Dear reader,

Spring has arrived in Germany – and is bringing with it a fresh breeze to the Humboldt Foundation: We will be welcoming our new secretary general Markus Zanner on 1 May. The science manager and historian will be focusing on the power of collaboration: “I hope to build lasting bridges between research, political decision-makers and society.” And trusting collaborations are more important than ever – as discussions at the Philipp Schwartz Forum for threatened researchers in Berlin last week showed. Particularly in times when academic and scientific freedom are being threatened around the world.

Also: Germans went to the polls in February 2025. In this newsletter, you can learn more about what researchers in the Humboldt Network are hoping for from the new German government!