Volkswagen Stiftung – Open Up | Research Funding

To 'open up' something is associated with the curiosity to take the first step into something new and unknown. In this sense, we are looking for projects that not only offer new perspectives on already known research subjects, but also explore entirely new research spaces and topics. The funding offer assumes that these topics are currently characterized by a particular complexity and require a multi-perspective approach in order to reveal and understand this complexity. We therefore want to support researchers who open up new research and knowledge spaces in the humanities and cultural studies through the joint exploration of complex and previously unexplored research topics. By funding research collaborations of two or three researchers, the Foundation intends to facilitate the full creative potential of the interaction of different expertise and perspectives.

Explicitly sought are projects with a high degree of exploration, which can also be accompanied by a corresponding risk character of the project – the possibility of not achieving the envisaged project goals is therefore not a reason for rejecting a project.

Funding:       max. €250K or €350K
                        (for 2-3 partners, respectively)

Duration:      max. 18m

Eligibility: Funding can be provided for the constitution of international research groups comprised of up to 5 principal investigators (PIs). The main applicant needs to have completed their PhD degree in either a humanities, a social or cultural science subject and be affiliated with a German university or research institution. Scholars at all career levels post-PhD are eligible to apply.

How to Apply: The short proposal (template) can be submitted on the electronic application system. For any assistance with the budget plan, please contact the Research Office.

Deadline:      09 April 2024 (2 pm CET)

Further information

• More information about the program is available here
• The Information for Applicants document can be found here
• The application portal can be found here