promoting.research
zukunft.niedersachsen
The joint funding program of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation aims at promoting research, education, and transfer in the federal state of Lower Saxony.
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Ulf Salzmann für ISFH
Schmitt für Twincore
initiate.action
The largest funding program in Lower Saxony’s history opens up unique opportunities for science.
promoting
ourfocus
Our profile areas are designed to support Lower Saxony’s universities and research institutions, helping them to develop further and find answers to the challenging issues of our time.
new knowledge
We promote the development of new initiatives, strengthen cross collaboration, and support the strategic development of higher education.
bright minds
We support universities in the acquisition of talented researchers.
additional infrastructure
We expand the structural basis of research and teaching, both analog and digital.
story
High-tech Searchfor Virus Resilience
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Microbiologist witha passion for diversity
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Developmental psychology:On the trail of everyday life
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High-tech Searchfor Virus Resilience
story
Microbiologist witha passion for diversity
story
Developmental psychology:On the trail of everyday life
ouragenda
We are undergoing a profound transformation of our economy and way of life. Our aim is to emerge stronger in ecological, social, and economic contexts. We have identified three areas of particularly important future challenges in which our funding programs should have a strong impact.
transformation
Shaping sustainable social and ecological transformation in the economy and the science system.
digitality
Thinking ahead about the interaction between people and machines, using data as a key resource.
cutting-edge research
Promoting outstanding researchers and establishing promising fields of research.
research
news of tomorrowprojects and areas of research in focus
Infection research in Lower Saxony: The HUMAN programme opens creative avenues for better health
Whether during the annual flu season or the coronavirus pandemic, we repeatedly experience firsthand the impact that viruses and bacteria have on our everyday lives. In the HUMAN programme, junior research groups participating in the HUMAN programme at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig are investigating the complex interaction between humans and microbes.
03
Feb
Lower Saxon-Scottish Projects get Started
International cooperation opens up valuable opportunities for scientists in Lower Saxony. That is why the Ministry of Science and the Volkswagen Foundation are funding ten Lower Saxony-Scottish research collaborations. From energy supply and medicine to space travel: a selection of the approved projects demonstrates their wide range of subjects.
12
Jan
Lower Saxony – Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme: Stream II – Excellence Track
The programme provides Lower Saxonian and Scottish higher education institutions and their researchers with a unique opportunity to conduct joint research to lay the foundation for successful third-party funding bids, in particular Horizon Europe. Deadline: 30 April 2026
12
Dec
Lower Saxony celebrates partnership with Israel
Sixty years ago, a unique scientific collaboration began between Germany and Israel. A ceremony at Herrenhausen Palace on 15 September celebrated this engine of innovation and mutual understanding – as well as the 100th anniversary of two leading Israeli universities.
19
Sep
Innovation Council Lower Saxony begins work
The new committee was established by the state government with the brief to apply a holistic approach to strategic development of the state's innovation system. The council members began their work with their first meeting at the beginning of July.
17
Jul
Hanna Arendt Fellowships
The Hannah Arendt Fellowships enable outstanding international academics from the humanities, cultural and social sciences to spend six months conducting research in Lower Saxony. In the first round of funding in 2026, applications are only possible by invitation from a university or research institution in Lower Saxony.
10
Jul
New call: Climate Future Lab "climate-resilient ecosystems in rural regions"
This call for proposals supports the establishment and implementation of a research consortium to address climate-resilient ecosystems in rural regions as part of the Climate Future Labs of the Lower Saxony Centre for Climate Research (ZKfN). Deadline for application: November 3, 2025
18
Jun
AI Research Groups Lower Saxony
As a key technology, artificial intelligence is of central importance to Lower Saxony's research system. This call for proposals combines the objectives of promoting individual scientists with the further development of AI methods and their application to existing data sets.
