Research Applications
Research & Studies
Experience the transformative power of interdisciplinary collaboration at iASK through its Fellowship Program. As an institute that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, iASK fosters dialogue and cooperation across diverse fields such as environmental science, economy, history, philosophy, anthropology, psychology, physics, visual arts, and music. By offering a fresh perspective on sustainable development, cultural heritage preservation, and the complexities of modern societies, iASK drives innovation and generates meaningful impact. Groundbreaking initiatives, including the renowned KRAFT program for regional development and cultural heritage management, as well as the visionary Synergy Campus concept, which promotes interdisciplinary knowledge for the future, have redefined the landscape of research and academia. You are invited to join the iASK team and become an active participant in shaping the future of knowledge and society.
The Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK) invites applications for individual research fellowships for periods of 3-5 months between February 15-July 15, 2026 or September 1-December 31, 2026.
Applications are expected to address a topic under the following three thematic priorities.
For this call, the main priority is number 1 listed below which includes the EU-Balkan Observatory.
Multiple crises caused by the war in Ukraine, pandemics, climate change and related migrations have major implications for Europe’s security, unity and geopolitical landscape. The enlargement processes, a core goal of Post Cold War Europe, have been disrupted, highlighting the diverging trajectories of post-socialist countries. Understanding these trajectories requires careful investigation of how states navigate domestic reforms, regional dynamics and responsibilities vs. global pressures, situating their development within broader international contexts.
Topics include (but are not limited to):
How do “in-between” spaces function as laboratories of overlapping influences, where EU conditionality, illiberal models, regional cooperation, external actors, and local cultural specificities intersect, and what does this reveal about the dynamics of political and social transformation beyond binary East–West frameworks?
What are the dynamics for the EU integration processes and the political, economic, social and cultural implications for the Western Balkans? How is the European perspective in the countries of the Western Balkans shaped, promoted, or challenged? To what extent might the EU itself remain fragile and incomplete without the inclusion of the Western Balkan countries?
How do Southeastern European countries align with EU environmental standards and how can these countries transition to more sustainable societies? What regional and cross-border cooperation possibilities exist for sustainable practices in the region? How are WB countries aligning with the EU Green Deal and Green Agenda for the Western Balkans (2020)? To what extent can climate change adaptation, energy transition, and cross-border resource management – serve as catalysts for regional cooperation and citizen mobilization (environmental activism) in the Western Balkans?
What are the implications of different narratives (e.g., digital, popular, and official) and their temporalities for identity construction and who are the creators of these narratives in physical, online, and imaginary spaces of memory?
Participation in the iASK initiative, EU-Balkan Observatory with short policy papers and analyses is highly recommended for all new scholars.
(https://iask.hu/en/research-and-studies/balkan-observatory/).
*Applicants from Southeastern Europe and the Balkans will be given priority.
The flagship program at iASK is called KRAFT: Creative Cities and Sustainable Regions. We are looking for innovative applications that address complex regional development initiatives and ideas that transform into public policy to increase the vitality and sustainability of regions and micro-regions and its societies.
Topics include (but are not limited to):
Research will be supported that addresses the complexity and challenges of the modern world including globalization, the escalation of war, accelerating climate change, fragile societies, disruptive technologies, risks and attacks in cyberspace, overpopulation, and mass migration. Multi-disciplinary methodologies supporting the research project (including complexity theory, quantitative and qualitative analysis, data science, and modelling) are encouraged. Research should relate social research to natural sciences, as well as promote policy discussions at local, regional and global levels.
Topics include (but are not limited to):
Eligibility: The scholarship is open to applicants with advanced university degrees. Two categories of researchers are awarded:
Senior researcher: A senior professor or researcher (academic doctorate, habilitated associate professor) in any higher education or academic institution (university or research institute). In exceptional cases, expert applicants without a doctorate, but with demonstrated outstanding academic and professional achievements (scientific and artistic) may also apply. All must have at least 10 years of professional experience in their respective fields. Based on professional experience, scholarship levels range from 700,000-850,000HUF per month.
Early-career researcher: Applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria: 1) be a doctoral student or doctoral candidate (who has completed their coursework) and their research must not be supported by other sources of funding; 2) hold a PhD/DLA degree. All must have 1-3 years of experience in higher education or research, and at least 3 publications in national or international journals. Based on professional experience, scholarship levels range from 400,000 to 550,000HUF per month.
The Selection Committee may reclassify the fellowship between senior and early-career candidates and will decide on the scholarship level. Selected applicants might be invited for a personal interview as well.
ONLY APPLICATIONS IN ENGLISH ARE ACCEPTED. The working language at the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg is English.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 10, 2025 (24.00CET)
Applications are to be submitted electronically (scanned and signed, in PDF and Word format) and sent to: [email protected]; and hard copies by post to: Institute of Advanced Studies, Chernel utca 14., Pf. 4., Kőszeg, 9730 Hungary. Please write on the envelope: “Fellowship 2026”
Deadline for sending the original, signed documents (date of postmark at the latest): December 10, 2025
The complete application package consists of:
There is no application fee.
Evaluation of applications
The evaluation of proposals will be carried out by a Selection Committee composed of experts in the relevant disciplines. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the evaluation by January 20, 2026.
The institute reserves the right to evaluate strategically significant applications before the official deadline and to modify the dates of the scholarship period.
About the Grant
Research fellows receive a monthly stipend, which is not subject to income tax. To receive the grant, the recipient must have a bank account with a Hungarian financial institution. In addition to the stipend, iASK does not provide any other remuneration, reimbursement of expenses or equipment (e.g. laptop).
Successful applicants will sign a legal contract with the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg and perform their academic activities during the grant period. Contractual conditions and obligations of the scholarship will be detailed after the evaluation of successful candidates This includes the requirement of physical presence at iASK for 75% of the scholarship period.
Ineligibility
Applications are ineligible if:
Personal Data Protection: Personal data provided by the applicant will be processed by the iASK Research Department for the purpose of the application procedure. The same personal data may be accessed by the evaluators of the application in order to fulfil their statutory task. The personal data of successful applicants will be processed by the iASK Secretariat for the purposes of the grant contract and by the Finance and Administration Department for the purposes of the financial accounting of the grant. The legal basis for the processing of personal data is the performance of the public task defined in the Government Decree 311/2015 (X.28.) on the establishment of the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg. The applicant must notify any changes in his/her personal data before a contract is signed to: [email protected]. iASK’s Privacy Policy is available at www.iask.hu.