1. Exzellenz verbindet – be part of a worldwide network Dr. Steffen Mehlich Director, Sponsorship and Network Department 31 October 2007 Panel on „German-American Professional Exchanges“

2. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Connecting academic excellence worldwide Knowledge transfer and cooperation at the highest level Melanie Schmitz: 4c Melanie Schmitz: 4c

3. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation  Excellence worldwide  Autonomy and freedom  Neutrality and independence  Durability and sustainability

4. Historical and Intellectual Roots  Alexander von Humboldt (1769 – 1859): discoverer, universal genius, cosmopolitan and patron of excellent scientific talent  1953: establishment of today’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation  international network of academic cooperation and trust

5. Academic Excellence  sole selection criterion: academic excellence  individual sponsorship for people, not projects  no quotas for countries or subjects  free choice of academic host/collaboration partner in Germany  worldwide excellence network of Humboldtians

6. Networks of the Knowledge Elite  The Humboldt Network: 22,000 scientists and scholars from all disciplines in more than 130 countries in the world (40 Nobel Prize winners)  Unique specialist and private network  Life-long sponsorship in the Network Programme  More than 70 Humboldt Associations worldwide

7. Humboldt Foundation Programmes Flexible sponsorship programmes for cutting-edge researchers at all stages of their careers -for postdoctoral researchers (scientists who completed their doctorate less then 4 years ago)  Research Fellowships: 6 to 24 months -for junior resarch group leaders (scientists who completed their doctorate less then 6 years ago)  Sofja Kovalevskaja Award

8. Humboldt Foundation Programmes  for experienced researchers (scientists who completed their doctorate less then 12 years ago) with an own, clearly defined academic profile -Research Fellowships: 6 to 18 months -Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award; 45,000 €, nomination  for internationally recognised cutting-edge researchers -Humbold Research Award; 60,000 €; research stays in Germany over a period of 6 to 12 months (may be divided into segments); nomination

9. Application procedure  applications at any time to the Humboldt Foundation directly  assessment by independent expert reviewers  decision by Humboldt Foundation Selection Committees  duration of procedure: approx. 3 to 6 months

10. Research Awards  Humboldt Research Award* for internationally renowned academics from all disciplines from abroad  Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award* for younger, foreign, top-flight researchers from all disciplines from abroad  Sofja Kovalevskaja Award** for excellent, cutting-edge junior researchers from all disciplines from abroad to build up their own junior research groups in Germany (*by nomination/**by application)

11. Origin of Guest Researchers 2002 - 2006: a total of 2,478 new research fellows from abroad

12. Disciplines of Guest Researchers 2002 - 2006: a total of 2,478 new research fellows from abroad

13. Disciplines of Guest Researchers according to USA 2001-2006: total 1845

14. Fellowships and Awards for U.S. scientists and scholars 1954 – 2006

15. Successful U.S. Applications for AvH Fellowships and Awards 1954 – 2006

16. Alumni Network

17.  maintaining continuous, life-long contact to all Humboldtians worldwide  actively sponsoring academic contacts amongst Humboldtians worldwide through events at home and abroad; Humboldt Associations  systematic network sponsorship An association for a lifetime

18. Network Sponsorship Humboldt Network Online  search and find Humboldtians electronically  Humboldtians update their own data online  Bibliographia Humboldtiana

19. Special Programmes for the U.S.

20. German Chancellor Fellowships for outstanding prospective leaders from the USA, the Russian Federation and China Application requirements  candidates from all professions and disciplines with particular emphasis on the arts, law, social sciences and economics as well as fine arts  autonomous (research) project with a German dimension

21. TransCoop Programme for sponsoring transatlantic (USA, Canada) research cooperation with Germany in the humanities and social sciences Application requirements  German, American and Canadian academics from the humanities, social sciences, economics and law  doctorate, academically active  no age limit  autonomous research plan agreed by the research group

22. Frontiers of Research Symposia Form  3-day conferences for scientists (with the USA: for engineers and humanities scholars, too)  in cooperation with foreign partner organisations  annually-alternating in Germany and the partner country  matching funds from both sides bi-national, interdisciplinary conferences involving outstanding junior researchers (USA, Japan, Great Britain, China)

23. American Friends of the AvH

24. American Friends of the AvH coordinates its activities with the Alexander von Humboldt Association of AmericaAlexander von Humboldt Association of America (AvHAA), an independent non-profit membership organization for Humboldtians residing in the United States. The AvHAA encourages professional collegiality among its members, reinforces contacts with German scientists and scholars, and promotes programs of the AvH.

25.  The office of the American Friends of AvH 1012 14th Street NW Suite 1015 Washington, DC 20005, USA Email: deidre.kelly@americanfriends-of-avh.orgdeidre.kelly@americanfriends-of-avh.org Website: www.americanfriends-of-avh.org

26. Contact Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Jean-Paul-Straße 12 53173 Bonn Germany Tel: +49 228 833-0 Fax: +49 228 833-199 www.humboldt-foundation.de info@avh.de