Overview

The Georg Forster Research Award honors internationally recognised researchers from developing and emerging countries for their outstanding academic achievements. Awarded annually by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the prize is named after the German ethnologist Georg Forster and financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The award supports researchers whose work contributes to improving living conditions in their home countries and fosters long-term collaboration with research institutions in Germany.

Funding and Benefits

The prize carries a monetary award of 60,000 Euro. Award winners are invited to carry out self-selected research projects at a German research institution in cooperation with local colleagues. The stay may range from half a year to a full year and can be divided into multiple segments. Additional costs such as travel expenses and language courses are covered during the research stay. To integrate early-career researchers from the award winners’ home countries into the collaboration, the Humboldt Foundation may provide up to 10,000 Euro in supplementary funds. The award also grants access to a wide range of alumni support measures and networking opportunities.

Eligibility

• Nominees must be researchers whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or findings have durably shaped their field beyond their immediate specialisation and who continue to develop research-based solutions for challenges specific to developing and emerging countries.
• Nationality and residence: Candidates must hold the citizenship of a developing or emerging country as defined by the OECD (excluding the People’s Republic of China and India). Their primary residence and place of work must have been in one of these countries for at least five years at the time of nomination.
• Previous recognition: The candidate’s scientific work must not yet have been honoured with a Humboldt Foundation award.
• No self-nomination: Applications cannot be submitted by candidates themselves. Close relatives and spouses or life partners are also excluded from nominating.
• Special emphasis is placed on the nomination of qualified female researchers.

Nomination Process

Nominations can only be initiated by established researchers at a German research institution. Humboldt award winners based abroad may also nominate, but must do so jointly with a researcher working in Germany. Once all documents have been received, the Foundation confirms receipt by email and begins the review process. All information is treated as strictly confidential.

Selection Procedure

The nomination period ends on 31 October of each year. An independent committee of researchers from all disciplines convenes, typically in the summer of the following year, to make its decision based on independent expert reviews, the nominee’s scientific qualifications, and the relevance of their research to the development of their home country. Key selection criteria include:

• Internationally outstanding scientific reputation
• Demonstrable impact of research results beyond the nominee’s immediate field
• Development relevance of the research (the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals serve as a reference point)
• Multiplier effect of the nominee in research, teaching, science management, and other development-related processes outside academia

Nominators are informed of the decision immediately after the committee meeting. In the event of a negative decision, the Foundation provides information on the competitive situation and selection criteria upon request.