'Night science' - How the Volkswagen Foundation creates space for creative thinking

What is night science?

Dr Victoria Abakumovski: Night science is best understood by distinguishing it from day science. Day science is classic research - hypothesis-driven, systematic and usually carried out during the day, for example in a laboratory. Night science, on the other hand, begins when the mind is free.

Dr Franziska Rönicke: Yes, night science is more uncontrolled, more unconventional - mental leaps, intuition and uncertainty are explicitly allowed. It's about creative thinking, about discovering new ideas, away from fixed structures. Then there are the famous spontaneous 'shower thoughts', for which you need leisure.

So it's about creativity – but is 'Night Science' really science?

Rönicke: Creativity is essential for scientific work, even if it is often overlooked. New hypotheses or research questions do not arise purely from rationality – it takes a creative spark first. Only then does the fact-based examination of hypotheses follow, i.e. 'Day Science'.

Why has the Volkswagen Foundation set up this funding programme?

Abakumovski: The Foundation wants to support risky, disruptive research that facilitates genuine breakthroughs. To do that, we have to get to the root of the matter – not just by funding existing research ideas, but also by establishing the creative process as an indispensable part of basic research. We are convinced that in the long term this will lead to significant advances in knowledge and to breakthroughs in research.

And no other sponsors are involved in this area?

Rönicke: We don't know of any. There are very small programmes that enable people to read, for example, or prizes for creative projects, but no one makes any advance funding available. We do.

Abakumovski: With this programme, we are closing a gap in the funding landscape. Creativity is usually taken for granted, but never funded – so the capacities and resources for it have to be found elsewhere. We are changing that.

Who can apply for 'Night Science'?

Abakumovski: We are funding interdisciplinary tandems of two scientists each. In this way, we want to promote a systematic, cross-disciplinary exchange at a low threshold, in line with the motto 'it takes two to think'. The 'science buddies' should be open to unusual approaches and to interdisciplinary exchange. In addition, they must come from different research institutions and hold comparable positions in the science system, in other words, a tandem at eye level, without any dependency relationships.

Rönicke: Researchers who have completed their doctorates in the field of basic research in the natural, life and technical sciences can apply. They must be employed at a scientific institution and have a contract that extends at least one year beyond the funding year. This is important because it is the only way they can sustainably implement their findings from the funding year, in their working groups or in teaching. That takes time.

Abakumovski: Exactly. And the PhD should have been completed at least four years prior to application. For researchers at the beginning of their academic career, it would hardly be possible to withdraw from research and teaching, or perhaps to publish less. The important thing, though, is that applicants are able to fully engage with the programme and invest time in it.

And what does the funding offer look like in concrete terms?

Abakumovski: We provide up to 200,000 euros per tandem and offer a toolbox with various instruments, but applicants are welcome to get creative and suggest their own measures. In addition, there are three mandatory workshops to support the Science Buddies and teach creative techniques.

Rönicke: At the end of the funding period, there is no classic research report, but rather a report on experiences. We want to use the insights gained from the feedback to further develop the initiative in the coming years in order to better promote creative processes in science.

How are the funded tandems selected?

Abakumovski: We developed a catalogue of questions that has to be submitted with the application. The focus is on personal qualities that go beyond purely academic achievements. We then review the applications internally according to four criteria: synergy effects in the team, the professional competence of the individual science buddies, a willingness to experiment and openness to self-reflection. From the suitable applications, 10 tandems are selected for funding by lot.

What else should applicants bear in mind?

Rönicke: Honesty! We don't want standard answers, but authentic insights, so it's important to engage with the questions, and there's no right or wrong way to do that.

Abakumovski: And please don't use AI-generated texts. The application should reflect the individual personalities of the researchers.

Rönicke: Another important thing to know is that We evaluate the tandems as a whole, so we also take into account synergy effects between the science buddies, for example.

When does the programme start?

Rönicke: The deadline is 5 June, and the selected tandems can expect to receive the funding confirmation in October 2025. Their creative research year will then begin with a kick-off workshop in April 2026. We are very excited!