Focus on the Humanities (completed)

Objective

The intellectual and cultural challenges facing an expanded Europe that now has to grow together are at least as daunting as the tasks in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering and economics.

The “Focus on the Humanities” initiative is designed to support scholars who are facing up to the new, complex challenges. This is a joint offer of the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung and the Volkswagen Foundation.

“Focus on the Humanities” was made up of two components:

Dilthey Fellowships

This component is directed at excellent young researchers who on completion of their doctorate wish to open up new areas with their longer-term and possibly risky projects.

Since summer 2012, the 'Freigeist' Fellowships initiative builds upon the previous funding scheme for the Dilthey- and Schumpeter Fellowships and the junior research groups.

Opus magnum

Persons wishing to carry out outstanding research work and draft a major publication on a challenging subject can secure the necessary freedom for these studies by financing deputy teaching through an “opus magnum” grant. Since summer 2012, this funding scheme ist continued as an autonomous initative "opus magnum".