IHSS Visiting Fellow Program

About Program

The Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (IHSS) was established in 2016 as one of the most vibrant academic platforms at Peking University (PKU) with a mission of developing research cultures and stimulating breakthrough thinking. IHSS supports research in all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences, promotes advanced interdisciplinary research with a consciously cross-disciplinary approach and establishes strong relationships with other key research centers to further intellectual interaction and international collaboration.

The Visiting Fellow Program is the most prominent program of advanced study in PKU. With full support from the university, IHSS selects around 40 scholars, from young researchers to eminent scholars, for both spring and autumn academic semesters each year. IHSS is an intimate enabling environment and diverse intellectual community for debate and discussion that draws in scholars from across PKU, as well as bringing in an engaged intellectual mix from beyond the campus. IHSS initiates research of world-leading quality and demonstrates the values of humanities and sciences. It is committed to the development of society and civilization for knowledge accumulation and innovation through comparative research on the history of China and the progress of civilizations across the globe.

Locates at the center of the university, next to the Jingyuan garden, IHSS provides scholars with independent office spaces, accommodation and academic events support. With these services, accepted Visiting Fellows are encouraged to continue their scholarly work or initiate a new line of research during the four-month residential visit. We create a space where visiting fellows have plenty of time to immerse themselves in thinking, reflecting, and writing on their subject of interest, while enjoying the easy access of interdisciplinary communication with their peer fellows and PKU scholars.  IHSS encourages all visiting fellows to initiate book review sessions, workshops, and collaborative courses.

The program runs in the spring semester (March to June) and the autumn semester (September to December) in each academic year. The visiting period is usually four months. The duration of the Visiting Fellow Program of Autumn 2023 is from September to December 2023. Application will be open from January 2 to February 28, 2023 (Beijing Time).

Requirement

1. Applicants should have a substantial record of publication and a PhD awarded by no later than September, 2022.

2. Applicants should be ready to fully engage with IHSS academic activities and not be absent for reasons unrelated to the academic work at IHSS.  

Through each application along with the proposal and samples of published works, the Institute evaluates applicants with their curiosity, motivation and individual inquiries. All qualified candidates are invited to apply.

Instructions for Applicants

1. Each academic year, the application system opens twice for interested scholars. The system opens on July 1 and closes on August 31 preceding the year of fellowship for scholars interested in the Program in Spring Semester. As for the Program in Autumn Semester, the application opens from January to the end of February of the same year. 

The application period for Autumn Semester 2023 is from January 2 to 23:59, February 28, 2022 (Beijing Time).

 2. You can fill out the online application by creating an account and following the procedures posted on the online application system. Work at IHSS revolves around six clusters. Please carefully review IHSS  clusters before beginning your application (Detailed information about these clusters is on the website: http://www.ihss-en.pku.edu.cn/en/about/index.aspx?nodeid=225). 

3. Please follow the instruction for application and keep your contact information current. Please list your representative publications no longer than 3 pages in reverse chronological order. Please also submit up to three samples of published articles or book chapters in PDF format. Please write your research proposal no longer than 2000 words.

4. Applicants will receive an email notification after they successfully submitted the application. 

5. Online application will be reviewed by the IHSS Executive Committee .

6. Applicants will be notified of their application results via email within one month after the application deadline.

International Travel Regulations

Beginning on January 8, 2023, all international arrivals are no longer required to go through quarantine period.

Travelers to China are required to take a PCR test 48 hours before departure and those with negative results can enter the country without having to apply for a green health code from Chinese embassies and consulates abroad. Travelers need to fill in the results in the customs health declaration forms. If they test positive, traveling to China will be allowed after the results turn negative. 

Fellows are also expected to comply with PKU policy.

Support

1. IHSS will provide an independent research room equipped with a desktop computer for Visiting Fellows. Fellows will also have access to meeting rooms, seminar rooms, classrooms and other venues, as well as public spaces such as reception rooms and parlors. IHSS academic events are usually held in Building 2 at Jingyuan.

2. IHSS will provide Visiting Fellows with library and information services. With a PKU staff ID card, fellows will also be able to access the library and dine in university canteens.

3. IHSS will create as many opportunities as possible for Visiting Fellows to participate in academic activities. Fellows are also welcomed to join in a number of other informal academic events held by IHSS, including get-togethers, salons so on and so forth.

4. IHSS calculates the amount of stipend for each accepted Visiting Fellow based on policies set by the IHSS and information provided in the fellowship application. IHSS will also provide accommodation allowance for Visiting Fellows, as well as one funded round trip.

5. IHSS provides academic support and administrative services for all Visiting Fellows.

Others

IHSS reserves its right of final explanation of all the on screen information.