Max Planck-Humboldt Research Award

The award is intended to attract outstanding and particularly innovative international scientists to German universities and research institutions for research residencies of limited time periods. The award winners will enjoy freedom and flexibility in organising their scientific activities and networking in Germany. The award, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, replaces the Max Planck Research Award, which was previously bestowed annually to two researchers by the Humboldt Foundation and the MPG.

For the new Max Planck-Humboldt Research Award, a nomination committee from the Max Planck Society will identify three international candidates who have a strong interest in a research residency, which can be organized flexibly, at German institutions, preferably universities. A selection committee, which will include the Presidents of the Humboldt Foundation and the MPG, will then select the winner from the list of nominees. The award money of 1.5 million euros will enable the winner to carry out innovative and high-risk research, and to develop new research formats. This distinction is to be supplemented by an additional sum of 80,000 euros in personal award funding.

The annual award will be presented alternatively in the fields of natural and engineering sciences, human sciences, and life sciences. Provided that the selection committee confirms that the entire academic record to date of the two other nominees is award-worthy, they are awarded with the Max Planck-Humboldt Medal. This award is endowed with an amount totalling 60,000 euros. Self nominations or nominations outside of the processes of the appointed nomination committee are not permitted.