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WIN conferences

Interdisciplinary research and the promotion of early-career researchers are key priorities of the Heidelberg Academy. Through the Young Academy | HAdW , the Academy HAdW outstanding young researchers in Baden-Württemberg since in organizing WIN conferences (formerly Academy conferences). The Academy provides funding for this purpose, assists with organization, and offers scholarly advice. The goal is to give this group of scholars the opportunity to organize international, interdisciplinary scholarly conferences on their own initiative and with complete independence. In keeping with the Academy’s mission, these conferences are intended to foster scholarly dialogue across disciplinary boundaries and must therefore have an interdisciplinary focus.

With these conferences, the Academy deliberately sought to go beyond the scope of standard support for early-career researchers. since , up to three conferences per year have generally been funded in this format. The WIN conferences held to date have demonstrated a high level of commitment, creativity, and responsible and successful implementation. Supporting independent organization by young researchers has thus proven to be particularly fruitful and innovative, and it encourages the Academy to continue this initiative with great interest and enthusiasm and to further advance young research.

Only scientists in the early stages of their scientific careers after completing their doctorates are eligible to apply. Applicants must work at a research institution in Baden-Württemberg ( ) and must not have been appointed to a tenured professorship at the time of application. Researchers already affiliated with the academy are excluded from applying.

Funded by:

bwmfw
WIN conferences
The Conference

Conviviality as a Religious Educational Task in the Past and Present (internal link)
(March 25–26, 2026)
Christopher Nunn (University of Heidelberg), Katrin König (University of Heidelberg/University of Paderborn)
External link to the conference program

The conferences
  • Measuring Culture – Advancing Computational Approaches in Sociology, Political Science, and Linguistics
    (May 8–9, 2025)
    Mark Wittek, Agnieszka Falenska, University of Stuttgart
  • Interdisciplinary Workshop on Experimental Social Science on the Causes and Consequences of Appearance-based Discrimination
    (June 11–13, 2025)
    Johanna Gereke, University of Mannheim
  • Overcoming Uncertainties in Cold-Region Hydrology (internal link)
    (September 29 – October 1, 2025)
    Léa Bussière, Heidelberg University
WIN Conferences 2024

The conferences

WIN Conferences 2023

The conferences

Reports on the individual conferences can usually be found in the Academy's yearbooks (external link).

