Yes. Researchers with German citizenship are also eligible for funding, provided that they are working at a foreign university or research institution at the time of application.
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International Fellows @ FCMH
Globally Connected. At Home in Central Hessen.
Research thrives on encounters and perspectives. At the Research Campus of Central Hessen (FCMH), we promote exchange with outstanding researchers from all over the world and attract international talent to the science region of Central Hessen – for research that inspires, connects, and broadens horizons.
With the International Fellows @ FCMH programme, we are opening up new avenues of collaboration for you: you can invite international guests, initiate joint projects, and strengthen the visibility of your research in the long term. Whether it's publications, follow-up applications, co-teaching, or workshops, the programme supports you in building partnerships that extend far beyond individual projects.
Application Requirements
- Applicants: Researchers at postdoctoral level or above from the three FCMH universities are eligible to apply.
- Fellows: Postdocs and established researchers who are living and working abroad at the time of application and are employed at a university or research institution abroad are eligible for funding as International Fellows @ FCMH. In exceptional cases, funding may also be available for advanced doctoral candidates.
- Goal: building networks. Fellows should be given the opportunity to expand their networks at all three FCMH universities and at regional partner institutions. A visit plan outlining how networking at FCMH universities will take place is a central component of the application. Designated hosts accompany and support fellows in networking within their respective institutions.
- Applications are accepted at any time and are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Please note that applications can be accepted only until April 30, 2026, and the visits must take place and be completed within the year 2026.
Note on the application process: Incoming applications are first reviewed by the FCMH Management Office. The FCMH Research Council then evaluates the proposal, particularly with regard to its potential for fostering connections within the research campus. The final funding decision is made by the Board of Directors.
What Does the “International Fellows@FCMH” Programme Offer?
- Stays of at least one week and up to a maximum of three months are eligible for funding. The exact duration depends on the individual research project and the planned networking activities.
- The programme provides International Fellows with lump-sum grants to give them the greatest possible freedom for research, cooperation, and exchange during their stay in Central Hessen:
- Travel allowance: depending on country of origin (based on DAAD rates)
- Accommodation fee: €500 per month / €125 per week
- Mobility allowance: €50 per month / €15 per week (to promote regional mobility during your stay)
- Meal allowance: €1,000 per month / €250 per week
- Family allowance: €500 per month / €125 per week (if it is necessary to bring your family with you)
- Support from A to Z: With the International Fellows Programme, we make your stay and that of your guests as easy and rewarding as possible. The FCMH office supports you in all organizational matters—from finding accommodation and networking at our universities to administrative procedures. In addition, we ensure that fellows have an all-round positive experience with a tailor-made accompanying program. Personal advice, involvement in regional scientific events, and targeted networking open up new opportunities for exchange, cooperation, and sustainable partnerships.
FAQ
Can German researchers also receive funding?
How far in advance of the planned stay should an application be submitted?
We recommend that you apply approximately six months before your fellow's planned arrival, as visa processing times can take several months in some countries of origin. In cases where a visa is not required, applications can also be submitted at shorter notice. The application review and decision process usually takes two to three weeks. Please note that applying at short notice can make finding accommodation significantly more difficult.
How are the costs of the stay billed?
The money will be transferred directly to the international fellows upon their arrival; for longer stays, it will be transferred monthly. All costs incurred can be covered independently from these funds. Even when staying in one of the guest houses, the fellows pay the costs themselves from the fellowship funds. Upon request, the travel allowance can be paid out in advance; however, if the visit does not take place, the amount must be refunded.
Who is responsible for booking accommodation?
Once the visit period has been determined, the FCMH office will assist you in reserving a place in the university guest houses upon request. However, as these are in high demand, no place can be guaranteed. If no accommodation is available in the guest houses, the fellow must book accommodation independently (the office will be happy to help with recommendations for well-located accommodation). In any case, all accommodation costs must be covered by the fellowship provided.
Current Fellows
Ass. Prof. Dr Heloise Weber, University of Queensland, Australia
Heloise Weber will be a guest at the Research Campus Central Hessen from 3 November 2025 to 2 February 2026.
The fellowship is supervised by Prof. Dr Regina Kreide (Institute for Political Science, JLU Giessen) and supported by Prof. Dr Felix Anderl (Centre for Conflict Research, Philipps University of Marburg).
Her research lies at the intersection of critical development studies and international relations. Her main areas of interest include postcolonial theory and politics, the politics of methods in the analysis of global social and political change, international institutions and global governance, international political economy, and issues of global structural injustice, human rights and social exclusion.
Dr Weber has published in leading journals, including the European Journal of International Studies, Review of International Studies, Review of International Political Economy, and Globalizations. She is also co-editor of several special issues, editor of an anthology promoting exchange between established and early-career researchers, and co-author of the books Rethinking the Third World (with Mark T. Berger) and Development and Social Change – A Global Perspective (with Philip McMichael, Cornell University).
She is a long-standing member of the International Studies Association (ISA), where she has served on the Executive Board, co-founded the ISA Asia-Pacific Region, and served several terms as chair of the Global Development Studies Section. She is currently a member of the ISA Publications Committee and president of the Development Studies Association Australia (2022–2024). She is also academic editor of Third World Quarterly and a member of the editorial boards of Globalizations and Contexto International – Journal of Global Connections.
