Newsroom

Die Hände einer Großmutter nehmen die Hände eines Kindes
Interview 02 June 2021

New funding offer: Aging Society in Europe

The "Challenges and Potentials for Europe" program gets a new focus. Funding manager Dr. Annabella Fick explains just what is changing and why.

News 03 March 2021

The Volkswagen Foundation’s new funding strategy

The Volkswagen Foundation is realigning its funding strategy, with the three profile areas "Exploration", "Understanding Research – Evaluation and Science Practice", and "Societal Transformations", as well as the cross-sectional area "Science in Society".

News 18 February 2021

Freigeist Fellowships: 12.2 million euros for nine exceptional research personalities

Nine early career scientists have been awarded prestigious Freigeist Fellowships for their daring projects. A Freigeist Fellowship offers creative minds maximum freedom and a clear time perspective for their research.

Henrike Hartmann und Georg Schütte
Interview 16 February 2021

"Swimming ahead of the tide"

The Foundation develops a radical new take on the future: and asks its researchers to do the same. A talk on strategy with Georg Schütte and Henrike Hartmann.

Dr. Cora Schaffert-Ziegenbalg und Dr. Selahattin Danisman betreuen die Förderinitiative.
Interview 12 January 2021

Global health in times of high mobility

Green light for 15 projects under the global call for interdisciplinary research on "Mobility – Global Medicine and Health Research". The following interview surrounds first experiences with a funding offer that has unintentionally become topical in the wake of the corona pandemic.

News 15 December 2020

Artificial Intelligence and the Society of the Future: 12 million euros of funding

The Volkswagen Foundation has approved a total of around 12 million euros for eight interdisciplinary and international research networks in the social and the engineering sciences that share an integrative focus on the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and society. The aim of this funding initiative is to strengthen interdisciplinary and trans-national research on socially responsible approaches to the further development of AI systems.

Stories

Satellitenansicht der Innertropischen Konvergenzzone
Story 09 June 2026

Climate Research Using Old Ship’s Logs: the Wind Leaves no Trace on the Sea

Did a volcanic eruption in 1783 shift the tropical rain belt? Old ship’s logs could provide the answer – and also shed light on the future climate for millions of people living around the equator.

Mehrere Personen sitzen zusammen, eine Frau erzählt etwas, ein Mann tippt dabei an einem Laptop. Im Hintergrund sind Bananenpflanzen und ein Dschungel-Wald zu sehen.
Story 27 May 2026

A Pharmacy From the Rainforest: Remedies for the Mind

Fabien Schultz is searching for natural materials that can be used to treat mental health conditions. To this end, he is working with indigenous communities in Uganda and Tanzania – and with monkeys.

Mastodon