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Foundations and other donors

In addition to support from the German Research Foundation (DFG), the federal ministries and the European Commission, foundations and other, often international donors play an important role in funding research at Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin.

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation promotes international cooperation in cutting-edge research. With the Alexander von Humboldt Professorships, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation promotes top international research at German universities. Humboldt-Universit?t has so far been able to acquire four Alexander von Humboldt Professorships.

Einstein Foundation Berlin

Through the Einstein Foundation Berlin, the state of Berlin funds research at the four Berlin universities and Charité-Universit?tsmedizin Berlin in order to specifically support Berlin as a centre of science.

With the Einstein Centres, the Einstein Foundation Berlin promotes cross-institutional interdisciplinary cooperation and thus strengthens innovative research.

Former Einstein Centres

With Einstein Profile Professorships, the Einstein Foundation finances top international scientists so that they can initially conduct research in Berlin for five years. Click here for the Einstein Profile Professorships at HU.

The Einstein Foundation supports the Berlin universities and Charité in their appointment or retention negotiations by funding an Einstein Professorship for up to two years. Click here for the Einstein Professorships at HU.

As Einstein Visiting Fellows, top foreign scientists can carry out a joint research project with a research project based at HU. Funding is provided for a maximum of four years.

With the Einstein Postdoctoral Grant, the Einstein Foundation has been supporting scientists in a decisive career phase since 2024.

In addition, the Berlin Senate awards funding for BUA-specific formats as part of the Berlin University Alliance:

The Einstein Research Units enable the Berlin University Alliance to establish inter- and transdisciplinary networks for strategically important fields of research.

Einstein BUA/Oxford Visiting Fellows are supervising a working group for three years to conduct research on a "Grand Challenge" together with the Berlin University Alliance.

Volkswagen Foundation

The Volkswagen Foundation is one of the most important funding organisations for research in Germany. Here is a selection of projects funded by the VWS at HU Berlin.

  • Prof. Dr Ilse Helbrecht (project leader), THICE. Transformations in Housing and Intergenerational Contracts in Europe. Project management: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Geography, 10/2024-09/2028
  • Prof. Dr Heike Klüver (project leader), COVIDEU. The COVIDEU Project studies the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on support for the European Union, Faculty of Cultural, Social and Educational Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences, 01/2022-12/2025

Freigeist Fellowships (Customise link)

Other foundations and international donors

Research projects at the HU are also supported by international funding organisations and other players in the German and European funding landscape. Funding organisations include, among others:

Contact us

Dr. Christoph Raiser

Referatsleiter - Referent Forschungsf?rderung Stiftungen; DFG: Exzellenzcluster, Heisenberg
Tel.: +49 30 2093-12930
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