Bonn, Spring 2013
Dear Humboldtians,
In 2013, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation celebrates its 60th anniversary, which is certainly a cause for celebration. Since 1953, the Foundation has enabled excellent scientists and scholars from all over the world to spend extended research stays in Germany. From the very beginning, the aim was to create a sustainable network whose members would maintain lifelong contact with German colleagues as well as with one another. Over the decades, a network has evolved that now connects more than 26,000 researchers from all disciplines in over 130 countries. So the Humboldt Network is celebrating its birthday, too!
Many of you have often expressed the conviction that the research stay sponsored by the Foundation and your contacts in the network have promoted your careers and enriched your lives in general. Your own countries have benefitted from your knowledge and experience: Humboldtians have not only produced outstanding achievements in science and at universities but also hold eminent positions in politics, the law and civil society in their countries – whether as Secretary of Energy in the United States government, Attorney General of the Supreme Court in Bogotá, Colombia, or President of a university like the University of Canberra in Australia.
And, in addition: the world-spanning Humboldt Network builds bridges between scientific traditions, nations, languages and cultures. It is an example of international understanding in action.
Securing the future of the Humboldt Network is a matter of concern to us all. It presupposes that we introduce promising junior researchers to the network, and this is something the Foundation can only partly do itself. You, the Humboldtians, regularly support us in many different ways, drawing the attention of junior researchers at your institutes to our activities, getting involved in Humboldt alumni associations or, in some cases, acting as Ambassador Scientists. In the name of the Foundation, I should like to thank you all for this very much indeed.
In our anniversary year, I should like to ask you for something more: for a donation to the Humboldt Network. This would enable us to undertake a number of additional measures to introduce junior researchers from the continent of your choice, whom we have not yet sponsored, into the Humboldt Network.
We have identified two options for making a donation:
1) A donation of any amount towards measures for introducing junior researchers into the Humboldt Network
Your donation could, for example, enable young researchers to participate in events run by the Humboldt Foundation. They would be familiarised with the sponsorship opportunities offered by the Humboldt Foundation’s programmes and share knowledge with researchers of different generations, disciplines and nationalities. Your donation could also help to ensure that young researchers have the chance to accompany Humboldt alumni on short visits to Germany. This would allow them to build contacts with German researchers who may, at a later stage, become their hosts if they are granted a research fellowship by the Humboldt Foundation.
2) A donation of at least 1,000 EUR to the Neville Alexander Memorial Fund for the allocation of Best Dissertation Awards to junior researchers from Africa
In 2012, Neville Alexander, South African linguist, Humboldt alumni, political associate of Nelson Mandela and dedicated reformer of the research and education system in Africa, died at the age of 76. In his honour, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has established the Neville Alexander Memorial Fund which has already facilitated a number of measures. Your donation to the fund would help to drive the development of the Humboldt Network in Africa. It would enable us to grant Best Dissertation Awards to junior researchers from Africa and give them the opportunity to prepare an application for a Georg Forster Research Fellowship.
Whichever of the two options you choose, your donation will make an important contribution to extending the Humboldt Network, making it richer and more diverse with every new “arrival”.
I should like to express my heartfelt thanks for your support.
With very best wishes,
Helmut Schwarz
To donate:
Acc. No. 266 397 100
Commerzbank, formerly Dresdner Bank (Bonn)
BLZ 370 800 40
SWIFT-BIC: DRES DE FF XXX
IBAN: DE14370800400266397100
To facilitate the identification of donors, please indicate your full name and address.
To specify the purpose of the donation:
Option 1 (A donation of any amount towards measures for introducing junior researchers into the Humboldt Network) 1
Purpose of donation:
Donation Network plus name of continent you wish to benefit:
“Donation Network Africa” or
“Donation Network Asia” or
“Donation Network Europe” or
“Donation Network Indian Subcontinent” or
“Donation Network Latin America”
If you wish to leave the choice of continent to the Humboldt Foundation, please just give “Donation Network” as the purpose of the donation.
