At the heart of the ‘Open Humboldt Freiräume’ funding line at the ZfK is the idea that researchers need time to engage in dialogue with society and develop participatory projects. To facilitate projects in collaboration with non-university partners, the ‘Open Humboldt Freiräume’ funding line for 2026/27 offers personnel resources and two types of support.

1. Funding for a teaching replacement during a period of teaching release

This funding covers the cost of a teaching replacement for a six-month full or partial teaching release, enabling selected applicants to carry out a project in the field of ‘knowledge exchange with society’. The teaching release will be granted for either the summer semester 2026 or the winter semester 2026/27, with the cost of a teaching replacement fully covered.

Eligible applicants are professors, postdoctoral researchers (including those with habilitation), and doctoral candidates at HU Berlin whose positions include teaching duties and are financed from the university’s core budget.

2. Funding for student assistants

This funding supports project-based positions for student research assistants involved in a transdisciplinary or participatory research project in the field of ‘knowledge exchange with society’. Positions of up to 40 hours per month can be funded for a maximum of 12 months between January and December 2026.

Eligible applicants are professors, postdoctoral researchers (including those with habilitation), and doctoral candidates at HU Berlin who currently have an ongoing or planned transdisciplinary or participatory research project in collaboration with actors from outside academia, and who can advance this project through the involvement of student research assistants.

Info Sessions online:

Tuesday, September 16th, 12:00 p.m., register here (please use your HU email address)

Tuesday, October 7th, 9 am, register here (please use your HU email address)

Application deadline: Oktober 17th, 2025, 11pm (digital form + signed PDF)

For any questions  about the funding program, please contact Xenia Muth in the ZfK office “Knowledge Exchange with Society” at wissensaustausch.hzk@hu-berlin.de or join a Freiräume info session.

Call for proposals Open Humboldt Freiräume 2026/27

Time is What you Make of it – Photo © Matthias Heyde