CEAC Early Career Researcher Award

The Centre for EU-Asia Connectivity (CEAC) is delighted to announce the CEAC Early Career Researcher Award, recognising exceptional achievements by researchers in an early career stage. This award highlights outstanding research of the highest academic standards but also contributes meaningfully to advancing our understanding of EU-Asia relations.

The awardees outstanding research reflects the academic excellence and innovative thinking that the CEAC Early Career Researcher Award aims to support.

As part of this announcement, we are pleased to recognise the achievements of three exceptional early career researchers who were selected during the period of 2023–2025:

Hagen Broker, “National Role Conceptions in the Pacific: The Case of the China-Fiji-Australia Trilateral Relationship” (2023)

Anna-Lena Nolte, “The EU’s Economic Security Strategy and EU Enlargement Policies: A Case Study of the Risks of Sino-Serbian Economic Relations to Serbia’s EU Accession” (2024)

Arne Moritz Meyer, “China’s Space Power Policy – A Global Leadership Role Analysis on the Cases of the Chang’E Lunar Exploration Program and the BeiDou Satellite Navigation Program” (2025)

Encouraging Future Researchers

This initiative also serves to inspire current and future students to contribute to the growing body of research in EU-Asia relations. We encourage all eligible graduate students to apply for this award and join a distinguished network of researchers advancing the field of EU-Asia connectivity.

Application Process, Eligibility, and Submission Guidelines

We are pleased to invite eligible graduate students to apply for the CEAC Early Career Researcher Award. Below are the details for the application process, eligibility, and submission guidelines.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Award, applicants must meet the following criteria and the purpose of the award:

Submit a M.A. thesis with an outstanding result (e.g., 1,0 in the German system) from the last academic year.
The thesis must deal with EU-Asia relations.
Written language: English.

Application Process

Applications can be submitted at any time of the year. Submissions will be reviewed annually from November to January, and winners will be announced in February.

To apply:

Prepare the following documents in a single PDF file:
- Your original M.A. thesis.
- The official result of the grade of the thesis issued by the university where the degree was completed.
- An authorship statement, signed and dated by the applicant, must confirm that the submitted thesis is the author’s original work, and complies with ethical and acadamedic research standards and ensures the ethical use of AI technologies (if used).
- A 1-2-page CV, highlighting your academic and/or professional background.
- A 1-page motivation letter explaining why you would like to participate in this award, how your research aligns with EU-Asia connectivity, and the potential impact of your work.
Email the PDF file to [submission email address] with the subject line:
“Application for CEAC Early Career Researcher Award – [Your Name]”.

Important Notes

Submissions must be in English.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
All eligible submissions will undergo a thorough evaluation process based on academic excellence and relevance to the field of EU-Asia relations.

For any questions or further information, feel free to reach out to us at ceac@ruhr-uni-bochum.de

We look forward to receiving your applications and celebrating the exceptional work of young researchers in the field of EU-Asia relations!