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Zwei Personen als Grafik
Video 02 February 2018

Volkswagen Foundation - Who we are, what we do

News 10 January 2018

Artificial Intelligence: New funding initiative established

A new funding initiative of the Volkswagen Foundation aims to promote the responsible development of artificial intelligence systems. Interdisciplinary research consortia in the social sciences and the engineering sciences can apply for up to 1.5 million euro for up to four years. Next deadlines for applications: 

News 13 September 2017

European Foundations Unite to Tackle Global Challenges

Three of Europe's biggest philanthropic foundations have joined together to award 5 million euros to tackle some of the most pressing global challenges of our time: Wellcome Trust, Riksbankens Jubileumsfond and Volkswagen Foundation have funded six research groups from across Europe to drive action through cross-border collaboration.

News 19 June 2017

Global Challenges in Focus: European Foundations Generate Incentives for International Research

Climate, migration, global health – the funding initiative "Europe and Global Challenges" supported jointly by Volkswagen Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and Riksbankens Jubileumsfond grants a total amount of 5 million euro for cross-border interdisciplinary projects in the humanities and social sciences.
Graphic representation of a head in front of a wall of ones and zeros.
Event Report 31 May 2017

Herrenhausen Conference "Society Through the Lens of the Digital"

Experts discussed how the humanities and social sciences deal with the social challenges of digitization at the Herrenhausen Conference in Hanover which took place from May 31 till June 2, 2017.

Blaumeise auf einem Ast
News 15 May 2017

Study on blue tits: Smell first, and then beg

Nestling blue tits can discriminate between the smell of other nestlings and adapt their begging behaviour accordingly. This is the outcome of the latest study by Freigeist-Fellow Dr. Barbara Caspers and Dr. Peter Korsten from Bielefeld University.

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?

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.