Collective projects

Forced migration and the treatment of refugees and other displaced people are currently at the center of many political, social, and academic debates. Yet forced migration is neither limited to present-day developments nor to certain regions. It is, indeed, a global phenomenon that has shaped humankind since time immemorial. Violence, conflict, persecution, discrimination, poverty, as well as changes in climate and environment can prompt people to leave their places of origin.

TOPIC: 1.3.1 (IA) –2025 Transforming Mediterranean Food Systems: Empowering Consumers for Sustainable Diets

TYPE OF ACTION: (IA) Innovation and Action

TOTAL INDICATIVE AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO THIS CALL:EUR 10.8 million

OPENING DATE: 8 April, 2024

DEADLINE: 15 July 2025 (17:00h Central European Time (CET)

STATUS: Open

TOPIC:  1.2.1-2025 Enhancement of Sustainable Farming Systems within Mediterranean Wetlands for Conservation and Coexistence.

TYPE OF ACTION: (IA) Innovation  Action

TOTAL INDICATIVE AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO THIS CALL: EUR 10.8 million

OPENING DATE:  08 April, 2025

DEADLINE: 15 July, 2025  17:00h Central European Time (CET)

STATUS: Open

TOPIC: 1.1.1-2025 Upscaling Nature Based Solutions for sustainable water management to address extreme events in the Mediterranean.

TYPE OF ACTION: (IA)  Innovation action

TOTAL INDICATIVE AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO THIS CALL:EUR 10.9 million

OPENING DATE:  08 April, 2025

DEADLINE: 15 July 2025 (17:00h Central European Time (CET)

STATUS: Open

We need changes in our society and existing structures to overcome the multitude of crises we are facing today. Science is expected to uncover planetary boundaries and vulnerabilities, research fact-based options for action and help to find solutions. Thus, the Volkswagen Foundation is looking for personalities from science who are jointly with partners outside of academia researching transformation processes.

We need changes in our society and existing structures to overcome the multitude of crises we are facing today. Science is expected to uncover planetary boundaries and vulnerabilities, research fact-based options for action and help to find solutions. Thus, the Volkswagen Foundation is looking for personalities from science who are jointly with non-academic partners researching transformation processes.

The grant for interdisciplinary research environments aims to give opportunities for research teams to develop interdisciplinary research and interdisciplinary research environments, where breakthroughs and ground-breaking discoveries may be expected. The call is intended to provide long-term support to research where theories, methodology, factual knowledge and/or data from differing disciplines are combined in ways that open up new research fields and research approaches.

• Duration: several visits to ZiF over a period of up to three years; these recurring visits may add up to a total of ten months.
• Funding Amount: up to 200,000 EUR to cover the costs for travel and accommodation as well as workshops and conferences; personnel expenses (buy-outs) cannot be covered.

The funding format "Research in Groups" is open to scholars from all disciplines post-PhD, based in Germany and abroad. They can propose a research project to be conducted with a curated group of (preferably) international colleagues. If their collaborative application is successful, ZiF will host the group on its campus, offering ideal working conditions. There are three different group formats with varying time span and funding options.