1. Exzellenz verbindet – be part of a worldwide network
Andrea Berg
9 September 2016
CARMEN-Annual Meeting 1

2. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Connecting academic excellence worldwide
Knowledge transfer and cooperation at the highest level
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation sponsors academic cooperation between top-flight foreign and German academics. 2

3. Historical and intellectual roots
Alexander von Humboldt ( ): discoverer, universal scholar, cosmopolitan and patron of excellent scientific talent
1953: establishment of today’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation based in Bonn Bad-Godesberg
international network of academic cooperation and trust inspired by Humboldt’s example
The Humboldt Foundation was founded in 1953 in Bonn-Bad Godesberg.
We are named after Alexander von Humboldt, a famous German explorer and scientists. He was a universal scholar and fighter for the freedom of research, a humanist and patron of excellent research talents. 3 3

4. Principles of the Foundation
sole selection criterion: academic excellence
no quotas for countries or disciplines
sponsorship of people, not projects
free choice of academic host/collaborative partner in Germany
independent scientific research, not stipulated by the Foundation
Sponsorship decisions are based on the applicant’s achievements and qualifications to date.
Our focus is on the individual person, his or her academic achievements.
Therefore we have not quotas for countries or disciplines.
 We want to give the fellows as much freedom as possible to carry out their individual research projects they have chosen themselves. They will also have the freedom to choose host institutions themselves. 4 4

5. Alumni sponsorship and international networking
more than 27,000 Humboldtians in over 140 countries: “Once a Humboldtian – always a Humboldtian“
alumni sponsorship and international networking through e.g.
further research stays
Research Group Linkage Programme
Humboldt Colloquia and Kollegs
Humboldt Alumni Associations
Humboldt Alumni Award
Once a Humboldtian – always a Humboldtian" – from the very beginning this was the hallmark of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
Maintaining the connections on a long-term basis through its alumni sponsorship programmes is one of the aims and the strength of the Humboldt Foundation.
Therefore we offer a variety of programmes for alumni to foster further cooperation and the local and regional networks. Please see the information on the Alumni Programme on our homepage for further information.
 The Research Group Linkage Programme allows Humboldtians to apply for sponsorship in order to cooperate over a period of three years with a researcher working at a German institute and additional cooperation partners in other countries. (for certain countries only)
 The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation regularly organises colloquia abroad to which it invites research fellows and research award winners living in the host country or region, as well as Feodor Lynen fellows working there.
 Since 2002, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has provided financial support for Humboldt Alumni Associations as well as for individual Humboldtians to organise regional and specialist conferences. These Humboldt Kollegs have become one of the most popular instruments for strengthening regional and specialist networks.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Humboldt Alumni Awards for innovative networking initiatives are granted to fellows and award winners abroad. Each award is valued at up to 25,000 EUR, and three awards are granted annually. They are designed to support projects not covered by the Foundation's existing sponsorship and alumni programmes and to promote academic and cultural relations between Germany and the Humboldt Alumni's own countries as well as strengthening their collaboration in the respective regions. 5 5

6. The Humboldt Foundation's funding
Budget for 2015: approx. €114.2 million Financed by federal funds and the European Union: approx. 96%
The previous year’s budget for the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation was approx. €114.2 million of which approx. 96% was financed by federal funds and the European Union.
52.8% of the total budget was financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 34.2% by the Federal Foreign Office, 5.8% by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1.2% by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building, and Nuclear Safety and 2.0% by the European Union. The remaining 4.0% were provided by third parties and income from the Foundation‘s assets.
AA: Federal Foreign Office BMBF: Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMZ: Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMUB: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety

7. Sponsorship Opportunities offered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation7

8. Key sponsorship programmes at a glance
Academics from abroad
Academics from Germany
Postdoctoral researchers
(up to 4 years after completion of doctorate)
Humboldt Research Fellowship
Georg Forster Research Fellowship
Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship
Junior research group leaders
(up to 6 years after completion of doctorate)
Sofja Kovalevskaja Award
Experienced researchers
(up to 12 years after completion of doctorate)
(up to 18 years after completion of doctorate)
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award
Internationally renowned academics
Humboldt Research Award
Georg Forster Research Award
Anneliese Maier Research Award
Max Planck Research Award
Alexander von Humboldt Professorship 8 8

9. for exceptionally qualified academics from abroad
Research Fellowships
for exceptionally qualified academics from abroad 9 9

10. Research fellowships for research stays in Germany
For postdoctoral and experienced researchers
Humboldt Research Fellowship
worldwide, all disciplines, no quotas
Georg Forster Research Fellowship
researchers from emerging and developing countries, all disciplines, no quotas
research projects with relevance to development 10 10

11. Research fellowships for research stays in Germany
Humboldt Research Fellowship / Georg Forster Research Fellowship
Postdoctoral researchers
Experienced researchers
Duration of sponsorship
Application period
Fellowship amount
6 to 24 months
applications at any time, doctorates completed less than 4 years ago
€2,650 per month (plus additional benefits)
6 to 18 months, may be divided up into 3 stays
applications at any time, doctorates completed less than 12 years ago
€3,150 per month (plus additional benefits) 11 11

12. Research fellowships for research stays abroad
For postdoctoral and experienced researchers
Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship
worldwide, all disciplines, no quotas
members of the Humboldt Network abroad as hosts
host contribution (negotiated individually) 12 12

13. Searching for a host
On the Foundation’s website you can search the database of more than 16,000 potential hosts across the globe by entering names, research institutions, specialist areas or keywords. Here you will also find the list of specified international academic awards.

