Freedom for exploratory thinking – Stiftung Mercator’s Fellowship programme is designed to foster outstanding individuals in the fields of academia and practice. They work on specific research topics at either Stiftung Mercator or a renowned partner institution. The first four Mercator Fellows of the 2015 intake have now been named.
They are Laszlo Andor, Irit Bar-Kochva, Matthias Spielkamp and Michael Wrase. In fostering them, Stiftung Mercator expects to acquire valuable input when it comes to resolving pressing societal issues. Mercator Senior Fellow Laszlo Andor began his period of research at the Hertie School of Governance on 1 February. An experienced economist and the former EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (2009-2014), Laszlo Andor will explore how best to overcome growing polarization and the threat to social cohesion within the EU against the backdrop of Europe’s current economic and social challenges. Entitled “Cohesion and Convergence in Europe”, his research will focus particularly on the future development of European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
Irit Bar-Kochva, an educational scientist, will focus on “Improving Reading Skills among Pupils within the Framework of Holistic Language Learning” at the German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF). A lawyer, Michael Wrase will be conducting research at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) into the “Right to Education as a Challenge for the German Social and Education System”. During his time as a Mercator Fellow, journalist and Reporters Without Borders board member Matthias Spielkamp will be concentrating above all on the question of how “the networked information economy is changing society and politics”.
Through their Fellowship projects, the Mercator Fellows work on central themes relevant to Stiftung Mercator. “The Fellowship programme plays an important role in the foundation’s work. As a non-profit institution with clearly-defined socio-political objectives, it reflects our philosophy of being a learning organization that is open to change, new themes and ideas”, is how Michael Schwarz, Executive Director of Stiftung Mercator, explains the goals of the programme.
The Mercator Fellowship programme was initiated in 2013 with a view to further expanding the collaboration with Fellows that has been underway since 2008. The idea is to give outstanding individuals the freedom they need to conduct exploratory research and work. By offering a comprehensive programme and the opportunity to work for a period of time at internationally renowned institutions, Stiftung Mercator wishes to contribute to developing new impetus for resolving central societal challenges.
Previous Mercator Fellows have included Robert Menasse, who focused on developing a model for European democracy, Quentin Peel, who is exploring the future of the EU and Germany’s role in Europe, and Suat Kiniklioglu, a Mercator Senior Fellow whose research, at the Center for American Progress in Washington among other places, is focused on Turkey’s socio-political development against the backdrop of its relationship with the EU and the USA.
If you should have any questions, please contact:
Natalie Jurewitz, Communications Manager Stiftung Mercator
Tel: +49 201 245 22-840
natalie.jurewitz@stiftung-mercator.de
Über die Stiftung Mercator:
Die Stiftung Mercator ist eine private Stiftung, die Wissenschaft, Bildung und Internationale Verständigung fördert. Sie initiiert, entwickelt und finanziert gezielt Projekte und Partnergesellschaften in den Themenbereichen, für die sie sich engagiert: Sie will Europa stärken, Integration durch gleiche Bildungschancen für alle verbessern, die Energiewende als Motor für globalen Klimaschutz vorantreiben und kulturelle Bildung in Schulen verankern. Dem Ruhrgebiet, der Heimat der Stifterfamilie und dem Sitz der Stiftung, fühlt sie sich besonders verpflichtet.