Call for applications

The Centre for Fundamental Rights at the Hertie School is pleased to announce its 2025 Annual Workshop on Research Methods in Fundamental Rights, taking place from 16-18 June 2025 at the Hertie School, Berlin, Germany. The workshop is hosted by the Hertie School as a member of CIVICA - The European University of Social Sciences.

The workshop aims to provide doctoral and early-career legal researchers with an opportunity to reflect on diverse research methods in human rights research. Over three days, successful candidates will attend masterclasses with renowned faculty, who will provide guidance and reflections on the methods they have applied in key pieces of their own research. In additional sessions, participants will submit reflections on their own research questions and methods, and will receive individual feedback on their projects from the faculty and fellow participants.

We encourage applications from PhD and early-career legal researchers carrying out fundamental rights research employing any of the methodological approaches covered in the workshop.

Sessions and Faculty

Sessions and Faculty

When and where?

Date: 16 – 18 June 2025

Location: Hertie School Berlin

Application process

Deadline for applications: 15 March 2025.

Please submit your application by sending an email to fundamentalrights[at]hertie-school[dot]org with the subject line 'Research Methods in Fundamental Rights'. Applications should include one single pdf file, containing the following information:

  • A CV
  • A letter of motivation. Please indicate clearly the method(s) that you apply/interested in applying in your research.
  • An outline of your research project, including your research question, research methodology and current stage of the research (2 pages)              
  • For PhD candidates a letter of recommendation written by their PhD supervisor should be sent separately by 15 March 2025 to fundamentalrights[at]hertie-school[dot]org with the subject line 'Letter of recommendation – Name of the candidate - Research Methods in Fundamental Rights'.

Download the full call for applications here. 

Successful applicants will receive a written confirmation of acceptance no later than 20 March 2025 and are expected to confirm by 3 April 2025.

A detailed programme and list of readings will be made available by 1 May 2025.

Each participant is expected to submit by 1 June 2025:

  • A discussion paper with a short description of their research projects and a dedicated methodology section as well as a recorded 15-minute presentation.
  • A short written assignment related to the readings for a minimum of four out of the eight methods sessions.

Fee and scholarships

The fee for attending the workshop is 250 EUR.

The Centre for Fundamental Rights offers a stipend in form of tuition waiver for up to three PhD candidates taking into account the quality of their projects, subject to the availability of funds. Participants from CIVICA Universities are exempt from fees and may be eligible for either partial or full reimbursement of their travel costs. Candidates who have no source of funding and wish to apply for tuition waiver should indicate so in their application.

Impressions from the 2024 Research Methods Workshop

Learm more about the 2024 Research Methods Workshop here.

Watch the 2024 workshop keynote speaker, Prof. Joseph Weiler, as he highlights the significance of participating in the workshop:

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