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Funding Offer 04 May 2024

Themed Week 'Digital Competences in Science' (completed)

Apply now with your symposium: With a themed week in December 2024, the Volkswagen Foundation would like to contribute to making ideas and initiatives on digital competences in science more visible and to promote interdisciplinary and supra-regional exchange. The themed week is primarily aimed at applicants from core facilities, science management, libraries, technical services and administration. Deadline: May 7, 2024

Mann und Frau diskutieren vor Wand mit Notizzetteln
Story 01 May 2024

Tracing the relationship between power and money

Political scientist Andrea Binder wants to be sure that her research findings will stand up to a reality check – and attaches importance to having her conclusions heeded. To this end, she participates in intensive dialog with stakeholders.

Woman stands in a modern industrial hall and observes a machine
In Brief 30 April 2024

Solar technology: From Hamelin to the world

Physicist Bianca Lim is responsible for strategic planning at the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin, keeping research "at the cutting edge". She wants to help bring the production of solar modules back to Germany.

Illustration with two people pointing into the sky, and a teleskope
Funding Offer 29 April 2024

Pioneering Research – Exploring the Unknown Unknown

With the program "Pioneering Research – Exploring the Unknown Unknown", the Foundation supports groundbreaking and risky research ideas with high scientific relevance. 

Illu with two portraits, a microphone in the background
Interview 18 April 2024

Wanted: scientific frontrunners for "Pioneering Research - Exploring the Unknown Unknown"

The new call for proposals for "Pioneering Research - Exploring the Unknown Unknown" offers higher funding amounts and longer funding periods. Pavel Dutow and Theresa Greupner explain what has changed and who can apply. Application deadline for the program is Sept. 3, 2024.

Funding Offer 12 March 2024

Themed week on water between extremes (completed)

Apply now with your symposium: Our themed week on water between the extremes will take place from October 9 to 11, 2024 in Hannover. Deadline for application is March 12, 2024

Stories

Portrait eines Mannes
Story 09 July 2025

How does working with AI impact on research?

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.

Eine Illustration einer Person mit Handy, die schlangenhaft von Social media Beiträgen angegriffen wird. Eine Person, die einen protesteanten interviewt. Die Karte von Deutschland, aus der schwarz-rot-goldene Tropfen heraustropfen.
Story 22 May 2025

What fascinates young people about the far right?

Hostility towards democracy is on the rise in Germany. Yet politicians and academics pay little attention to the attitudes of a particularly important group: young voters. An interdisciplinary project in eastern Germany is determined to change that.