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Volkswagen Foundation

Opus Magnum

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The Opus Magnum programme from the Volkswagen Foundation funds substitute professorships for outstanding German professors in the humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences to free up time for writing a major scholarly work. Applicants must hold an active professorship and be ready to dedicate focused time to a substantial intellectual project. This is a rare call designed for senior scholars at a critical moment in their career.

Details

Funder Volkswagen Foundation
Consortium No - individual applicant; funding of a substitute professorship to free up time for the applicant's own project
Eligible countries DE

Eligibility & scope

Aimed at outstanding professors from the humanities and social sciences, providing funding for a substitute professorship to allow time for a major research project.

Who Should Apply

  • •Active professors at German universities or research institutions
  • •Scholars in humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences
  • •Researchers with an ambitious, well-defined manuscript or major scholarly project
  • •Senior scholars seeking concentrated time away from teaching and administrative duties

Key Dates

  • •Verify deadline and application cycle on Volkswagen Foundation website

Tips for Applicants

  • ✓This is a rare call for senior scholars, clarity about the intellectual scope and significance of your opus magnum is essential.
  • ✓Demonstrate how the substitute professorship precisely enables your project; vague time-management arguments will not succeed.
  • ✓The teaching-replacement angle matters: show that a capable substitute can maintain your course load without compromising department operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for the Volkswagen Foundation Opus Magnum award?

Active professors at German universities and research institutions in the humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences.

What does the Opus Magnum award fund?

A substitute professorship that frees the applicant from teaching and administrative duties to focus on writing a major scholarly work.

Which countries are eligible for Opus Magnum?

Germany; applicants must hold a professorship at a German institution.

volkswagen-foundationopus-magnumsenior-researcherhumanitiesgermanysubstitute-professorshipcultural-studies
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Summary generated by AI based on published grant information. Always verify details on the funder's website.

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