Newsroom

Ein Mann steht vor einem großen Berg alter Matratzen
Story 10 July 2024

Circular economy – New life for old mattresses

Every year, hundreds of thousands of latex mattresses end up in the bulky waste in Germany. They are incinerated because there is no recycling process for them. The REFOAM research project aims to change this.

Funding Offer 10 July 2024

Earth System Sciences (completed)

Universities in Germany with a geoscience focus can apply for one to two junior tenure-track professorships. Deadline is Nov. 15, 2023. 

Eine Gruppe protestierender Menschen
Stories 01 July 2024

Protest movements: How do they affect democracies in Europe?

Election victories for authoritarian parties, demonstrations against the right, Fridays for Future and increasing populism: democracies in Europe are coming under pressure. The "ProDem" project has analysed the impact of protest movements on the development of democracy in six European countries.

Broschüre mit Aufdruck "status 2023" vor rotem Hintergrund
Publication of the Foundation 26 June 2024

status 2023 – Annual report of the Volkswagen Foundation

In 2023, the Volkswagen Foundation approved more than EUR 600 million for scientific projects. Figures, data and facts from our 2023 annual report.

viele hochgestreckte Daumen vor einer dunklen Schiefertafel
News 19 June 2024

Positive feedback for distributed peer review

The Volkswagen Foundation's "Distributed Peer Review" experiment is well received by applicants, as a survey by the Research on Research Institute (RoRI) shows.

Funding Offer 18 June 2024

Theme Week '(Tackling) Loneliness' (completed)

Apply now with your symposium: The aim of the (Tackling) Loneliness theme week is to explore loneliness and social isolation from a holistic, interdisciplinary and intersectional perspective and to propose solutions for more togetherness. Deadline: October 29, 2024

Portrait eines Mannes
Story 09 July 2025

Wie verändert die Arbeit mit KI die Forschung?

As a tool of science, artificial intelligence entails numerous risks, opportunities, and ambivalences. These need to be identified and classified. However, there is no revolution in sight, according to Jens Schröter.

Illustration: Reproduktion von Reichtum
Story 14 May 2025

Politics and wealth: a lopsided alliance?

A small, rich minority is becoming increasingly wealthy. Eva Wegner and Miquel Pellicer ask: How does politics contribute to growing economic inequality – and whose interests do MPs actually represent?