The Wenner-Gren Foundations (WGF)
seek to promote international cooperation in the area of scientific research.
To this end, WGF provide housing for visiting researchers at the Wenner-Gren
Center in Stockholm, and awards grants both to Swedish researchers who wish to
travel abroad, and to visiting scientists who would like to come to Sweden.
Further, WGF organize international symposia, usually located at the
Wenner-Gren Center, and provides grants to external international symposia in
Sweden. Travel grants are provided for young researchers to participate in
conferences, workshops, and symposia. Finally, WGF provides financial support
for foreign guest lecturers to be invited to Swedish universities and colleges.
The Foundations’ administrative office is located at the Wenner-Gren Center in
Stockholm.
Visiting scholars’ residences are
located in Helicon, a semi-circular, three-story building in the Wenner-Gren
Center and centrally located in Stockholm. In total, 156 apartments are
available for visiting scientists for a maximum period of two years, and rents
are subsidized via specific housing grants. In 2024, resident researchers came
from 49 different nations, with China, India, Italy, Spain, and Iran best
represented, in that order. The Science Secretary of WGF hosted a special
reception for guests in the banquet room at the Wenner-Gren Center, on May 20
and 21.
WGF offer a comprehensive program
for international scientific exchange of researchers. After completion of their
doctorate, especially promising young Swedish scientists may obtain
postdoctoral fellowships for study abroad and repatriation to Sweden (Wenner-Gren
Fellows). Senior Swedish researchers can apply for sabbatical grants for visits
abroad. For visiting foreign scientists, young researchers from abroad may work
at Swedish universities supported by postdoctoral fellowships, while senior
researchers from abroad may apply for guest researcher grants.
During 2024, a total of 84 researchers
were granted within the international scientific exchange program. The grants
were distributed as follows: Wenner-Gren Fellows (9), sabbatical fellowships (10),
foreign postdoctoral fellowships (52), and senior visiting scientists (13). It
may be added that WGF examine the distribution of fellowships by gender when
the material is sufficient and there were in general no disfavor of female
applicants. The Scientific Committee continuously follows the gender balance
among granted applications.
During 2024, the Wenner-Gren
Fellowship program involved 39 scientists, of whom 24 were conducting their
postdoctoral education abroad, and 15 led their own research group in Sweden.
The WG Fellowship program is designed to give fellows the opportunity for a
three-year visit abroad and to facilitate their establishment as an independent
researcher on their return to Sweden. To this end, each returning Fellow
receives a grant to cover a two-year position in Sweden and a freely disposable
one-time research grant of SEK 400,000, may recruit a postdoctoral researcher from
abroad, and can apply for a planning grant of up to SEK 30,000 to establish collaborations
with foreign research groups. Feedback from this repatriation program has been
very positive.
Each year, all WG Fellows are
invited to a digital meeting in the spring and a physical meeting at the
Wenner-Gren Center in the autumn. A number of active Fellows recounted their
experiences abroad, their current research activities and their plans for the
future. A few earlier Fellows presented more long-term experiences of the
program and gave concrete advice concerning researchers’ career. This year’s autumn
meeting celebrated 30 years with the program with inspiring presentations by
four Fellow from the program’s first decade. The day was concluded by a 50 Fellows’
banquet at the top floor of the Wenner-Gren Center.
Senior Swedish researchers
(sabbatical fellows) primarily choose to visit universities in the US, Australia,
France, Luxemburg and Germany this year.