Humboldt Foundation’s Annual Meeting and reception with Federal President Steinmeier

The participants will come from all corners of the earth, primarily from China (72), India (68) and the USA (52), but also from Spain, Cameroon, Argentina and Australia, to name a few. In all, 450 scientists and scholars from 60 countries, who are currently guests at a German university thanks to assistance from the Humboldt Foundation, are expected to attend. Many will be coming with their families. The aim behind the Humboldt Foundation’s Annual Meetings is to provide a setting where Humboldtians can get acquainted and share information and ideas with one another.

Opening ceremony on 25 June with Minister of State Serap Güler from the Federal Foreign Office

This year’s Annual Meeting will be opened at FU Berlin’s Max Kade Auditorium on 25 June by Robert Schlögl, President of the Humboldt Foundation. The welcome address will be given by Serap Güler, Minister of State in Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.
Henning Walczak, Humboldt Professor at the University of Cologne, will give the keynote address on new approaches in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. The biochemist and cancer researcher came to Germany from the United Kingdom in 2019 with an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship.
Following this, the Secretary General of the Humboldt Foundation, Markus Zanner, will speak with the Humboldtians Bronwyn Winch from Australia and Elisa Cristina Marçalo Brás from Portugal about their experiences during their research stays in Germany.

Reception hosted by Germany’s Federal President on 26 June

Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is inviting Humboldtians to attend a reception being held in the park at Schloss Bellevue on 26 June. Before the reception begins, he will present the 2025  Philipp Franz von Siebold Award to Keiichi Hirano, professor at the Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences of Kanazawa University, Japan, for his outstanding scientific work and his exceptional contributions to fostering exchange between Germany and Japan. 
The afternoon will be dedicated to lectures and laboratory and campus tours at Adlershof Science and Technology Park.

• Which nations are present? (PDF, 204 KB)
• In which German cities do the participants research? (PDF, 163 KB)
• In which disciplines do the researchers work? (PDF, 253 KB)

Programme and information on attending

During the entire Annual Meeting, the researchers will be available for interviews about, for example, living and conducting research in Germany and their country of origin, and about their own research projects.
Journalists are cordially invited to attend both days. It is permitted to film, photograph and make audio recordings. We will be glad to arrange interviews.
Please apply for accreditation by 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 25 June 2025 at the latest, by sending an e-mail with the following information:

• Programme activity you would like to attend
• Contact information
• Name of media organisation
• Copy of your press ID

For journalists without an accreditation card of the Federal Press Office: If you would like to attend the reception being hosted by the German president for Humboldtians in the park at Schloss Bellevue, please also indicate your date and place of birth. Please additionally bring a valid ID (passport or government-issued identity card) and press card with you to the event.

Opening ceremony for the annual meeting with keynote address by Humboldt Professor Henning Walczak
Time: Wednesday, 25 June 2025, 6 p.m.
Venue: Max Kade Auditorium, Henry Ford Building at Freie Universität Berlin, Garystr. 35, 14195 Berlin
Livestream: www.humboldt-foundation.de/annual-meeting-2025

Reception being given for Humboldtians by Germany’s federal president
Time: Thursday, 26 June 2025, 10:20 a.m. (admission until 10:00 a.m.)
Venue: Park at Schloss Bellevue, Spreeweg 1, 10557 Berlin

Humboldt Lunchtime Fair 
Time: Thursday, 26 June 2025, 12 noon to 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Adlershof Science and Technology Park (WISTA), Rudower Chaussee 17, 12489 Berlin

Contact on location on 25 und 26 June:
Kristine Logemann, Tel. 0151-11015699

Every year, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enables more than 2,000 researchers from all over the world to spend time conducting research in Germany. The Foundation maintains an interdisciplinary network of well over 30,000 Humboldtians in more than 140 countries around the world – including 61 Nobel Prize winners.