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The last projects in the Foundation's funding initiative 'Central Asia/Caucasus'  will soon come to an end. Other research funders, including the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, will follow up in the region – and the Foundation will be continuing its international funding activities with new topics. A discussion about the complementarity of private and public funding of projects that take place abroad. 

Lower Saxony's Science Minister Falko Mohrs takes over as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Volkswagen Foundation, Germany's largest private science funding organisation. The federal cabinet and the state government of Lower Saxony have appointed a total of three new members to the foundation's highest decision-making body.

Together with ‘Falling Walls Female Science Talents’ and other partner organisations, the Volkswagen Foundation supports the Women's Impact Award. The first three shortlisted winners have now been announced - congratulations!

Sociologist Andreas Bischof has summarised his view on the challenges of successful transdisciplinarity for our thematic focus ‘Transdisciplinary research’.

To increase the attractiveness of reviewers' work, the Foundation has raffled off grants totalling €250,000 for its reviewers. The aim is to better recognise the indispensable work of scientists whose reviews are the basis for high-quality funding decisions.

Animal rights activists are calling for the abolition of all animal experiments, which makes researchers fear for medical progress. What is the discourse on this topic like in Germany and what does it take for society keep an open mind on the topic and reach the right value judgements?