internationalisation strategy

Strengthening international networking of science and research in Lower Saxony is a key component in making the state future proof. Against the backdrop of geopolitical challenges and systemic rivalries, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture (MWK) and the Volkswagen Foundation have joined forces to strengthen international cooperation with a view to expanding scientific excellence in the state and securing the position of Lower Saxony as an attractive location in global competition.

The internationalisation strategy is based on the following four pillars.

European funding and international cooperation

The pillar ‘European funding and international cooperation’ is designed to promote the participation of Lower Saxony’s universities and regional research institutions in competitive EU calls for proposals, particularly within the scope of Horizon Europe. Moreover, individual researchers in Lower Saxony are given support in securing EU funding.

As part of the “Europe Program“, the preparation of grant applications—particularly within the context of Horizon Europe—is funded with up to 50,000 euros.

The “Stay Inspired – European Excellence for Lower Saxony” funding program supports the resubmission of applications rated as excellent by the ERC with funding of up to 200,000 euros over a two-year period.

You can find thematically related MWK funding opportunities here (only in German).

Internationalisation of zukunft.niedersachsen

Pillar 2 of the strategy aims to boost the internationalisation of projects supported by zukunft.niedersachsen through an internationalisation module. When submitting proposals under zukunft.niedersachsen , researchers can apply for additional funding of up to ten percent of the initial grant amount in order to establish international collaborations.

Scientific focus regions

Pillar 3 of the strategy strengthens relationships with selected scientific focus regions, currently Israel and Scotland.

Under the Lower Saxony–Israel Research Cooperation funding program, projects in (1) the humanities and social sciences, (2) the life sciences and medicine, and (3) the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics are funded on an annual rotating basis with up to 500,000 euros for a funding period of up to four years. The program has been in existence since 1977.

Together with the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the MWK and the Volkswagen Foundation have established the Lower Saxony–Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme.

  • In Stream I – Development Track, the Royal Society supports networking between Scottish and Lower Saxony researchers.
  • In Stream II – Excellence Track, funding from zukunft.niedersachsen supports excellent research collaborations between researchers from both regions with up to 100,000 euros for up to two years. The goal is a successful application for third-party funding, particularly within the EU’s Horizon Europe program.

As part of the friendship treaty signed on July 16, 2025, between the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom, this cooperation was highlighted as an example of regional collaboration (PDF).

Attracting international students and researchers

The funding program Campus International – Pilot Projects for Recruiting International Students (only in German) focuses on best practices for universities in Lower Saxony. Within the framework of five selected pilot projects, funding of up to 500,000 euros per application is provided to develop measures for recruitment, preparation for studies and support, or networking with the business community.

Additional, thematically related MWK funding opportunities can be found here.

In addition, the three funding lines for Lower Saxony Professorships are specifically designed to attract and retain top international talent, high-performing early-career researchers, and researchers who raise the profile of the university locations in Lower Saxony.

  • The Lower Saxony Professorship is aimed at exceptional scholars who, through academic excellence combined with many years of (leadership) experience in the academic system, can make an outstanding contribution to shaping the profile and structure of the university location and beyond.
  • The Lower Saxony Impulse Professorship is aimed at scholars nearing the end of the early career phase, up to a maximum of ten years after completing their doctorate. This funding is intended to leverage their significant career potential in terms of subject-specific expertise and their capacity to shape profiles and structures, as well as with a view to future leadership roles (‘Rising Stars’).
  • The Lower Saxony Profile Professorship is aimed at researchers who can make a decisive contribution at universities in the state of Lower Saxony to develop or sharpen disciplinary profiles in research, teaching, or knowledge transfer.

The Hannah Arendt Fellowships provide important impetus for research in the humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences in Lower Saxony. Since the summer semester of 2026, the program has been open to up to ten outstanding international researchers per year—including both early-career researchers as well as established scholars—and offers six-month research stays at universities or non-university research institutions in Lower Saxony.

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