Newsroom

Zwei Frauen im Portrait, dahinter eine Illustration mit Mikrofon
Interview 24 April 2025

Rethinking neurodegeneration: new funding offer

Why does neurodegeneration research need new impetus - and how can interdisciplinarity help to achieve a breakthrough? Our Program Directors Dr Theresa Kratzsch and Dr Franziska Rönicke explain the vision behind the new 'NEXT – Rethink Neurodegeneration!' call.

Illustration with a hand erasing a drawing of a human brain
Funding Offer 23 April 2025

NEXT – Rethink Neurodegeneration!

Interdisciplinary research teams investigating the fundamental mechanisms of dementia-causing neurodegeneration are invited to apply up until 28 August 2025.

Illustration mit zwei Frauen und einem Mikrofon
Interview 16 April 2025

Research for democracy: funding programme for cooperation projects

How do democracies change in the face of global challenges? And what can science contribute to their resilience? Researchers and stakeholders outside of academia are to develop answers in cooperation projects funded by the Volkswagen Foundation for up to five years. Nora Kottmann and Cora Schaffert-Ziegenbalg present the programme.

Illustration mit zwei Personen, die sich hinter einem Aktenstapel abklatschen, darüber fliegt eine Rakete, auf der eine Schnecke sitzt
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&A on 17 June, deadline: 30 September 2025

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.

Illustration with several people in a discussion group, Herrenhausen Palace in the foreground
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

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.