Our colleague Silvia Dreier has taken on the task of advancing the recruitment of international researchers at the Einstein Stiftung Berlin. She is now deeply involved in the topic, so we wanted to ask: how is it going?
Silvia, the Einstein Stiftung Berlin supports the internationalisation of Berlin's research landscape. Could you give us an idea of what that involves and how the foundation approaches it?
Internationalisation has always been one of the Einstein Stiftung Berlin's strategic priorities, because excellent research depends on international exchange. Our aim is to attract outstanding researchers from around the world to Berlin and to keep them here. The main way we do this is through our funding programmes, above all the Einstein Professorship, the Einstein Visiting Fellow Programme and the Einstein Postdoctoral Grant. Beyond that, we also look at what further measures or partnerships with other third-party funders might make sense. It is encouraging that we currently have the support of the State of Berlin, which has provided additional funding for internationalisation.
Is Berlin not already international enough?
Berlin is already very international, of course: around 20 per cent of students at Berlin's higher education institutions come from abroad, and several thousand international researchers work at universities and non-university research institutions here. There are also strong international partnerships in place. But that does not mean we can sit back - quite the opposite. If we want to remain excellent in the long term, we need to keep strengthening international exchange and the recruitment of talent, even if that is not currently seen as a priority everywhere in the world.
Why does Berlin benefit in particular from researchers with non-European backgrounds?
Research thrives on different perspectives coming together. Researchers from non-European backgrounds often bring different experiences, methods and questions with them, and that is exactly what enriches the research environment and creates fresh momentum. International recruitment also strengthens more than individual projects: it creates long-term networks and connections within global research contexts. In the end, the whole research landscape benefits.
What do researchers who move to Berlin value about the city?
I think many of them value the excellent research environment and the city's open, international character. On the one hand, Berlin offers an exceptional concentration of universities and non-university research institutions, as well as a wide range of interdisciplinary projects. Another advantage is the Berlin University Alliance, which enables exchange and cooperation across institutional boundaries. On the other hand, Berlin is a multicultural city with a broad range of English-language services and opportunities. That makes it easier to settle in and helps people build social connections.
What are the biggest challenges when it comes to international recruitment?
Language is certainly one challenge. You can get by very well in Berlin with English, but depending on the role, German is essential, especially if researchers are expected to teach. That means that a long-term move to Berlin is often not even seriously considered in the first place. Another issue is the strained financial situation at Berlin's universities, which is not helpful for international recruitment, particularly in comparison with better-funded locations. "Poor but sexy" is unfortunately not much of a selling point in academia. Then there is the question of career security: tenure-track positions are still scarce, and that uncertainty can make a move to Berlin less attractive. As the Einstein Stiftung Berlin, there is only so much we can do to offset these structural problems.
This year alone, the foundation has brought eight international postdocs to Berlin, including from the US, Israel and the UK. How important is it to invest in early-career researchers?
From our point of view, it is crucial. We want to bring fresh ideas to Berlin and, of course, we hope that these young researchers will stay here, because that is how we strengthen research excellence in a lasting way. Postdocs are also often more flexible at the start of their careers, both professionally and personally, and are therefore more willing to relocate for their research.
What is still on your agenda for the rest of this year?
In August, we will be travelling to the GAIN annual conference in the US. It brings together early-career researchers and representatives of the German research system, and I am hoping for many good conversations there. I am particularly interested in what makes Berlin attractive for postdocs and what obstacles may still stand in the way of a move. At the same time, we are in close contact with Berlin's universities and partner institutions to continue developing our programmes and align them with changing needs. We also want to make our opportunities more visible, for example through the Berlin Calling platform.
Thank you very much, and all the best for the months ahead!