Jan-Hendrik Olbertz, president of Humboldt University, says: “We are particularly proud of our newly developed format. The theme courses take their cue from Humboldt University’s concept for the future. Guided by the idea of ‘Education through Science,’ it focuses on promoting and developing the university’s scientist personalities.”

The theme courses aim to provide Germany Scholarship recipients with insights into current research projects at an early stage of their studies in order to enable them to develop and present their own ideas. Conversely, the participating scholars and scientists hope that the scholarship recipients’ thirst for knowledge and fresh views will stimulate and encourage them to critically examine theories, including their own, and to develop new perspectives.

When it came to selecting the scholarship recipients, it was particularly important for the Schering Stiftung, in keeping with its grant focus, that the students are looking beyond their own discipline and are interested in art or science.

Age – a Matter of Perspective
The topic of aging generally comes up in the context of demographic change. The “Aging and Age” theme course, supported by the Schering Stiftung, looks at the topic from a variety of different perspectives, dealing with issues such as the productive power or beauty of aging matter. For example, what does aging mean at the molecular level, and what does biological aging have to do with psychological aging? How can we explain our obsession with youth, and could there be a functioning alternative model? The participating students from the natural, social, and cultural sciences will make a contribution to a new understanding of the topic.

“We hope that the benefits for the scholarship recipients from the interdisciplinary exchange will be significantly higher than from individual scholarships,” says Dr. Sonja Kießling, Science Director of the Schering Stiftung.