2022
  • Historical Modeling of Biodiversity Loss: Reassessing European Imperial History
    Organization: Dr. Javier Francisco (University of Freiburg)
  • An interdisciplinary methods conference for early-career researchers (PhD and postdocs) in the fields of childhood and aging research
    Organized by: Dr. Anna Wanka and Tabea Freutel-Funke (University of Stuttgart)
  • Early Medieval Mobility – Interdisciplinary Approaches
    Organized by: Dr. Laury Sarti (Department of History, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg)
  • 1st Molecular Systems Engineering for Bioapplications (MSEB)
    Organizers: Jun.-Prof. Eva Blasco (University of Heidelberg), Dr. Mohammadreza Taale (KIT/University of Heidelberg), and Dr. Maria Villiou (University of Heidelberg)
2021
  • Translation, Interpretation, Adaptation. Music between Latin America and Europe, 1920–2020
    Organized by: Dr. Christina Richter-Ibáñez (University of Tübingen)
  • Water and Nutrient Fluxes in Ecosystems Under a Changing Climate—A Tracer-Based Perspective
    Organization: Dr. Natalie Orlowski, Dr. Michael Rinderer, Jaane Krüger, Dr. Maren Dubbert (University of Freiburg)
  • Philosophy of Science Meets Machine Learning
    Organizers: Dr. Thilo Hagendorff, Dr. Thomas Grote, Dr. Eric Raidl (University of Tübingen)
  • Safeguarding Human Rights in Transnational Supply Chains – How Can a National Law Solve a Global Problem?
    Organizers: Dr. Astrid Wiik and Dr. Leonhard Hübner (University of Heidelberg)
  • Political Positioning: Linguistic and Social Practices
    Organizer: Dr. Mark Dang-Anh (Leibniz Institute for the German Language, Mannheim)
2020
  • Content Meets Structure: Integrating Different Perspectives on Social Networks
    Organizer: Dr. Lydia Repke (Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Mannheim)
2019
  • The Silence of Organizations: How Organizations Cover Up Wrongdoings
    Organization: Dr. Kristina Höly and Dr. Sebastian Starystach (Max Weber Institute for Sociology, University of Heidelberg)
  • Change and Transformation of Premodern Credit Markets: The Importance of Small-Scale Credits
    Organizer: Mag. Stephan Köhler (University of Mannheim)
  • Interdisciplinary Multi-Species Biacoustics Workshop
    Organizers: Dr. Barbara Klump, Dr. Nora Carlson, Dr. Jens Koblitz (Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell)
2016
  • Freedom and Responsibility—The Constitution and Human Rights in Hungary and Germany Through the Ages
    Organized by: Dr. Fruzsina Molnár-Gábor (University of Heidelberg)
2015
  • Baltic-German Cultural Relations from the 16th to the 19th Century. Media – Institutions – Actors. (Sub-conference II: Between the Enlightenment and National Awakening)
  • In cooperation with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Social Dimensions of Food in the Prehistory of the Eastern Balkans and Neighboring Areas
2014
  • Baltic-German Cultural Relations from the 16th to the 19th Century. Media – Institutions – Actors. (Subconference I: Between the Reformation and the Enlightenment)
  • In cooperation with the Academy of Athens (Hellenic Academy of Sciences and Humanities): Gaze, Vision, and Visuality in Ancient Greek Literature. Concepts and Contexts from Homer to Plutarch
2013
  • In cooperation with the Learned Society of the Czech Republic: Saints, Heroes, Tyrants. Intertwined Styles of Rule in the Long Century of the Luxembourgs
  • Digital Geoarchaeology—The Use of New Technologies in Interdisciplinary Human-Environment Research
2012
  • From Social Altruism to Commercial Exchange: Gift-Giving and the "Embedded" Economy in the Ancient World
  • Another Africa? (Post-)Colonial Representations of Africa in Russian, Polish, and German Culture
  • Stories of the Gulag—Reality and Fiction
2011
  • Bilingualism—Sociolinguistic and Cultural Scenarios
2010
  • New Perspectives in Quantum Statistics and Correlations
  • Facing the Multicore Challenge
2009
  • The Left-Alternative Scene and New Social Movements in the 1970s
  • "New" Approaches in Medicine: Alternative Medicine—A Curse or a Blessing?
2008
  • Objects and People in Antiquity. A Living Present—Bringing the Living to Life
  • Statehood and the Formation of the State in Late Antiquity and the Early Modern Period
2007
  • Water—A Source of Conflict in the 21st Century: From Crisis Assessment to Problem Management
  • European Business and Economic Ethics: Diagnosis – Dialogue – Debate
  • Overcoming Dictatorship in Europe: New National and Transnational Perspectives
Those eligible to apply

When submitting an application, you must:

  • have a doctorate. Only scientists in the early stages of their scientific careers after completing their doctorates are eligible to apply. Family phases are taken into account in the assessment. Researchers already affiliated with the Academy are excluded from applying.
  • work at a research institution in Baden-Württemberg,
  • not yet have been appointed to a tenured professorship at the time of application. Junior professorships and tenure-track professorships are eligible to apply.
The general conditions
  • The maximum funding amount per conference is generally €11,000.
  • Approved funds must be spent within the respective fiscal year (including publication costs). Travel expenses (in accordance with the State Travel Expenses Act of Baden-Württemberg), material expenses (e.g., conference materials, invitations), and funds for student and research assistants may be requested, but not for research staff or speaker fees.
  • Within the budget, a cost center can be requested for the publication of the conference. Only open access publications will be funded.
  • The conference should preferably be held on the academy's premises. There is no charge for the use of the rooms. The academy's lecture hall can accommodate up to approximately 60 conference participants.
  • If the academy's rooms are to be used, no more than four conference days should be planned. The conference cannot be scheduled over a weekend. When submitting your application, it is sufficient to indicate your preferred time period; if your application is approved, you will be required to coordinate the date with the academy.
  • Speakers who are to be invited must not have been contacted at the time of application.
The application process
  • The application, and thus the conference, must be interdisciplinary in nature. The application must outline the topic to be addressed and explain why this can only be achieved through an interdisciplinary conference. In addition to a description of the content, a conference schedule must be submitted as an appendix. Speakers who are to be invited must be listed, but do not yet need to have been contacted.
  • The application must not exceed five pages. In addition, a financing plan (max. 1 page) and a CV with a list of publications (max. 2 pages per person) must be submitted. [Times New Roman 12pt, line spacing 1.15].
  • Mr. Georg Wolff is available to answer any questions you may have regarding the calls for proposals. Please send any inquiries with the subject line “WIN Conferences” to hadw@hadw-bw.de (Email link).