In the Research Programme 'Culture and Foreign Policy' and the Research Programme Martin Roth Initiative, experts from the fields of art, culture, politics and media explore current questions relating to Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy. Research commissions are awarded for a period of three to six months. The experts draw up recommendations to strengthen and further develop international cultural relations and shape civil society's scope of action.
Reflection on the research results takes place in expert talks, at international conferences and in public discussion, in the ifa publication series 'Culture and Foreign Policy' as well as in the impulse papers ifa-Inputs on the Forum for International Cultural Relations.
Through practical research, ifa offers actors in the field of Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy unique advisory services. The research results highlight current challenges and needs in international cultural relations and outline possible foreign cultural policy measures. The projects conducted to date have addressed issues including European foreign cultural policy, religions and their role in foreign policy as well as analogue and digital free spaces at a time when civil society’s scope of action is being increasingly limited, but also controversial concepts and basic issues relating to Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy.
The Research Programme Martin Roth Initiative focuses on the hitherto little-studied area of protection programmes. In particular, ongoing research and documentation show the impact and working methods of international protection programmes and their framework conditions. Gradually, this is enabling effective impact evaluation to be developed and project design optimised. The aim is to network protection programmes internationally, improve cooperation and critically examine different methods.
Calls for proposals for research projects and for the publication series 'Culture and Foreign Policy' are listed under Jobs and Career or in the Forum for International Cultural Relations.
All ifa’s scholarships and calls for research proposals are published on the web page Jobs and Career. All the important information for your application is to be found in the calls for proposals.
No, unfortunately not. All scholarships and research commissions are restricted to topics determined by ifa.
Generally, the minimum prerequisite is that you have successfully completed a Master’s degree. Other requirements are stated in the call for proposals.
Within the scholarship programme, ifa pays a monthly scholarship, currently €1,500, for conducting academic study. The funding is not subject to taxation. Scholarship holders are required to make their own health insurance contributions. The funding is bound by scholarship guidelines agreed before the project is awarded. Scholarship holders are not allowed to receive any other scholarships or be in an employment relationship while they are receiving the scholarship.
On accepting a research commission, the contractor concludes a project contract with ifa. Contractors are responsible for the tax treatment of the commission.
Yes, it is possible to award a contract to universities and tax-privileged organisations.
The focus is on application-oriented research. Current academic insights should be concisely and precisely analysed for actors in the field of Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy and recommendations framed for future measures in the field of cultural relations policy.
The results are generally published in a study. Very frequently, one of the tasks is to plan and implement an event, for example a conference, a colloquium or specialist talks.
It depends on the focus in any particular case. Projects are generally carried out in German or English.
In principle, all researchers must have the basic equipment required, such as a PC or laptop, in order to conduct the projects. Temporary workstations are available in Stuttgart on an hourly or daily basis for research in the Library. In some cases, ifa implements the projects together with partners. In this case, the partner organisations generally provide a workstation for the duration of the project. This requires a willingness to relocate, for example to Brussels or Bonn.
Scientific Coordinator of ifa’s Research Programme on Culture and Foreign Policy
Charlottenplatz 17
D-70173 Stuttgart
Scientific Coordination of the Martin Roth-Initiative Research Programme
Linienstraße 139/140
D-10115 Berlin
