitation regulations
    • Letter of recommendation / statement of support for the application from the responsible supervisor(s)
    • Description of the scope and nature of the relief
    • Declaration of commitment by the department and responsible institute to implement the relief for the researcher with detailed personnel/task planning
    • Proof of a budget-financed scientific employment relationship at the University of Münster that will continue for the duration of the funding

  • Application process

    Applications are accepted twice a year:

    • by 1 April 2025 (earliest possible start of the programme in the following October)
    • by 1 October 2025 (earliest possible start of the programme in the following April)

    Only applications submitted with complete documentation (see above) will be considered.

    The Equal Opportunity Office will review applications, taking intersectional aspects into account. Final funding decisions are made by the Rectorate Committee for Research Affairs (RKF).

    You can find the complete invitation to apply here (PDF)

    Please submit your application electronically as a single PDF file to the University of Münster’s Principal Equal Opportunity Officer:

    Dr. Bente Lucht
    Georgskommende 26
    48143 Münster
    Email: gleichstellungsbeauftragte@uni-muenster.de

Your contact at the Equal Opportunities Office:

Kaja Köhnle
Advisor for Gender Equality
Tel.: +49 251 83-29710
Email: kaja.koehnle@uni-muenster.de