GERMANY: Humboldt award to boost research

The first eight Alexander von Humboldt Professorships were awarded in Berlin by Federal Research Minister Annette Schavan and Humboldt Foundation President Helmut Schwarz last Thursday week. The new Humboldt Professorship, Germany's most highly-endowed research prize, is aimed at giving excellent researchers from around the world the opportunity to work in Germany on a long-term basis.

"The special strength of the Humboldt Professorship is its focus on a strategic overall concept with which the universities have to ensure a long-term perspective for the academics," Schavan said. "This professorship is going to considerably enhance Germany's attractiveness as a place to do research in. The award brings a top-level researcher to a university, where a research location then develops that will have a considerable impact on teaching, too."

Schwarz also stressed the role of the awards in boosting Germany's international competitiveness, explaining that the professorships created the necessary scope for universities to assert themselves internationally provided that they could offer the right programmes: "The Humboldt Professors are going to help their new universities play a role in their disciplines on a world scale," he said.

Up to 10 prizes are to be awarded annually. Funding is provided by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the money will be used to establish research teams and equip laboratories. Researchers will also receive a salary that is fully acceptable by international standards. Each award-winner in an experimental discipline receives up to EUR5 million (US$6.8 million) and up to EUR3.5 million if he or she is in a theoretical discipline.

In turn, the universities have to be committed to integrating the researchers and their teams in an overall concept. The idea is to strengthen the efforts of institutions in ground-breaking research, with pump-priming for the researchers' first five years in Germany provided by the government via the new professorship awards and further funding contributed by the universities.

The candidates among internationally -leading researchers working abroad in all disciplines are recommended by the universities. Here it is not just outstanding qualifications that count but also how the winner will contribute to honing the university's profile and competitiveness. Extra-university research institutions may also nominate with a university. Selection is by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation itself.
michael.gardner@uw-news.com