No. 113/2021

CAPACITY BUILDING Humboldt Foundation sponsors new research hubs in Africa FOCUS Creating sustainable networks ADDITIONAL INFORMATION www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/apply/ alumni-programmes/alumni-abroad/ humboldt-research-hubs-in-africa The Humboldt Foundation has introduced a new alumni programme for researchers in academic leadership positions at African uni- versities and research institutions: Humboldt Research Hubs. Six selected researchers will head research hubs in Benin, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Zimbabwe which will function as nerve centres for rein- forcing research capacities in Africa, as well as for connecting Humboldt Alumni in African countries with researchers in Germany. The aim is to generate research results that have special relevance for combatting the current pandemic and elaborating strategies for future crisis situations. Each of the research hubs will receive sponsorship of up to €750,000 over a period of five years. Five hubs will be financed by the Federal Foreign Office, a sixth by a col- laboration with the Bayer Foundation. As a globally active networking organisation, the Alex- ander von Humboldt Foundation considers itself under an obligation to help promote sustainable development in the world. In the context of its sustainability agenda, it will develop future measures to make science and science funding more sustainable. Many researchers in the Foundation’s network work on sustainability topics. Their expertise is to be pooled and reinforced in a “network within the network” – by intro- ducing, for example, new virtual dialogue formats like the Humboldt New Mobility Conference in September 2021. In science communication, too, the Humboldt Founda- tion is engaging with the topic of sustainability. The Communication Lab for Exchange between Research and Media has already held two virtual work- shops on the impact of climate change and the social dimensions of sustainable development. Moreover, new resource-saving forms of mobility and communication are going to be tested for its networking activities. The Foundation’s head office itself is setting a good example by specifically encouraging its staff to use sustainable transport and choosing a sustainable construc- tion option for the Foundation’s new main building. 32 HUMBOLDT KOSMOS 113/2021 NEWS