Exzellenz verbindet – be part of a worldwide network Dr. Steffen Mehlich Director of Department Sponsorship and Network Alexander von Humboldt Foundation – Fostering Excellence Worldwide May 14, 2014 Matchmaking Workshop Fudan- Macquarie-Hamburg, May 13-16, 2014

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Connecting academic excellence worldwide Knowledge transfer and cooperation at the highest level

Historical and intellectual roots ●Alexander von Humboldt ( ): discoverer, universal scholar, cosmopolitan and patron of excellent scientific talent ●1953: establishment of today’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation based in Bonn Bad-Godesberg ●international network of academic cooperation and trust inspired by Humboldt’s example

Principles of the Foundation ●sole selection criterion: academic excellence ●no quotas for countries or disciplines ●sponsorship of people, not projects ●free choice of academic host/collaborative partner in Germany ●independent scientific research, not stipulated by the Foundation

Equal opportunities for female academics ●equal opportunities is an important issue for the Foundation ●sponsoring of women correlates with age, career stage and geographical origin ●measures supplementing standard sponsorship opportunities: fellowship extension or interruption, allowances, targeted counselling

The Humboldt Foundation's funding Budget for 2013: approx. 110 million EUR Financed by federal funds: approx. 96% AA:Federal Foreign Office BMBF:Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMZ:Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMU: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

Sponsorship Opportunities offered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Key sponsorship programmes at a glance Academics from abroadAcademics from Germany Postdoctoral researchers (up to 4 years after completion of doctorate) ●Humboldt Research Fellowship ●Georg Forster Research Fellowship (HERMES) ●Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship Junior research group leaders (up to 6 years after completion of doctorate) ●Sofja Kovalevskaja Award Experienced researchers (up to 12 years after completion of doctorate) ●Humboldt Research Fellowship ●Georg Forster Research Fellowship (HERMES) ●Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship (up to 18 years after completion of doctorate) ●Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award Internationally renowned academics ●Humboldt Research Award ●Georg Forster Research Award ●Anneliese Maier Research Award ●Max Planck Research Award ●Alexander von Humboldt Professorship ●Max Planck Research Award

Research fellowships for research stays in Germany For postdoctoral and experienced researchers Humboldt Research Fellowship ●worldwide, all disciplines, no quotas Georg Forster Research Fellowship (HERMES) ●researchers from emerging and developing countries, all disciplines, no quotas ●research projects with relevance to development

Research awards Humboldt Research Award (by nomination) ●for internationally eminent academics from abroad ●60,000 EUR, research stay in Germany Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award (by nomination) ●for experienced, internationally-respected academics from abroad up to 18 years after completion of doctorate ●up to 45,000 EUR, research stay in Germany

Research fellowships for research stays in Germany Humboldt Research Fellowship / Georg Forster Research Fellowship (HERMES) Postdoctoral researchersExperienced researchers Duration of sponsorship Application period Fellowship amount ●6 to 24 months ●applications at any time, doctorates completed less than 4 years ago ●2,650 EUR per month (plus additional benefits) ●6 to 18 months, may be divided up into 3 stays ●applications at any time, doctorates completed less than 12 years ago ●3,150 EUR per month (plus additional benefits)

Research Fellowships: Application Requirements and Benefits

Application requirements Postdoctoral researchersExperienced researchers ●above average doctorate ●academic publications ●agreement by academic host ●independent research project ●knowledge of German and/or English ●independent academic activity, e.g. as an assistant professor ●comprehensive list of international academic publications with own, clearly defined academic profile ●agreement by academic host ●independent research project ●knowledge of German and/or English

Searching for a co-operation partner in Germany ●The Humboldt Foundation´s Public Network -search and find Humboldtians electronically -search the Bibliographia Humboldtiana for publications ●Research Explorer Information on over institutes at universities and non-university research institutions in Germany

Selection Procedure

Application procedure ●applications at any time to the Foundation directly ●assessment by independent expert reviewers ●decision by independent selection committees ●duration of procedure: approximately 4 to 7 months

Selection Procedure I

Selection Procedure II

Benefits provided ●fellowship ●travel lump sum ●language courses ●benefits for families ●allowance for research costs for the academic host

