The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) 2025 fellowship programme provides a unique platform for innovative minds to collaborate, share research findings, and launch new initiatives with its global and interdisciplinary approach. 

New fellows join an international team of researchers and contribute to a range of ongoing projects at the institute. Situated in Berlin, the HIIG offers a dynamic and intellectually rich environment where fellows can explore their own research interests and take an active role in shaping their experience. HIIG provides numerous opportunities for fellows to share and discuss their ideas. These opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• writing and publishing papers in one of our open access publications
• commenting on current developments in your field in the form of Digital Society Blog posts
• holding presentations in one of the lunch talks 
• engaging in joint projects and workshops with other fellows and HIIG researchers
• participating in webinars and skill sharing sessions
• enjoying a (virtual) coffee, having inspiring conversations, as well as meeting our research directors and senior researchers during our regular fellow coffee talks

HIIG welcomes applications from researchers with diverse backgrounds and professional experiences, who wish to contribute to the range of the institute’s transdisciplinary internet research.

Key Areas

Applicants for the Fellow Class of 2025 who are working in the following thematic areas and demonstrate this in their research proposals are particularly encouraged to apply:

• Human in the Loop

Automated decisions and AI systems, such as those used in bank lending and content moderation, are becoming increasingly important, but often perpetuate biases and lack human contextual understanding. This has led to calls for greater human involvement to improve these systems and ensure that decisions are fair and aligned with ethical standards. In this context, the HIIG research team, led by Matthias C. Kettemann and Theresa Züger, is investigating how meaningful human involvement can enhance automated decision-making processes.

• Democracy and Research 

The increasing hostility towards science not only threatens the integrity of research, but also the foundations of our democracy. The effects range from threats and attacks to public defamation of researchers and scientific institutions. This rejection of scientific findings poses a serious threat to the democratic order as it undermines trust in science-based decision-making processes. It is therefore crucial to strengthen capacities and competencies in dealing with hate speech and hostility towards science in order to safeguard the role of science in a democratic society. Nataliia Sokolovska and her research team are at the forefront of addressing this crucial challenge at HIIG.

• Digital Services Act

The Digital Services Act (DSA) marks a new era of platform regulation and raises critical questions about the impact of online platforms. Key issues include balancing the regulation of harmful content with freedom of expression and assessing risk-based governance approaches. Addressing these challenges requires new models of collaboration between stakeholders, including academia, civil society, platforms, and regulators, to ensure the effective implementation of the DSA. At HIIG, Ann-Kathrin Watolla and Matthias C. Kettemann together with their research team are responsible for this topic and are pursuing it with a network-based approach.

• Generative AI in the World of Work

The rise of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, has made the potential of AI accessible to a broad audience, with applications ranging from information analysis to content creation. While these tools offer the promise of greater efficiency and more time for creative tasks, they also raise concerns about the potential devaluation or replacement of certain human skills and the need for new competencies. At HIIG, Georg von Richthofen and his team of researchers are exploring the impact of generative AI on workers, organisations, and professions, as well as the conditions necessary for its successful integration into work processes.

Time frame: Fellowships may range from a minimum of one month to a maximum of four months, within the period of 1 May to 31 August 2025, with the month of June being mandatory.

Financial frame: The fellowship is unpaid. The HIIG covers the office desk fee and supports workshops as well as exchange formats of fellows. 

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree, PhD in process/planned (Junior Fellow) OR
• Advanced PhD, post-doctoral researcher (Senior Fellow)
• Fluency in English
• Research experience and a research project of your own that you plan to pursue