Mit "Momentum" adressiert die VolkswagenStiftung eine enge Zielgruppe: erstberufene Professorinnen und Professoren. Was die Förderinitiative dieser Klientel zu bieten hat, erläutern die zuständigen Förderreferentinnen Antje Tepperwien und Anja Fließ.

The Volkswagen Foundation has approved funding of around 7 million euro in the engineering and social sciences for five interdisciplinary research clusters dealing with the challenges arising from the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society. The projects range from the use of artificial intelligence as an aid to decision making in criminal justice to its effect on communication culture and AI-supported precision medicine.

The new funding offer "Change of Course – Exploring New Research Territories between the Life Sciences and Science or Engineering" supports concepts aimed at the multidisciplinary training of research groups. Teams who wish to acquire additional qualification can submit funding proposals by January 15, 2019.

In its initiative focussing Central Asia and the Caucasus the Foundation especially supports the capacity development in research and higher education in the region. In Tbilisi, Georgia, 11 postgraduates now benefit from a novel, clearly structured doctoral program.