Further Information: University of Queensland – Heloise Weber
Jonathan Armando Patiño, Córdoba University, Argentinia
Jonathan Armando Patiño is a computer engineer from the National University of Córdoba in Argentina. As an International Fellow at the Research Campus Mittelhessen, he is currently conducting research at JLU as part of the International Fellow@FCMH programme. With extensive experience in the development of embedded systems – from Arduino to Raspberry Pi – and in-depth knowledge of hardware and software programming, he brings valuable technical expertise to the 2LabsToGo Eco project. This forward-looking, open and sustainable laboratory platform system combines analytical and biological testing procedures in a compact, resource-saving unit. The focus of his stay is on the further development and modernisation of the system, in particular through performance optimisation, improved hardware integration and efficient use of resources. Together with Prof. Dr Gertrud Morlock (Chair of Food Science, JLU), he is working on the further development of 2LabsToGo-Eco into a future-oriented, open research system. The project is also supported by Prof. Dr. Andreas Penirschke (THM) and Prof. Dr. Michael Keusgen (UMR), who contribute complementary technical and analytical expertise. His stay contributes to strengthening interdisciplinary research in Central Hesse and further developing innovative, sustainable technologies in open scientific structures.
Caroline Giraud, Ph.D., Université de Caen, France
Visit period: 8–12 December 2025
Host institutions: JLU, THM
Hosts: PD Dr Torsten Hain (JLU), Prof. Dr Franz Cemic (THM)
Dr Caroline Giraud is a molecular microbiologist at the Université de Caen – Normandie, specialising in Enterococci, Pseudomonas species, and lasso peptide applications. During her short stay, she collaborates with teams at JLU and THM on the joint analysis of RNA-Seq data from an innovative infection model. The visit strengthens a long-standing German–French collaboration and supports the completion of shared research and the preparation of a joint scientific publication.
Scheduled Visits
Sonia Simon, University Jaume I, Spain
Visit period: 1 January – 31 March 2026
Host institutions: JLU, UMR
Hosts: Prof. Dr Jürgen Janek (JLU), Dr Felix Richter (JLU), Prof. Dr Kerstin Volz (UMR)
Sonia Simon is a materials scientist specialising in solid electrolytes, lithium-ion conduction and interface analysis. During her fellowship, she works at JLU on the fabrication of multilayer solid-state electrolytes and collaborates with researchers at UMR on advanced TEM-based structural and interfacial characterisation. The fellowship strengthens cross-site cooperation in battery research and supports the preparation of joint scientific outputs.
Ferrucio Romano, MD, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Italien
Visit period: 12 January – 7 February 2026
Host institutions: JLU, UMR
Hosts: Prof. Roland Axt-Fliedner (JLU), Dr Ivonne Bedei (JLU), Dr Corinna Keil (UMR), Prof. Dr Jörg Bartsch (UMR), PD Benjamin Sass (UMR), Dr Philipp Schöppner (UMR)
Dr Ferruccio Romano is a physician and researcher at the IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini in Genoa, Italy. His work focuses on medical genetics, with a particular emphasis on neural tube defects (NTDs). He conducts exome and methylation analyses on blood and pathological tissues from affected patients, aiming to identify germline or somatic variants and abnormal methylation patterns associated with these complex malformations.
During his fellowship, he collaborates with research groups in Giessen and Marburg to compare different clinical and scientific approaches to NTDs. The visit focuses on exchanging perspectives on diagnostic methods, research strategies and patient management. It aims to strengthen networking between hospitals in Germany and Italy and to lay the groundwork for future collaborative projects in prenatal NTD research.
Dr Boniface Onyeke Agbo, Kaduna State University, Nigeria
Visit period: 1 April – 30 June 2026
Host institutions: JLU, UMR
Hosts: Prof. Dr Petra Quillfeldt (JLU), Prof. Dr Dana Schabo (UMR)
Dr Boniface Onyeke Agbo is an ecologist at Kaduna State University whose research focuses on the ecology, diet, and parasitology of wild Columbids in Nigeria. His three-month fellowship includes fieldwork, molecular analysis and data evaluation with teams in Giessen and Marburg. The visit aims to establish a sustainable long-term research collaboration, enhance methodological expertise, and prepare joint funding applications for future cooperative projects.
Previous Fellows
Prof. Dr Teresa Roldán-Arjona und Prof. Dr. Rafael Ariza, Cordoba University, Spain, 22.01. - 29.01.2024
Prof. Dr Gaby Pailer, University of British Columbia, 10.06. - 17. 06.2024
Dr K. Allison Hammer, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 27.06. - 17.07.2024
Dr Mohcine Laarraj, School of Aerospace Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome, 12.05. - 11.08.2024
Prof. Dr Tommaso Beggio, University Trento, 11.09. - 18.10.2024
Dr Karina Bénazech Wendling, Université de Lorraine, 09.12. - 15.12.2024
Dr Bernardino José Bernardo, Pedagogical University Maputo, Mozambik, 13.03. - 12.05.2025
Dr Jorgelina Franzese, CONICET-UNComa, Argentina, 01.04.- 30.06.2025
Prof. Dr Ilva Dana Rupenthal, The University of Auckland, New Zealand, 16.06. - 11.07.2025
Prof. Dr Ashutosh Mishra, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-A), India, 01.06. - 31.08.2025
Dr Luciele Guerra Minuzzi, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil , 15.07. - 15.10.2025
Dr Nikolaos Alexandridis, Lund University, Sweden, 17.11. - 28.11.2025
Dr José Luis Carmona Jiménez, Rumanian Academy (IMAR), Romania, 15.09. - 30.11.2025