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WIN conferences

Interdisciplinary research and the promotion of young scientists are the main concerns of the Heidelberg Academy. As part of the Young Academy | HAdW, the Academy has been supporting outstanding young scientists in Baden-Württemberg in organizing WIN conferences (formerly Academy conferences) since 2007. The Academy provides financial resources for this purpose, assists with organization, and also offers scientific advice. The aim is to give this group of people the opportunity to organize international, interdisciplinary scientific conferences on their own responsibility and in complete independence. In line with the Academy's self-image, these conferences should serve to promote scientific dialogue across disciplinary boundaries and must therefore be interdisciplinary in nature.

With these conferences, the Academy deliberately sought to go beyond the usual framework for promoting young scientists. Since 2019, up to three conferences per year have generally been funded in this format. The WIN conferences held to date have demonstrated a high degree of commitment, creativity, and responsible and successful implementation. Supporting independent organization for young researchers has thus proven to be particularly fruitful and innovative, encouraging the Academy to continue this project with great interest and enthusiasm and to further promote 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:

Logo Baden-Württemberg, Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts
WIN conferences
WIN Conferences 2025

Three conferences have been approved for 2025, which will be supported by the Academy. Each of these conferences is interdisciplinary in nature and offers opportunities for discussion in various scientific fields of research. Taken together, the WIN conferences in 2025 cover a broad spectrum of modern scientific research. It is precisely this diversity of topics and approaches that characterizes the WIN conferences, which are shaped by the innovative and differentiated ideas of the organizers.

The conferences

WIN Conferences 2024

Three conferences have been approved for 2024, which will be supported by the Academy. Each of these conferences is interdisciplinary in nature and offers opportunities for discussion in various scientific fields of research. Taken together, the WIN conferences in 2024 cover a broad spectrum of modern scientific research. It is precisely this diversity of topics and approaches that characterizes the WIN conferences, which are shaped by the innovative and differentiated ideas of the organizers.

The conferences

WIN Conferences 2023

Several conferences have been approved for 2023, which will be supported by the Academy. Each of these conferences is interdisciplinary in nature and offers opportunities for discussion in various scientific fields of research. Taken together, the WIN conferences in 2023 cover a broad spectrum of modern scientific research. It is precisely this diversity of topics and approaches that characterizes the WIN conferences, which are shaped by the innovative and differentiated ideas of the organizers.

The conferences

WIN Conferences 2022

The conferences

Conferences 2021
Conferences 2020
  • Content Meets Structure: Integrating Different Perspectives on Social Networks (PDF download)
    Organizer: Dr. Lydia Repke (Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Mannheim)
    Conference contributions can be found in the Transferjournal easy_social_sciences (external link) and on German (external PDF download) and in English (external link).
  • Safeguarding human rights in transnational supply chains – How can national legislation solve a global problem? (internal link)
    Organization: Dr. Astrid Wiik and Dr. Leonhard Hübner (University of Heidelberg)
    ***Thisevent has been postponed to 2021 due to coronavirus regulations.***
  • Water and nutrient fluxes in ecosystems under a changing climate: a tracer-based perspective (internal link)
    Organization: Dr. Natalie Orlowski (University of Freiburg)
    ***Thisevent has been postponed to 2021 due to coronavirus regulations .***
Conferences in 2019
Conferences in 2016
Conferences in 2015
Conferences in 2014
Conferences in 2013
Conferences in 2012
Conferences in 2011
Conferences in 2010
Conferences in 2009
Conferences in 2008
Conferences in 2007
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 about the calls for proposals. Please send any inquiries to hadw@hadw-bw.de (email link) with the subject line "WIN Conferences."