Homepage of the Minerva Stiftung

The Minerva Stiftung

The Minerva Stiftung is the flagship of German-Israeli scientific cooperation. It is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and works closely with leading universities and research facilities in Israel.

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Minerva Center Programme

Minerva Centers are scientific pioneer institutions in Israel with topics that are innovative and of special interest to the scientific community in Israel and Germany. The research at the Centers is carried out in cooperation with German partners and are funded by the Minerva Stiftung. Minerva Centers are located at the six Israeli universities and the Weizmann Institute of Science.

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The Minerva Fellowship Programme

Since 1973 the Minerva Fellowship Programme enables Israeli and German scientists to complete a research residency at institutions in the respective other country. Graduates and postdocs get the possibility to further their scientific background while conducting a research project at their host institution in Israel or Germany. They promote research and strengthen the cultural and scientific exchange between Germany and Israel. To date, more than 2000 Minerva Fellowships have been awarded to German and Israeli researchers.
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The Minerva Weizmann Programme

The Minerva Weizmann Programme was the first scientific Programme between Germany and Israel. For its implementation, the Minerva Stiftung was founded to maintain and cultivate the scientific exchange between the two countries. Since 1964 the agreement has been renewed every year and secured funding for roughly 2,000 projects in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and the biosciences. Today approximately eighty projects are supported with a total of € 3,580,000 annually.

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The oldest German-Israeli scientific exchange programme turned 50 years old in 2023!

Since 1973, over 2,000 German and Israeli scientists have been able to spend several months in the other country. For 50 years, this has not only promoted German-Israeli cooperation in cutting-edge research, but also maintained the friendship between the two countries, an essential asset, especially against the backdrop of their shared tragic history.

President Cramer gives his speech at the Administrative Headquarters of the Max Planck Society in Munich

Minerva Weizmann Meeting 2024 – We will continue to work together

October 11, 2024

Max Planck Society Minerva Committees Weizmann Institute

This year's Minerva Weizmann Meeting took place for the first time at the Max Planck administrative headquarters in Munich from October 8 to 10 - an event held in extremely difficult times.

What it means to be a German Minerva Fellow in Israel at the moment

July 24, 2024

Middle East Crisis Minerva Fellowships

The terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 was a major shock, especially for the German Fellows who were in Israel with a Minerva Fellowship at the time. Since then, nothing has been the same. 4 German Minerva Fellows report on how they have fared since then.

Statement on the terror attacks against Israel

October 11, 2023

Max Planck Society Middle East Crisis

We, the Max Planck Society and the Minerva Foundation, condemn the horrific attacks by Hamas against Israel in the strongest possible terms.

President Cramer during his solidarity trip to Israel in November 2023
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Interview with President Cramer

President Cramer gave an interview to the Israeli daily newspaper Times of Israel in the course of the solidarity trip to Israel at the end of November 2023 regarding German-Israeli research relations in view of the current Middle East crisis.

Solidarity trip to Israel

December 04, 2023

Max Planck Society Middle East Crisis

President Patrick Cramer and a small delegation from the Max Planck Society and the Minerva Stiftung traveled to Israel at the End of November 2023.

Team of the Minerva Stiftung

Minerva Team

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The Minerva Management

A joint team: Prof. Dr. Ulman Lindenberger and Maximilian Prugger

Delegation of the Max Planck Society at the airport in 1959
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History of the Minerva Stiftung

History Max Planck Society

Today, the Minerva Stiftung, founded in the 1960s as a subsidiary of the Max Planck Society, is the flagship of German-Israeli scientific cooperation. It is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and works closely with leading universities and research facilities in Israel.