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Funding offer 09 April 2025

Strategic Experimental Spaces – University Development Requires Flexibility

Funding is provided for strategic concepts at universities in conjunction with the relevant ministries, within which new approaches are tested that previously could not be implemented due to legal or bureaucratic regulations. Online Q&As on 24 April, 21 May and 17 June, deadline: 30 September 2025

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Illustration mit einem Erlenmeyerkolben, aus dem Blätter wachsen
Funding offer 03 April 2025

Sustainability Funds

Sustainability and a resource-efficient design of research processes are important issues for the foundation. It therefore provides its funding recipients with funds to have their laboratories certified as sustainable through respective certification programs.

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Funding offer 02 April 2025

Theme Week 'Multiple Crises – Strained Resources'

Apply now with your symposium: The causes, consequences and challenges of strained financial, material and human resources on society and economy are in the focus of the theme week from 15 to 17 April 2026. Deadline: 02 September 2025

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Zwei Männer im Kittel stehen vor einem Abzug im Chemielabor und betrachten eine Probe
Interview 27 March 2025

Funds for sustainability in the lab

From energy-intensive equipment and ventilation systems to consumables: scientific research laboratories consume a lot of energy and other resources. Chemist Prof. Dr Nico Bruns from TU Darmstadt explains why it pays to properly organise laboratories with the aim of achieving more sustainably.

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Funding offer 25 March 2025

Opus Magnum

The Opus Magnum funding initiative offers outstanding professors from the humanities and social sciences the opportunity to write a larger scientific work, relieved by a teaching substitution. Q&A on 18 June, 9 a.m. (registration required until 13 June), deadline: 4 November, 2025

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Cover mit Aufdruck "Steckbrief"
Publication of the Foundation 24 March 2025

Profile - the Volkswagen Foundation in brief

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Stories

Eine Frau, die aufmerksam zuhört
Story 06 March 2025

So that everyone can have their say: Citizens' assembly on AI research

Rhetoric expert Anika Kaiser researches how people can make themselves heard on the major issues of our time – artificial intelligence (AI) being a case in point. She is the right person to take care that this grassroots democratic process does not remain too detached from reality: in her first life, she trained as a painter.

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Frauen mit Kopftüchern sitzen an Tischen und haben Steinblöcke mit Inschriften vor sich liegen, die sie betrachten.
Story 26 February 2025

Archaeology as reconstruction: Ancient Near Eastern Studies in Mosul

He came to Mosul with the task of excavating ancient Nineveh. In the meantime, however, the mission of the ancient orientalist Stefan Maul goes far beyond this: he is rebuilding the study of antiquity in Iraq. And he is teaching the people what the Islamists robbed them of: pride in their cultural heritage.

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