Sylvia Isobel Willener Fellowship Program

Thanks to a generous donation, the UZH is able to implement the Sylvia Isobel Willener Fellowship Program for talented postdoctoral researchers who applied for an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) with UZH as host institution but – despite high evaluation scores – were not funded due to budgetary constraints. Those recipients of a so-called Seal of Excellence (SoE) will be automatically considered for one of the three Willener Fellowships, which the UZH awards for the first time in 2026.

The European Union’s Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) are a highly competitive and widely recognized mobility funding instrument for early-career researchers. The scientific evaluation meets the highest standards, with a Europe‑wide success rate of around 15%. Proposals that receive very high evaluations but cannot be funded for budgetary reasons are awarded a so‑called “Seal of Excellence” by the EU. The purpose of this quality label is to facilitate complementary funding of excellent proposals from other sources. The UZH will use funds from an inheritance to set up such a complementary program – the Sylvia Isobel Willener Fellowship Program, named after the late donor. Starting in 2026, three fellowships will be awarded per year, based on the results of the MSCA-PF call from the previous call year. A Willener Fellowship includes funding for the salary of a postdoctoral position for two years, along with a monthly flat rate for research costs. 

Eligible candidates who were previously in contact with the Research & Grants Office of UZH and have given them access to their MSCA proposal in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal will be informed automatically if they are selected for a Willener Fellowship.

Other eligible candidates may request to be considered for a Willener Fellowship by writing to support@research.uzh.ch by 15 February at the latest. In their request, they must provide their MSCA proposal and the corresponding Evaluation Summary Report.

The fellowships will be awarded based on the ranking of the MSCA-PF evaluation scores. In addition, and following from the late donor’s wish, candidates with an Eastern European nationality will be given priority. 

Selected candidates will be notified by the end of March at the latest. Applicants who are not selected will not be notified.