News

Humanties and Social Sciences Festival | Power, Labor, and the Politics of AI Across the Humanities and Social Sciences

In April 2026 we held an internal Springer Nature Humanities and Social Sciences Festival. Across a series of keynote presentations, town halls, panel discussions, lightning talks, quizzes, and social events, we celebrated our rich HSS research output in book and journal article form, and our heritage, highlighting the impact and value of what we publish.   

University of Cologne and NYU Establish Strategic Partnership

The University of Cologne and New York University have signed a cooperation agreement to expand collaboration in research, teaching, and academic and student exchange. The agreement strengthens ties between two major research-intensive universities and creates new opportunities for transatlantic cooperation.

Call for Applications Fall 2026: Max Planck Postdoc Program

The Max Planck Postdoc Program provides talented early career researchers with a range of attractive opportunities to advance their careers in science. Applications are accepted twice a year – on March 1 and September 1. The Max Planck Society offers bundled postdoc positions to interested top talents. The current call for applications for the Max Planck Postdoc Program runs from 1 September to 13 October 2026 (12 pm CEST). Open positions can be found on the application platform. Please check the platform regularly, as additional vacancies may be posted until 22 September 2026.

Transparency and Prospects

Career Paths after the Doctorate

A new concept developed in the Ruhr Innovation Lab provides orientation and maps out individual prospects. What can an academic career look like after the doctoral studies? In future, TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum want to support researchers in the early stages of their careers even more specifically with this question. As part of the Ruhr Innovation Lab, they have therefore developed the concept “Career Paths after the Doctorate”. The rectorates of both universities approved it in the summer, and it is now being implemented step by step.

99 Projects for a Post-Fossil Future

Paving the way for solutions for tomorrow – this is what motivates scientists from all Baden-Württemberg state universities to work towards a future in which fossil raw materials and fuels are increasingly replaced by sustainable alternatives. The nine state universities – including Heidelberg University – now present 99 research projects contributing to this goal.

Connecting Research Across the Atlantic

Interview with Stephan Isernhagen

Dr. Stephan Isernhagen is Director of the DFG Office North America, representing the German Research Foundation in the United States and Canada. Based across the DFG’s North America presence in Washington, DC, New York, and San Francisco, he supports scientific exchange and cooperation between Germany and North America and serves as a point of contact for researchers and institutions interested in DFG funding and collaboration opportunities. Dr. Isernhagen has been with the DFG for more than eleven years. Before taking on his current role in January 2026, he served as Programme Director for committee support related to Germany’s Excellence Strategy, Programme Director, and Officer in Research Management at the DFG’s headquarters in Bonn. He also has an academic background in the humanities: his doctoral dissertation at Bielefeld University examined Susan Sontag and the New York intellectuals.

Excellence Strategy

Ruhr Innovation Lab Reviewed

From 19 to 21 May, a panel of international scientists was on campus to inspect the “Ruhr Innovation Lab”. Under this title, TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum have jointly applied in the Excellence Strategy of the federal government and the states. Their shared goal is to create freedom for new research ideas and to foster networks for a future-proof society. The common research areas are united by the mission to secure prosperity, enable trust in the digital age and safeguard the values of our democracy.