Germany: Foundations and societies

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is a non-profit foundation established by the Federal Republic of Germany for the promotion of international research cooperation. It enables highly qualified scholars, not resident in Germany, to spend extended periods of research in Germany and promotes the ensuing academic contacts.

Since 1953 more than 20,000 scholars from 125 countries have been sponsored.

Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows: Prof. Dr. Peter Schwerdtfeger
Airborne Research Australia
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide SA 5001
Phone: +61 8 8182 4000
Fax: +61 8 8285 6710
E-mail: peter.schwerdtfeger@flinders.edu.au
Web: www.airborneresearch.com.au/Humboldt/AAvHF.htm

The Fraunhofer Society

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG) — more than 80 research units, including 58 Fraunhofer Institutes — carries out applied research of direct value to private and public enterprise and of wide benefit to society. Fraunhofer research ranges from next generation internet, augmented reality and virtual factories through to mechatronics and energy technologies. Around 90% of its research budget is acquired by contract research.

www.fraunhofer.de

Max Planck Society

More than 4,000 scientists and scholars conduct projects at circa 80 research institutes of the Max Planck Society (MPG). They perform basic research of the highest quality at the frontiers of knowledge, and provide competitive research conditions for excellent scientists from all over the world. The main research fields are Biosciences, Neurosciences, Cognitive Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geosciences, Computer Sciences, Social and Cultural Sciences. Since 1948 16 Max Planck Society researchers have been awarded a Nobel Prize.

www.mpg.de

Helmholtz Association

The Helmholtz Association of 15 national research centres develop and operate large-scale research facilities and the corresponding scientific infrastructure available to national and international research teams. For example, the German Electron Synchrotron, with its specialist focus on particle physics, and the Society for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) in Darmstadt offer the very best conditions for high-energy researchers. Helmholtz works in six research fields: Energy, Earth and Environment, Health, Key Technologies, Structure of Matter, and Transport and Space.

www.helmholtz.de

Leibniz Association

The 84 institutes of the Leibniz Association carry out demand-oriented and interdisciplinary research. Numerous cooperation agreements exist with industry, the public administration, and politics; the Leibniz Association also cooperates closely with universities. Research fields range from Arts, Humanities and Education, Economic and Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Engineering and Environmental Research.

www.wgl.de

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