Space to think. Reason to act.
What is the next question to be asked?
When leading thinkers are given room to ask the questions that will shape the future, they can gain clarity, highlight what is left unsaid, and point towards what is not yet understood.
The Robert Bosch Academy provides this space.
139
Fellows
50
Countries
6
Continents
>1000
Background meetings
Our principles
The Robert Bosch Academy brings people together who rarely cross paths – breaking through disciplines, geography, and lived experiences.
Uncompromising mutual respect, empathy, intellectual independence, openness to different perspectives, and goodwill, combined with candor and courage, are our guiding lights. They constitute the cornerstones of the Robert Bosch Academy’s culture, and its Fellows uphold these principles. The Academy understands itself as a neutral platform and hosts diverse perspectives. It provides a trusted and independent space for international exchange across political, social, scientific, cultural, and economic questions. The views expressed by Fellows and participants are their own.
Fellowship
The Richard von Weizsäcker Fellowship forms the core of the Robert Bosch Academy’s activities. Each year, up to 25 international leaders, thinkers, and researchers are invited to Berlin for several months to expand their knowledge, explore new perspectives, and develop strategies to address the challenges of our time.
Dr. Grzegorz Nocko
Director of the Robert Bosch Academy
"Intellectual freedom matters because it keeps open the possibility that things might be otherwise. This requires time, openness, and a willingness to move beyond established ways of thinking. It calls not only for intellectual curiosity, but also for intellectual courage."
Events at the Robert Bosch Academy
The Robert Bosch Academy team
Our team curates programs and creates a space where people, questions, and perspectives can come together.
Pradnya Bivalkar
Senior Project Manager
Bilal Bağ
Senior Project Manager
Alexander Thamm
Senior Project Manager
Barbara Uchdorf
Senior Project Manager
Carla Kühleis
Project Manager
Susanne Henneicke
Program Support
FAQs on the Robert Bosch Academy
What is the Robert Bosch Academy?
The Robert Bosch Academy is institute in Berlin that offers outstanding individuals space for independent thinking and dialogue on global challenges. In addition to its Richard von Weizsäcker Fellowship, which invites leaders from a variety of fields for a residency in Berlin, the Robert Bosch Academy organizes public events, such as round tables, Academy Lectures and AVoid: Missing Questions for a Just Future.
When was the Academy founded?
The Academy was founded in 2014 by the Robert Bosch Foundation. Since then, over 135 Fellows from 50 countries have joined the Robert Bosch Academy community.
Where is the Robert Bosch Academy located?
The Academy is located in Berlin at the headquarters of the Robert Bosch Foundation. Berlin serves as an interface between global perspectives and discourse in Germany and Europe.
How is the Academy connected to the Robert Bosch Foundation?
The Robert Bosch Academy is an institution of and is funded by the foundation.
As independent scholars, the views expressed by Richard von Weizsäcker Fellows are made in their personal capacity and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
What distinguishes the Academy from a think tank or research institute?
The Robert Bosch Academy has neither a policy agenda, nor research goals. We focus on the thinking and reflection that takes place prior, facilitating curated conversations with relevant actors, and allowing for flexibility and changes to Fellows’ projects.
Who can become a Fellow?
The Richard von Weizsäcker Fellowship is by invitation only. Fellows are chosen through an ongoing international nomination and recommendation process. We look for individuals with outstanding professional achievements and international experience who can actively contribute to interdisciplinary and cross-regional exchange.
Are Academy events open to the public?
The Robert Bosch Academy organizes both internal events to strengthen exchange among Fellows and with other key actors, as well as events open to the public.
Our public event formats include Academy Lectures and AVoid: Missing questions for a just future.
Does the Academy work with partner institutions?
The Robert Bosch Academy connects its Fellows and a broad range of actors and organizations relevant to their projects. It, however, does not engage in formal partnerships.