Fulbright-Lund University Distinguished Scholar Award in Public International Law
Sweden
Number of recipients
In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities.
AIM AND FOCUS
The Fulbright Distinguished Scholar is co-hosted by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) and the Law Faculty at Lund University (LU). The aim is to promote collaboration between human rights scholars in the United States and Sweden.
RESPONSIBILITIES
During the period of appointment, the Fulbright Distinguished Scholar will:
Research
Carry out research on topics of preference in the field of international human rights law with a view to publication of journal articles, books, or book chapters
Stimulate the academic environment in Lund through organization and participation in seminars and research workshops related to human rights
Teaching
Design and teach a five-week long optional course on a current topic of human rights law at the master program in international human rights law
Consider occasional teaching and training on human rights in other faculties at LU and non-academic institutions in the Lund region
Mentorship and collaboration
Be willing to act as a mentor for master's students and early-career researchers, and nurture dynamics to facilitate academic outputs and funding applications
Collaborate with colleagues at the Faculty of Law and RWI to strengthen collaborations, and contribute to new multi-disciplinary initiatives related to human rights at LU
Take an interest in RWI capacity-strengthening programs and explore ways to engage with RWI offices in Asia, Africa and Europe
Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and/or Lund University
Founded in 1666, Lund University is now the largest site of higher education and research in the Nordic countries, with its 42,500 students and 6,000 faculty and staff.
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) is an independent academic institution, established in 1984, which promotes human rights through research, training and education. It has one of the largest human rights libraries in northern Europe. The RWI offers a two-year undergraduate program in human rights and two master's programs, one of which is in international human rights law and the other in human rights and intellectual property rights law. The RWI offers human rights capacity-building programs in Sweden and abroad, carries out applied or policy-based research, and issues five series of publications, as well as related books and journals. For additional information about the host institution, click here.
The city of Lund, situated in the dynamic Oresund region in southern Sweden, is one of the oldest cities in Sweden. It has approximately 100,500 residents and is the 12th largest municipality in Sweden. It has a larger percentage of its population with a university education (58 percent) than the national average (29 percent).
Grants are available for one semester (4 or 4.5 months) or an academic year (9 months) with preference by the host for a full academic year.
All topics within the area of international human rights law are considered, in particular human rights issues concerning access to justice, inequalities, business, climate change, health, and security. Applicants are encouraged to visit the websites of the Lund University Faculty of Law and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute for further details regarding focus areas and research environments.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
All teaching and potential student supervision will be in English.
Law degree (J.D.) or S.J.D. or Ph.D. in a closely related field. Mid-career scholars in the field of human rights law are especially encouraged to apply.
Grants will be paid in Swedish crowns (SEK) at the current exchange rate. A fixed living allowance of SEK 40,000 (approximately $4,000 and untaxed) per month for up to nine months and a monthly housing allowance of SEK 9,000 (approximately $900) are provided. Grantees are encouraged to arrange housing through their host institution/adviser.
The dependent allowance does not apply.
Round-trip travel for grantee only.
Up-to-date information concerning the cost of living in Lund is provided on the Lund University website at: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/student-life/before-you-arrive/money-a….
Public schools are usually free of charge from the primary through the upper-secondary level and many public and private schools offer English instruction at these levels. Personal funds are usually necessary for accompanying dependents to complement grant benefits, including the additional cost of daycare and international schools. Please note that children may be eligible to receive subsidized daycare and free schooling as long as the other parent is working or studying. However, it is the responsibility of the grantee to contact any schools and daycare centers directly to negotiate the terms of stay and applicable costs.
Distinguished Scholars are encouraged to apply to the Intercountry Lecture Program offered through participating European Fulbright commissions/posts for additional funding to travel within Europe for activities related to their academic project. Please see the Commission website for information.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
Sweden
With a total population of approximately 10.2 million, Sweden is a sparsely populated country, characterized by its long coastline, extensive forests and numerous lakes. It is one of the world’s northernmost countries. In terms of surface area it is comparable to Spain, Thailand or the American state of California. Sweden’s borders have been unchanged since 1905 and the country has not been at war since 1814. Considering its geographic location, Sweden enjoys a favorable climate. This is mainly because of the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that flows off Norway’s west coast.
Americans visiting Sweden will find that English is widely spoken. Swedish society is welcoming and the culture is relatively easy to navigate. As a technologically advanced country, Sweden is ideal for many types of research. Scholars can generally expect reasonable access to people, institutions and information for research purposes.
A useful overview of Sweden is available online.
With a strong public emphasis on education, Sweden is an excellent place to teach and conduct research and all Swedish institutions of higher education and research offer opportunities for international scholars. Candidates from the level of recent Ph.D. scholar to full professor in any discipline will therefore be considered. Preference is given to academic and professional excellence, feasibility and significance of the project and match with host affiliation. English is sufficient, as Swedish students and scholars have excellent proficiency in English, but interest in or limited knowledge of the Swedish language is appreciated and often useful. The academic year consists of two 20-week semesters. The fall semester runs from the middle or end of August through mid-January and the spring term from mid-January through the beginning of June. Awards are rarely made in the summer months, unless justified by the nature of the project and prearranged with the prospective host institution.
All applicants should prioritize making a preliminary reservation at the university housing office of the host institution as soon as possible. If additional help is needed, they should ask their Swedish academic hosts for assistance in placing them in the university's housing queue. The Commission is unable to assist with housing. As all Fulbright grants are less than one year in length, U.S. grantees will not be issued a personal ID number and will therefore not be included in the social welfare system, nor be required to pay Swedish tax. As such, school options for family members should be discussed with the host institution.
Grantees in Sweden for less than 6 months will not be able to open a Swedish bank account and will receive their grant payment at their U.S. financial institution. All other grants will be paid in Swedish crowns (SEK) at the current exchange rate.
For more information on living and studying in Sweden, click here.
Please note that applicants currently residing in Sweden or who have already begun a program in Sweden are not eligible for the Fulbright program with Sweden.
Applicants interested in contacting previous Fulbright alumni in a certain field/area of research or geographical location may contact the Commission. Please visit the Commission's YouTube channel for testimonial videos by a number of previous Fulbright grantees to Sweden, including the Distinguished Scholar in American Studies at Uppsala University here: https://www.youtube.com/@FulbrightSweden/videos.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.