Over the past 25 years, Institutes for Advanced Study across Europe have increasingly contributed to enhancing research attractiveness within the EU, by offering stimulating research environments and promoting multidisciplinary discussion and exchange. Their scientific independence and open approach have helped to shape trans-disciplinary and path-breaking new knowledge. At the same time, Institutes for Advanced Study play a demonstrably major role in promoting mobility of researchers within the EU as well as in attracting leading researchers from third countries to Europe. The EU-IAS fellowship programme proposed here aims at increasing the European-wide mobility training and career development of experienced researchers. While based on sound and proven experience of individual IAS in terms of mobility and development of research careers, this proposal represents the first concrete step on the part of leading IAS in Europe to create a truly EU-level IAS fellowship programme. The EU-IAS fellowship programme will build on and integrate individual IAS experiences in a way that will be mutually beneficial for all fourteen participating IAS, as well as for future fellows. It will also help to ensure that IAS will provide a critical mass in the European context and strengthen their overall role within and contribution to the European Research Area (ERA). The EU-IAS fellowship programme is a new transnational mobility programme. The fourteen participating IAS have agreed to establish a central selection of eligible candidates that will ensure innovative and effective co-operation among them. As a result, the EU-IAS fellowship programme will create a new European fellowship community based on excellence, trans-national mobility and trans-disciplinary research.