Online Forum

Who we are

The fellows & friends programme is an initiative for fellows and friends of the Hertie Foundation. Our circle includes current and former students, grantees and researchers of the Foundation and its projects.

Information exchange and networking

The online forum is the platform for all 5200 Hertie fellows to exchange information with each other, across the whole foundation and all its programmes. It offers its members innovative think-tanks, expert forums, interesting professional perspectives and much more.

Profession "politics"

In a new podcast organised by the Hertie Foundation, people with political biographies provide insights into their everyday lives. Elisabeth Niejahr, Managing Director of the Democracy Department, interviews personalities from politics and media about what it is like to be a politician in the 21st century. In the first episode she discusses the bad reputation of the profession "politics".

New Hertie programme

In the new Hertie programme "Jugend entscheidet" (youth decides), communities are assisted in making a decision on a local political issue together with young people. Experienced process support is available to the municipal leadership, while the participating young people are supported in the decision-making process. The programme website and a video can be found here in German. 

Autumn hiking tour

Due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering a regional network meeting (Berlin & Brandenburg) this year on 10 October, in the format of an autumn hike to Wannsee. You will have the opportunity to meet other Fellows and the fellows & friends team while hiking through the Potsdam countryside and enjoying a picnic lunch. We ask for a binding registration by 7 October.

Democracy on Twitter

The Democracy Team of the Hertie Foundation is also actively engaged under @demokratieghst on Twitter. In weekly rotation, employees, from the management to the internship position, report on their everyday work at Hertie. We also provide information about our events and initiatives, discuss current socio-political issues and share ideas and recommendations in the field of democracy.

Latest Hertie Newsletter

Check out our latest newsletter "Demokratie-Update" coordinated by our managing director Elisabeth Niejahr and Andrea Römmele, professor for political communication at the Hertie School. The newsletter is sent every 14 days and addresses democracy issues from a wide angle, thereby discussing news, events and publications related to the topic. You can register for the newsletter here.

Fellows in Portrait

In "Fellows in Portrait" you will find new interviews with our coordinators of our networks and programmes. Here we introduce, among others, Andreas Schröder (Hertie Energy and Environment Network), who as coordinator of the network organizes workshops and group activities. He now works for the International Energy Agency in Paris, combining professional life and commitment as a Hertie Fellow.

Essay Award

Together with the Wirtschaftswoche, the Hertie Foundation has now awarded prizes for the best essays on the subject of democracy and economy. First place in the category "unpublished text" went to Kasyoka Salim Mutunga. The Kenyan lawyer convinced with her essay "Makers of Nations, Three Wise Men, and a Star from the East". The essay can be found here in english as well as further winners.

New Hertie Interview

Ahmad Mansour, member of the board of 'Jugend Debattiert', addresses in an interview with the Hertie Foundation the importance of debates for our democracy. The psychologist and expert on Islamism wants to inspire young people to engage in debate culture. He also talks about his Anti-Semitism programme with the police and gives first details about a project supported by the Hertie Foundation.