Changes to panel structure 2025

Firstly, the fellowship panels Cult2 and G&M4 will both be split into two separate panels each. The new panels are:

Cult2a: Arts, History of Art, Architecture and Design

Cult2b: Literature, Film and Theatre

And:

G&M4a: Communication Sciences and Political Science

G&M4b: Social Work, Social and Cultural Anthropology and Sociology

Please note that this split applies only to the panels handling fellowship applications - postdoc and PhD fundamental research. The Cult2 and G&M4 projects panels, which handle applications for the fundamental research projects programme, will not be split.

This new structure will be effective beginning with the fellowship calls awarded in 2026 - i.e. the postdoctoral call with a submission deadline of Autumn 2025 and the aspirant call with a submission deadline of Spring 2026.

Both these panels have been dealing with a very large number of applications for quite some time. To continue to ensure the high quality of the assessment process, a split of these panels is necessary. Special care will be taken to ensure that both the substantive expertise and the scientific scope remain fully covered across all the newly created panels.

Researchers planning to apply to one of the “new” panels are advised to look carefully at the scopes of the specific panels and choose the most appropriate panel based on their complete application. The FWO cannot provide case-by-case advice in this; as always, our panel members are trained to look at the submitted applications with an open mind and to interpret the scope of the panels broadly.