Benefits provided ●intensive and individual mentoring in Germany and abroad by personal contacts at the Foundation ●study tour, network meeting, annual meeting ●return fellowships for specific regions ●alumni sponsorship

Origin of guest researchers 2009–2013: 2,745 research fellowships granted to academics from abroad Asia 28% North America 18% Middle East, North Africa 4% Central and South America 6% Australia, New Zealand, Oceania 3% Europe 37% Sub-Saharan Africa 4%

The Humboldt Foundation and Australia Facts & Figures

Facts & Figures about Australia ● : a total of new research fellows from abroad, around 2,3% from Australia ●2% of the applications are from Australia ●Since 1953 we have sponsored 597 Australian scientists and scholars. Among them are 77 award winners. ●Alumni network in Australia: the Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows and one Ambassador Scientist preliminary figures as of January 2011

Distribution of research fellows and research awardees according to disciplines in Australia As of April 2014

Research Fellowships and Awards (Australia) Humboldt Research Fellowships: Humboldt Research Awards:

Humboldtians at Macquarie University As of April 2014 ●There are currently 12 Humboldtians at Macquarie University; 6 in the Natural Sciences, 6 in the Humanities/Social Sciences. ●Since 1992, 5 Feodor Lynen Research Fellows have chosen Macquarie University as their host institution.

The Humboldt Foundation and China Facts & Figures

Facts & Figures about China ● : a total of new research fellows from abroad, around 28% from Asia ●Every 7th application comes from China ●Since 1953 we sponsored Chinese scientists and scholars so far (rank 3 in worldwide comparison after USA, Japan). Among them are 23 award winners. ●Alumni network in China: 6 Humboldt Alumni Associations and 2 Ambassador Scientists preliminary figures as of January 2011

Distribution of research fellows and research awardees in China according to disciplines As of April 2014

Research Fellowships and Awards (China) Humboldt Research Fellowships: Humboldt Research Awards:

Distribution of Humboldtians at Fudan University according to disciplines As of April 2014

Top Ten Home Institutions of Humboldtians in China Number* Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing190 Tsinghua University85 Peking University65 Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai59 Zhejiang University, Hangzhou37 Fudan University, Shanghai Nanjing University, Nanjing 36 Tongji University33 University of Science and Technology, Hefei Shanghai Jiaotong University 32 * Based at these institutions in May 2014

Chinese Humboldtians: Selected Presidents and Vice Presidents at Chinese Universities Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof. Dr. LU Yong-xiang President (1997- March 2011) Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof. Dr. LI JinghaiVice President (since 2004) Beijing Insitute of Technology Prof. Dr. HU HaiyanPresident (since 2007) Peking University Prof. Dr. WANG EngePresident (since 2013) Shanghai Jiaotong University Prof. Dr. ZHANG JiePresident (since 2006) East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai Prof. Dr. QIAN Xuhong President (since 2004) Jilin University, Changchun Prof. Dr. ZHAN Tao President (since 2008) Nankai University, Tianjin Prof. Dr. XU JingjunVice President (since 2006)

German Chancellor Fellowships for outstanding prospective leaders from Brazil, China, India, the Russian Federation and the USA ●from a broad range of areas such as politics and public policy, law, media, business, the non-governmental sector, and the arts ●with an independent project in Germany that has been agreed with the host. ●intermediaries between their home countries and Germany

German Chancellor Fellowships Application requirements ●Bachelor's or equivalent academic degree ●leadership potential Benefits provided ●12-month fellowship in Germany, extension of up to 3 months possible ●language course, introductory seminar, study trip, reception at the Federal Chancellery ●travel lump sum, family allowances

Alumni and Network Sponsorship

The Humboldt Network – more than Humboldtians worldwide as of: January 2013

Alumni sponsorship and international networking More than 26,000 Humboldtians in over 130 countries: “Once a Humboldtian – always a Humboldtian“ Alumni sponsorship and international networking through e.g. -Further research stays -Research Group Linkage Programme -Humboldt Colloquia and Kollegs organized by Humboldtians -Humboldt Alumni Associations -Humboldt Alumni Award for Innovative Network Initiatives

Contact The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is available to answer your questions at any time: Jean-Paul-Straße Bonn Germany Tel: Fax: Thank you very much for your attention!