Newsroom

News 16 January 2020

Addressing Future Challenges – Georg Schütte Takes up Position as Secretary General

Dr. Georg Schütte became Secretary General of the Volkswagen Foundation on January 1, 2020. He took over from Dr. Wilhelm Krull, who retired oat the end of December, 2019. Schütte previously held the position of State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and now he has some ambitious plans for the Volkswagen Foundation going forward.

Interview 13 November 2019

"A natural disaster is like a virus"

Epidemiologist Debarati Guha-Sapir gives insights, how data analysis can help to adapt to extreme weather events and even prevent deaths.

News 07 October 2019

Concepts and Challenges of Interdisciplinarity

At the symposium "Interdisciplinarity Revisited", 150 scientists from all over the world discussed the added value of interdisciplinary approaches in research and teaching.

Interview 30 September 2019

"We Need Interdisciplinary Cooperation on Equal Terms"

In its funding initiative on artificial intelligence (AI), the Foundation promotes close collaboration between the technical and social sciences in order to enable future-oriented AI research in the interests of society at large. An interview with the initiative's program directors.

News 06 September 2019

Interdisciplinarity - Buzzword or Indispensable Concept?

An international symposium at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin on October 3 and 4, 2019 discusses the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation and new perspectives.

News 03 September 2019

Freigeist Fellowships: Around 10 Million Euro for Extraordinary Researchers

They set themselves apart from the mainstream and deliberately tackle high-risk research questions: Nine young researchers have now convinced the Volkswagen Foundation's international panel of experts and board of trustees with their unconventional projects. Their 'Freigeist' Fellowship gives them maximum freedom and a clear time perspective for their research. 

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.