Transatlantic Post-Doc Fellowship for International Relations and Security (TAPIR)

About TAPIR

The Transatlantic Post-Doc Fellowship for International Relations and Security (TAPIR) is a two-year programme for young academics with a background in international relations and international security. The fellows spend a total of 24 months in three different research institutions or think tanks in order to build skills in policy-oriented research and create their own networks.

The circle of participating institutes is composed of eleven high profile research institutes and think tanks on both sides of the Atlantic: Chatham House, Center for International Relations (CIR), Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Center for Security Studies (CSS), European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), Institute for Strategic and International Studies (IEEI), Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI), Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), RAND Corporation (RAND), SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations (SAIS), United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and German Institute for International and Security Affairs/ Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP).

About idea and strategic goals

As the first of its kind, the programme makes a substantial contribution to the creation of international networks and fosters mutual understanding. As highly accomplished academics looking for a career in policy-oriented research and consulting, TAPIR fellows will be able to experience different policy consulting approaches on the job and to forge contacts within the transatlantic policy community. In addition to the exchange of information and resources across boundaries and across the Atlantic, the fellowship programme provides a pool of qualified professionals for future employment in top-end policy consulting and research.

About the procedure of the fellowship

Selected fellows spend eight months each in three different participating research institutions in the United States and Europe. The choice of institutes depends on individual candidates’ research interests, as well as on the core programmes of the participating institutes. Fellows will be working with a supervising researcher at the host institute and will be integrated into relevant research units and projects there. The fellows’ research will be published by their respective host institutions and/or in adequate academic journals. At the end of each year of the programme, a seminar brings together all fellows so they can exchange information about their experiences and present their research.

About the candidates

Fellows must hold a PhD and have a strong interest in working in a policy-oriented international, professional environment. It is assumed that candidates would generally be nationals of transatlantic partner countries. Candidates should apply with an outline of their proposed research project, a Curriculum Vitae including a list of publications and two references (see Call for Applications). Candidates will be selected by a jury composed of members of the participating institutes.

About financing

Fellows receive a monthly stipend of Euro 1,800.- and a monthly allowance for health insurance of Euro 200.-, making the programme an attractive option that is well above most PhD stipends, plus a one-off allowance for travel to and from institutes as well as to the seminar.

About funders

The program is funded by, among others, DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), Deutsche Bank, Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, Otto Group, Robert Bosch-Stiftung, and Transatlantikprogramm der Bundesregierung.

TAPIR is co-funded by the Marie Curie Action COFUND within the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union.