Together with ‘Falling Walls Female Science Talents’ and other partner organisations, the Volkswagen Foundation supports the Women's Impact Award. The first three shortlisted winners have now been announced - congratulations!

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.

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? 

Earth system sciences understand the world as a complex system. Phenomena of the Anthropocene, such as climate change, are the result of multiple interactions in this system concept, the interplay of which is researched by Earth system sciences. In order to establish this guiding principle in research and teaching, the Volkswagen Foundation has granted six junior professorships - with funding totalling around 10 million euros.

Is it such a good idea for researchers to collaborate with stakeholders from outside the academic community? A discussion on the risks and opportunities of transdisciplinary research that took place between Berlin-based mobility researcher Sophia Becker and Henrike Hartmann, Deputy Secretary General of the Volkswagen Foundation, moderated by science journalist Christine Prußky.