What is the Max Weber Programme?
The Max Weber Programme (MWP) at the European University Institute (EUI) started in September 2006 and it is still a unique postdoctoral programme in social sciences and humanities in Europe.
The MWP is open to applicants who are within 5 years from the completion of their PhD, from anywhere in the world, regardless of their nationality and offers 1 and 2 year fellowships.
The working language is English.
All fellows are affiliated to one of the four EUI departments (Economics, History, Law, Political and Social Sciences), the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies or the Florence School of Transnational Governance and are welcome to participate also in departmental activities.
Two-year fellowships involve additional academic activities in the EUI departments, such as limited graduate teaching and mentoring Ph.D. researchers within the departments.
The philosophy of the MWP has two main components.
First, a belief that intellectual community, dialogue and scholarly synergetic exchanges within and between disciplines are fundamental to the early phase of one’s academic career and significantly enhance the quality of research.
Second, the conviction that a successful academic career depends not only on high quality research and publications but also on understanding the world of ‘academic practice’: teaching, assessment, writing and speaking well, competitive bidding for research funds, networking and the like.
Two main features of the MWP give expression to this philosophy: the multidisciplinary research activities (lectures, workshops organised by fellows, roundtables, interdisciplinary research clusters, conferences aiming at enhancing and stimulating interdisciplinarity) and the academic practice activities (covering all aspects of an academic career, including support for academic writing in English, applying for research grants, the opportunity to teach in some European leading universities and get the EUI Teaching Certificate, to develop a strategy for a successful approach to the academic labour market).
Most of these activities are voluntary and it is up to fellows to decide which activities to participate in according to their needs.
Compulsory elements
To foster a strong intellectual community among Fellows, encourage engagement with different disciplinary perspectives, and ensure that Fellows benefit fully from the opportunities, support, and resources available through the Max Weber Programme and the EUI more broadly, the MWP includes the following compulsory elements:
- Residence – To play an active part in the Programme and in the academic activities of the academic unit of affiliation, Fellows are required to live in the area of Florence for the duration of the Fellowship.
- September Presentations – These provide an opportunity for all Fellows to discuss their research and get acquainted with each other’s interests and research. The presentation also helps the Teaching and Learning Officer and the Academic Director identify potential resources that may be helpful for the fellow throughout the fellowship.
- Max Weber Lectures – The lectures aim at opening up Fellows’ intellectual horizons by exposing them to topical themes of broad academic interest and cutting-edge re-search across the disciplines of the Programme. They also offer a plenary gathering of all Fellows along with re-searchers and professors across the EUI community.
- Submission of a Draft Publication – All Fellows are expected to write articles and/or books and book chapters while at the EUI. This submission of a draft publication provides a check on progress but also an occasion for critical discussion, supporting Fellows in developing a key piece of research both substantively and formally.
- June Conference – This annual conference provides Fellows with a final plenary occasion to participate in the intellectual life of the MWP and an opportunity to meet with members of the global Max Weber Fellowship network. Fellows are asked to be actively involved either as organisers or as participants.
- Individual Page for the MWP Annual Report – This forms a core component of the MWP reporting to stakeholders on the progress of Fellows over the course of the academic year. It also offers an opportunity to showcase Fellows’ achievements by providing a useful summary of what they have accomplished over their time at the EUI.
Departments and Mentors
In addition to their affiliation with the Max Weber Programme, Fellows are also affiliated with an academic unit at the EUI, namely one of the Departments, the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, or the Florence School of Transnational Governance. Each Fellow is assigned a mentor within their academic unit of affiliation. Fellows are expected to engage actively with their mentor, meet with them at least twice per term, and keep them informed of their research progress on a regular basis.
Mentors provide academic guidance and support throughout the Fellowship. They typically review and comment on the Fellow’s Draft Publication and research proposal, and may also offer advice on publication strategies, grant applications, career development, and the job market.
Is the Max Weber Programme right for you?
Find out if you are eligible to apply, for how long and how.
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