Newsroom

Through this funding programme, the Volkswagen Foundation supports radical, unconventional research ideas that lie outside the mainstream. In 2026, the Distributed Peer Review (DPR) process will be used for the first time. Pavel Dutow and Theresa Kratzsch explain the process and offer tips on the application process. Deadline: 27 August; Online Q&A: 11 June and 16 July

The new Academic Freedom Index (AFI) report provides an overview of the state of academic freedom worldwide. The data suggests a link between the institutional autonomy of universities and the individual freedom of researchers. In the US, a comparative analysis reveals a dramatic decline in university autonomy.

In the face of innumerous crises, expectations placed on the scientific community are growing: it is expected to develop fact-based courses of action and contribute towards shaping workable solutions. The Foundation’s Change! Fellowships are designed to facilitate transdisciplinary research projects. But what counts when submitting an application, and which projects have already been approved? The programme directors Annabella Hüfler-Fick and Mona Weyrauch explain the requirements.

With the new funding program, the Volkswagen Foundation supports scientists who conduct research on transformation processes and, with the help of their network, put their knowledge into practice. Next deadline for Fellowships: 16 Apr. 2026, Online Q&As: 30 March and 10 April

Twice a year - at the beginning of each semester in April and October - the Volkswagen Foundation offers a free, one-hour live webinar in English on the funding portfolio. The next webinar is scheduled for 9 April 2026.

This is about the future of your research area: What is the current status? What prospects are there for further development - and how can they be realised? With the "Scoping Workshops" the foundation offers space for discussion and intensive exchange. Online Q&A (in German) on 12 February, deadline: 17 March 2026.