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Academies of sciences and humanities

German academies of sciences and humanities have a long tradition in the German research landscape. Academies are engaged in long-term foundational research. They also provide guidance and advice to society and policymakers.

Awards and prizes for postdocs and early career researchers

German academies of sciences and humanities honour early career researchers with prizes and medals and award scholarships. Such support can involve funding for a research project or a personal prize. These research prizes constitute a special honour for the award-winner quite apart from any prize money involved. A personal application is usually not possible. The individual academies provide information about the respective procedures.

Here are some examples of prizes awarded by academies (there are also additional prizes linked with specific subject areas or research locations):

The Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities awards the Nachwuchspreis der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Klasse (only in German) for outstanding academic work
Every other year, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities presents the Karl-Heinz Hoffmann-Preis (only in German) to honour the research work done by early career researchers in the sciences and humanities. The prize is endowed with 10,000 euros
The Engineering Science Prize of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities is awarded for outstanding achievements in the engineering sciences by young engineers and scientists in research or industry. Winners receive 10,000 euros in prize money
The Akademiepreis (only in German) of the Heidelberger Academy of Sciences and Humanities is endowed with 10,000 euros and is awarded to young researchers for academic work. On an alternating basis, the prize is presented each year by either the mathematics/natural sciences class or by the philosophical/historical class
The North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts awards the Karl Arnold Preis (only in German) to young scientists, musicians and artists. The prize is endowed with 10,000 euros

Awards and prizes for established researchers

Academies honour established scholars for their lifetime achievement. Personal application is usually not possible. Academies award prizes for outstanding research work in the most varied subject areas.

Here are some examples of prizes and awards for established scholars:

The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities awards the Academy Prize for outstanding achievements in any disciplinary field. The award includes prize money of 50,000 euros and may be awarded biennially
The Gauss Professorship (only in German) of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities enables outstanding scholars from outside Germany – primarily astronomers, geophysicists, mathematicians and physicists – to complete a research stay in Göttingen
The Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz awards the annual Joseph Breitbach Prize, which is endowed with 50,000 euros, for German-language writing in all literary genres
Every other year, the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg confers the Hamburg Science Prize, which is generously endowed with 100,000 euros. Rather than paying tribute to an academic’s lifetime achievement, the prize honours research of proven quality that is still in progress

More information:

Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities

The Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities is an association of eight academies of sciences and humanities. Its membership includes over 2,000 researchers and academics who are outstanding representatives of their disciplines, both nationally and internationally, and whose work covers a broad range of subject areas.