14. Research fellowships for research stays abroad
Feodor Lynen Research Fellowships
Postdoctoral researchers
Experienced researchers
Duration of sponsorship
Application period
6 to 24 months
applications at any time, doctorates completed less than 4 years ago
6 to 18 months, may be divided up into 3 stays
applications at any time, doctorates completed less than 12 years ago
Fellowship amount: varies according to target country and personal circumstances
(A fellowship calculator is available on our website)
The applicant can use the fellowship calculator on our homepage to calculate the approximate amount of the fellowship if the application is successful. We expect the host to contribute 1/3 of this fellowship amount per month. 14 14

15. Research Fellowships: Application Requirements and Benefits15

16. Application requirements
Postdoctoral researchers
Experienced researchers
above average doctorate
academic publications
agreement by academic host
independent research proposal
good knowledge of the language spoken in the host country or at least a very good knowledge of English
independent academic activity, e.g. as an assistant professor
comprehensive list of academic publications with own, clearly defined academic profile 16 16

17. Application procedure
applications at any time to the Foundation directly
assessment by independent expert reviewers
decision by independent selection committees 17 17

18. Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship – Benefits provided
foreign allowance
travel lump sum
family allowance
child-rearing support
We offer comprehensive sponsorship benefits for the research fellows.
In the framework of the Feodor Lynen Fellowship Programme there is not fixed fellowship amount, it comprises a basic monthly sum and a monthly foreign allowance which may differ according to location and marital status.
As mentioned before you can calculate the approximate fellowship amount by using the fellowship calculator.
A fellow heading for the USA, for example, currently receives €3,305 per month, or up to €5,320 if accompanied by a marital partner and two children 18 18

19. Benefits provided
intensive and individual mentoring in Germany and abroad by personal contacts at the Foundation
network meeting, annual meeting
return fellowships
alumni sponsorship
We try to provide guest researchers with as much individual assistance as possible. Our aim is to sponsor fellows on a long-term, individual basis. Contact should be maintained after the initial research stay.
We offer regional network meetings which take place in German university town,
To these meetings, foreign fellows currently staying in Germany as well as Feodor Lynen fellows who have returned from their stays abroad are invited.
For the annual meeting not only the fellows but also their spouses and children are invited.
To facilitate the reintegration into the home institution we offer return fellowships (GF, HFST eastern central Europe) This also applies to Lynen Fellows (max 12 months) 19 19

20. Countries of destination of Lynen Fellows 2011–2015

21. Disciplines of Lynen Fellows 2011–2015

22. Research Fellowships Japan/Taiwan
In the framework of the Feodor Lynen Programme, the Humboldt Foundation is responsible for the pre-selection of German post-doctoral researchers for the fellowships of the
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
research stays lasting 6 to 24 months in Japan and
Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
research stays lasting 3 to 12 months in Taiwan
In the framework of research fellowships we offer two other fellowships for German academics.
In contrast to the Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship programme, the host does not have to be a member of the Humboldt network abroad or specified award winner and no host contribution is required.
The JSPS Programme is for a research stay in Japan, for academics who have completed their PhD less then six years ago.
MOST: for academics up to 12 years after PhD, the host in Taiwan has to have received project funding from the National Science Council. There is also no host contribution required.

23. Award Programmes
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation offers a number of research awards. Self nominations are not possible (with the exception of the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award). Rather, academics in Germany are required to nominate foreign colleagues within their disciplines for these research awards. 23

24. Research awards – overview
Sofja Kovalevskaja Award: up to €1.65 million
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award: €45,000
Humboldt Research Award: €60,000
Georg Forster Research Award: €60,000
Konrad Adenauer Research Award: €50,000
Phillip Franz von Siebold Award: €50,000
Anneliese Maier Research Award: €250,000
Alexander von Humboldt Professorship: 3.5 to 5 million euros
Successful top-rank junior researchers from abroad, who have completed their doctorate with distinction in the last six years, are eligible to apply for the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award. Award winners may spend five years building up working groups and working on a high-profile, innovative research project of their own choice at a German research institution they have selected themselves.
In addition to the Humboldt Research Award for outstanding scientists and scholars from all disciplines from abroad, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation also grants the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award to top-flight academics from abroad, who completed their doctorates less than 18 years ago.
The Konrad Adenauer Research Award promotes academic relations between Canada and the Federal Republic of Germany and is awarded annually to an internationally recognised Canadian humanities scholar.
The Phillip Franz von Siebold Award is granted annually to a Japanese academic for outstanding services to enhancing mutual understanding of culture and society in Germany and Japan.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants up to five Anneliese Maier Research Awards funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to internationally established researchers from abroad in all fields of the humanities, social science, cultural science, law and economics. (probably every two years, next call will open end of 2016)
The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship enables leading global academics from abroad to undertake longer term pioneering research at universities and research centres in Germany. 24 24

25. Contact
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is available to answer your questions at any time:
Jean-Paul-Straße Bonn Germany Tel: Fax: 25 25