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.

Digital Coffee Talk // Karolina Wigura and Andrea Pető

19 January, 2021 | 2.30 pm. - 4.00 pm.|| On behalf of the newest Hertie fellows' network, the "Democracy is Central" Initiative, we cordially invite you to our first digital coffee talk on women and the illiberal backlash in Central and Eastern Europe. We are proud to welcome two experts on the matter: Prof. Andrea Pető (CEU Vienna/ Budapest) and Dr. Karolina Wigura (University of Warsaw/ Kultura Liberalna)

Call for Ideas: Hertie Summit 2021

The Hertie Summit in Berlin is a platform for exchange that brings together fellows, the Hertie foundation’s staff and other experts. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summit did not take place last summer. For 2021, we are planning digital and decentralised live events from 3 to 4 June 2021 in Berlin. We are looking forward to your proposals! The closing date for submissions is 18 January 2021.

Hertie-Interviews: Current podcast episode

The podcast of the Hertie Foundation presents interviews with experts from academia and business. In the current episode, our fellow and podcast host Kurt Woischytzky talks to Yasmin Celin Gannouchi and Joshua Kantara about racism and sexism in schools, youth participation in municipalities and media education. Both are working to make a difference in society.

"Jugend Entscheidet" starts

Ten municipalities entrust youths with political decision-making: Young people are passionate about politics, want to have their say and participate in decisions. But what do they have to say about local political issues? What do they think about issues that affect their lives right on their doorstep? The Hertie Foundation is now launching the project with ten municipalities. Find more information here.

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.

Interviews mentoring

On 27 June 2020 the kick-off meeting for our mentoring programme took place. In the programme we match mentors and mentees and help our cohorts with different support offers. In four interviews we asked former mentors and mentees how they experienced the programme and what lessons and experiences they carry into the future.

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.