Between Europe and the Orient - A Focus on Research and Higher Education in/on Central Asia and the Caucasus
The funding initiative “Between Europe and the Orient – A Focus on Research and Higher Education in/on Central Asia and the Caucasus” was set up to support either projects that deal with current local developments or that are structurally anchored in the region.
Objective
As a consequence of the collapse of the Soviet Union, 70 million people along the southern borders of the Russian Confederation, all with different ethnic backgrounds and languages, were catapulted into independence. The funding initiative entitled "Between Europe and the Orient – A Focus on Research and Education in/on Central Asia and the Caucasus" addresses the newly emerged independent states of Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as some of the immediately neighboring regions of the Russian Confederation, China and Afghanistan. The overall aim is to work closely with local scholars and scientists to develop relevant research projects and to strengthen intraregional cooperation.
Scope of Funding
Thematic calls
Within the frame of topically defined specific calls for proposals, the Volkswagen Foundation supports cooperative research projects involving significant participation on the part of scholars and scientists from the target region which combine the training and advancement of young researchers. The initiative encompasses preparatory workshops to first explore the feasibility of international cooperation. The results of these workshops form the basis for theme-based calls.
Open Call, Deadline August 9, 2013:
"Environment, Natural Resources and Renewable Energies - Interdisciplinary Transboundary Research on Human-Environmental Interactions".
Details of conditions and the application procedure can be found under Information for Applicants 72a (pdf). Applications must be filed electronically via the electronic application system.
Another call is in preparation and likely to be announced at the end of 2013 on the topic "State, Economy, Law" (working title), with a deadline in spring 2014.
Structurally-oriented measures
In addition to the thematic calls, the Volkswagen Foundation will in future also be offering support for a number of measures. These can be applied for at any time. They include training measures for young researchers from the region, projects on the integration of researchers from Central Asia and the Caucasus who are returning from abroad, targeted aid for the creation and expansion of the academic infrastructure in the region, as well as workshops, symposia and summer schools.
Details of conditions and the application procedure can be found under Information for Applicants 72 (pdf). Applications must be filed electronically via the electronic application system.
History
The funding initiative "Between Europe and the Orient – A Focus on Research and Education in/on Central Asia and the Caucasus" was started in 2000. In late November 2011 the Foundation decided to modify its offer to include a combination of theme-based calls and projects aimed at structural development.
