No. 110/2019

4 HUMBOLDT KOSMOS 110/2019 COVER PHOTO  Humboldt Foundation/Robert Bartholot EDITORIAL Dear readers, Progressive, science-friendly, tolerant, with a sense of humour, no less – that is how the Humboldt Foundation’s fellows experience Germany. In this edition, we present the results of a survey conducted over the last six years involving 1,800 visiting researchers from abroad. The German research landscape can hold its own internationally. The freedom and material opportunities in Germany spark an enthusiastic response from our sponsorship recipients. But there are points of criticism, about bureaucracy, language barriers and the way we promote junior researchers. And social integration leaves quite a lot to be desired, too, they note, despite the hospitality they experience. Much has to do with where people come from and their own perspectives. How do visiting researchers rate Germany when they compare conditions here with their own countries? Are the working hours better than in Japan and the United States? Is it easier to have a successful career in Germany than in the UK? How do postdocs from China or Arab countries experi- ence the hierarchies at German universities and labs; what do they expect from their professors? And how do expectations and cultural habits shape people’s judgement? We tackle these latter issues here as well. Happy reading! GEORG SCHOLL Editor in Chief CONTENTS Photo: Humboldt Foundation/David Ausserhofer 06 03 HUMBOLDTIANS IN PRIVATE Above it all 06 BRIEF ENQUIRIES What drives researchers and what they are currently doing