Option 2 (A donation of at least 1,000 EUR to the Neville Alexander Memorial Fund for the allocation of Best Dissertation Awards to junior researchers from Africa)
Purpose of donation:
Donation NA Memorial Fund
1 The decision as to how your donation will be used to support one of the measures described for introducing junior researchers into the Humboldt Network will be taken by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
Dear Humboldtians,
In 2013, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation celebrates its 60th anniversary, which is certainly a cause for celebration. Since 1953, the Foundation has enabled excellent scientists and scholars from all over the world to spend extended research stays in Germany. From the very beginning, the aim was to create a sustainable network whose members would maintain lifelong contact with German colleagues as well as with one another. Over the decades, a network has evolved that now connects more than 26,000 researchers from all disciplines in over 130 countries. So the Humboldt Network is celebrating its birthday, too!
Many of you have often expressed the conviction that the research stay sponsored by the Foundation and your contacts in the network have promoted your careers and enriched your lives in general. Your own countries have benefitted from your knowledge and experience: Humboldtians have not only produced outstanding achievements in science and at universities but also hold eminent positions in politics, the law and civil society in their countries – whether as Secretary of Energy in the United States government, Attorney General of the Supreme Court in Bogotá, Colombia, or President of a university like the University of Canberra in Australia.
And, in addition: the world-spanning Humboldt Network builds bridges between scientific traditions, nations, languages and cultures. It is an example of international understanding in action.
Securing the future of the Humboldt Network is a matter of concern to us all. It presupposes that we introduce promising junior researchers to the network, and this is something the Foundation can only partly do itself. You, the Humboldtians, regularly support us in many different ways, drawing the attention of junior researchers at your institutes to our activities, getting involved in Humboldt alumni associations or, in some cases, acting as Ambassador Scientists. In the name of the Foundation, I should like to thank you all for this very much indeed.
In our anniversary year, I should like to ask you for something more: for a donation to the Humboldt Network. This would enable us to undertake a number of additional measures to introduce junior researchers from the continent of your choice, whom we have not yet sponsored, into the Humboldt Network.
We have identified two options for making a donation:
1) A donation of any amount towards measures for introducing junior researchers into the Humboldt Network
Your donation could, for example, enable young researchers to participate in events run by the Humboldt Foundation. They would be familiarised with the sponsorship opportunities offered by the Humboldt Foundation’s programmes and share knowledge with researchers of different generations, disciplines and nationalities. Your donation could also help to ensure that young researchers have the chance to accompany Humboldt alumni on short visits to Germany. This would allow them to build contacts with German researchers who may, at a later stage, become their hosts if they are granted a research fellowship by the Humboldt Foundation.
2) A donation of at least 1,000 EUR to the Neville Alexander Memorial Fund for the allocation of Best Dissertation Awards to junior researchers from Africa
In 2012, Neville Alexander, South African linguist, Humboldt alumni, political associate of Nelson Mandela and dedicated reformer of the research and education system in Africa, died at the age of 76. In his honour, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has established the Neville Alexander Memorial Fund which has already facilitated a number of measures. Your donation to the fund would help to drive the development of the Humboldt Network in Africa. It would enable us to grant Best Dissertation Awards to junior researchers from Africa and give them the opportunity to prepare an application for a Georg Forster Research Fellowship.
Whichever of the two options you choose, your donation will make an important contribution to extending the Humboldt Network, making it richer and more diverse with every new “arrival”.
I should like to express my heartfelt thanks for your support.
With very best wishes,
Helmut Schwarz
To donate:
Acc. No. 266 397 100
Commerzbank, formerly Dresdner Bank (Bonn)
BLZ 370 800 40
SWIFT-BIC: DRES DE FF XXX
IBAN: DE14370800400266397100
To facilitate the identification of donors, please indicate your full name and address.
To specify the purpose of the donation:
Option 1 (A donation of any amount towards measures for introducing junior researchers into the Humboldt Network) 1
Purpose of donation:
Donation Network plus name of continent you wish to benefit:
“Donation Network Africa” or
“Donation Network Asia” or
“Donation Network Europe” or
“Donation Network Indian Subcontinent” or
“Donation Network Latin America”
If you wish to leave the choice of continent to the Humboldt Foundation, please just give “Donation Network” as the purpose of the donation.
Option 2 (A donation of at least 1,000 EUR to the Neville Alexander Memorial Fund for the allocation of Best Dissertation Awards to junior researchers from Africa)
Purpose of donation:
Donation NA Memorial Fund
1 The decision as to how your donation will be used to support one of the measures described for introducing junior researchers into the Humboldt Network will be taken by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.