23 June 2022
Help for researchers from UkraineHamburg Foundations Throw a Line to Researchers from Ukraine with €100,000
Photo: UHH/Esfandiari
In March, shortly after Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, the Ministry of Science, Research, Equalities and Districts had already provided €100,000 for one-to-two-month scholarships for researchers in Ukraine facing acute danger. The goal was and remains to provide temporary relief to researchers at risk while also enabling them to gain further qualifications and orientation in the German academic system. Now the Claussen-Simon Foundation, the Joachim Herz Stiftung, the Körber-Stiftung, the ZEIT-Stiftung, and the Alfred Toepfer Stiftung are adding €10,000–€25,000 respectively.
Universität Hamburg is coordinating the help for all public Hamburg universities within the framework of the already-established Programme for Scholars at Risk (HPSAR). Upon the initiative of Universität Hamburg, Hamburg universities and the Ministry of Science, Research, Equalities and Districts established this program in 2018. Researchers who take part in the program are matched with a Hamburg researcher who provides academic supervision and they receive a scholarship amounting to €2,000 monthly for a maximum of 12 months.
Katharina Fegebank, Hamburg’s senator for science: “I unconditionally condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine. In addition to existential fears, Russia’s war of aggression also has massive consequences for academia. From the outset, we have aimed to help in any way we can, quickly and without red tape. I am happy that, together with Hamburg's State Higher Education Conference (LHK) and numerous Hamburg foundations, we have been able to add an important path to the Hamburg university system with the Hamburg Programme for Scholars at Risk Ukraine. We offer our full solidarity, especially for scholars from Ukraine, and with this scholarship, some of them will have an opportunity to continue with their research here in Hamburg. We want to provide a safe harbor and welcome them to Hamburg’s academic landscape. I am very grateful to all of the foundations that have so quickly and generously lent financial support for the path to academia and to Universität Hamburg for its outstanding coordination.”
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren, president of Universität Hamburg: “The Executive University Board of Universität Hamburg, like all other universities in this city, strongly condemns the war in Ukraine. Everyone affected by it has our deepest sympathy. In research and teaching, we wish to help those scholars who come to us as quickly and with as little bureaucracy as possible. I am very thankful to the Claussen-Simon Foundation, the Joachim Herz Stiftung, the Körber-Stiftung, the ZEIT-Stiftung, and the Alfred Toepfer Stiftung for the financial support that makes this possible in the first place. Last but not least, I also thank the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research, Equality and Districts for financing the Hamburg Programme for Scholars at Risk since 2018. We would like to see the program continue to enjoy financing beyond the concrete help for Ukrainian researchers so that in the future, we can offer help to at-risk researchers who need it.”
Since March, the program has received over 80 requests for scholarships. Fourteen scholarships have already been granted: 7 from Ministry funds and the foundations and 7 from the budgets of the institutions involved. There are more requests currently under consideration.