HIAS was launched in November parallel to the Hamburger Horizonten conference, which brought together scientists and citizens in the KörberForum. Held under the theme of “Healthy Without Borders”, the 2020 conference will focus on Europe. Both Hamburg Horizons and HIAS are keen on talks between science and society. “Knowledge thrives on dialogue. We look forward to being able to bring leading scientists from around the world to Hamburg as part of HIAS and to making interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research possible. This will benefit our city as a whole,” Ringe said.
Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study launches - up to 25 research fellows expected
A total of 25 outstanding researchers from a wide range of disciplines are expected to join the new Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study or “Wissenschaftskolleg”. The aim is to create an overarching centre of excellent research with national and international appeal. The first research fellows are expected at the start of the winter semester next October, according to Professor Wolf-Georg Ringe, Speaker of the Executive Committee of the Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS) and Director of the Institute for Law & Economics at the University of Hamburg.
HIAS and “Hamburg Horizons closely likely
Needs for “Wissenschaftskolleg”
When the founding phase began in 2017, Katharina Fegebank, Senator for Science, Research and Gender Equality, said: “Every excellent science location needs a ‘Wissenschaftskolleg’. Berlin has one, Munich has one, and we also need one so that in future Hamburg’s name will be associated more strongly with top research and excellent science on an international level.” Germany presently has 30 colleges for advanced studies in eleven states. The college in Hamburg will focus mainly on interdisciplinarity. “The wide range of content offered by the member institutions from engineering sciences to the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities to the fine arts and music, represents a unique selling point in the German advanced colleges’ landscape,” siad Professor Hendrik Brinksma, Chairman of the Board of HIAS and President of the Technical University of Hamburg.
Tandem partners guarantee networking
The expected fellows conduct research in biology, neurology, philosophy of state, law, philosophy and sociology. They will spend three, six or ten months in Hamburg and will be accompanied from the outset by a tandem partner, i.e. a local scientist in their field who will helps them network with scientists in Hamburg. They will stay at the University of Hamburg’s guesthouse. “This is an interim solution. We are looking for a villa in which life and work can be brought together in an inspiring manner,” said Ringe.
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Sources and further information
HIAS
Founded in 2019, the members of HIAS are the University of Hamburg, the Technical University of Hamburg, HafenCity University, the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg, Bucerius Law School, the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg and the Helmut-Schmidt-Universität – Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg. The City of Hamburg and various foundations are involved in funding.