The Volkswagen Foundation wants to offer experimental spaces for fundamental innovations and significant improvements in all areas of the (German) research system. To this end, the Foundation will fund promising ideas for pioneer projects from the academic community. Deadline for draft proposals: October 15, 2024

A digital companion that supports rather than lectures children and young people and is also entertaining: this is what the interdisciplinary and international consortium "COURAGE" is working on.

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.

Environmental scientist Susanne Benz wants to harvest the heat being emitted from large cities in huge quantities every day. This heat recycling could help to reduce energy consumption – an unusual idea that she will be researching in more detail in the coming years with the support of the Freigeist programme.

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?