Call for applications

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation invites Germany-based early- and mid-career researchers from various research fields to apply to participate in a symposium, organised jointly with the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES), focusing on the theme of “AI for Good: Global Responsible Innovation and Business Transformation”.

The symposium will take place from 24 September to 27 September 2026 in Brazil and aims to incentivise and establish international engagement and collaboration between researchers working in both countries in a broad range of disciplines. It is designed to encourage the exchange of ideas across both disciplinary and national boundaries by adopting a format that will allow for extensive discussion and debate, and other networking opportunities.

Thematic focus

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become one of the defining technologies of our time, reshaping economies, business models, and societies on an unprecedented scale. Its potential to generate efficiency, accelerate scientific discovery, and open new opportunities for growth is immense. At the same time, however, AI also introduces ethical, social, and economic challenges that demand careful governance and responsible innovation. The theme AI for Good: Global Responsible Innovation and Business Transformation emphasises this dual responsibility: to harness AI for progress whilst ensuring that its deployment remains aligned with human well-being, sustainability, and equity.

AI for Good conveys the idea that technological development should not be an end in itself but a means to address the world’s most pressing issues. From combating climate change and improving healthcare to expanding access to quality education and reducing inequalities, AI can play a central role in achieving global development goals. This requires cross-sector collaboration, in which academia, governments, businesses, and civil society work together to ensure that AI-driven innovation contributes meaningfully to collective well-being.

The concept of Responsible Innovation lies at the heart of this vision. It highlights the need for transparency, accountability, and fairness in the design and deployment of AI systems. Responsible innovation is not only about mitigating risks, such as bias, misinformation, or privacy violations, but also about actively embedding ethical and inclusive principles into technological trajectories. It is an approach that anticipates unintended consequences, involves diverse stakeholders, and seeks to ensure that the benefits of AI are broadly and fairly distributed.

Finally, Business Transformation captures how organisations across the globe are rethinking their strategies, operations, and value chains in response to AI. More than automating processes, AI enables new forms of decision-making, personalised services, and disruptive business models. For this transformation to be sustainable, however, companies must integrate ethical considerations, workforce adaptation, and long-term resilience into their AI strategies. Responsible business transformation means balancing competitiveness with social responsibility, ensuring that technological advances translate into inclusive economic and social progress.

By uniting these three dimensions – AI for Good, Responsible Innovation, and Business Transformation – the theme of the conference underscores the urgency of shaping AI as a force for positive change. It invites a global dialogue on how to leverage AI’s transformative power in ways that are not only technologically advanced but also socially just, ethically grounded, and globally inclusive.

The BRAGFOST 2026 symposium will include the following sessions:

• Empowering SMEs with AI: Bridging the innovation gap
• Generative AI for next-generation education and research
• Trustworthy AI in the era of Large Language Models
• Synthetic data for scalable and secure AI development

CONNECT

To encourage and support long-term collaboration and networking, participants may apply for CONNECT, the follow-up programme offered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. It provides grants for short working visits to Germany or Brazil that can be scheduled at any time after participating in the symposium.

Eligibility requirements for researchers from Germany

Researchers are eligible to apply provided that they 

• are based in Germany,
• work in Germany at a research institution or in the industry sector,
• have completed a PhD within the last 15 years (at the time of the symposium), 
• are fluent in spoken and written English.

Participants are expected to take part in the entire symposium. Attending the full event is mandatory to meet the requirements to apply for the Humboldt Foundation’s CONNECT programme.

Application process

Applications may be submitted online at https://forms.office.com/e/i4Jsw0MVrH until 11 January 2026. Only applications received by the deadline will be considered.

Applicants should submit:

• the completed application form (accessible via the link)
• link to their personal scientific profile or CV
• link to their list of key publications (max. one page)

Applications must be in English. Please click “submit” after completing the online form to ensure your application is sent.

Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• proven research interest in and/or experience in at least one of the session topics of the symposium
• commitment to and experience with interdisciplinary research projects
• added value of the symposium for the applicant’s academic career development

Applicants will be notified of the final decision in February 2026.

Logistics

Duration: evening of 24 September 2026 (Thursday) until early afternoon of 27 September 2026 (Sunday)

Hotel and conference venue: (tba)

Accommodation: The hosting organisation will make hotel reservations for all participants at the conference venue and will cover hotel expenses for three nights from 24 September to 27 September 2026. If flight schedules require participants from Germany to arrive one day before 24 September 2026 or depart one day after 27 September 2026 in order to attend the entire conference programme, the hosting organisation will cover the expenses for one additional overnight stay (four nights per person max.). Expenses for meals for the duration of the symposium will also be covered by the hosting organisation. Any additional costs must be paid individually.

Travel expenses: Participants from Germany will receive a travel allowance from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The amount of this travel allowance will be announced in spring 2026 and will be based on the average economy class airfare, including transfer costs and other additional costs. Participants will make their travel bookings individually using the travel allowance. The amount of the travel allowance will be transferred after participation in the symposium.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the BRAGFOST programme coordinator, Ms. Stephanie Dill (stephanie.dill[at]avh.de).