With the formation of the Berlin University Alliance, the four Alliance partners – Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin – want to develop the research hub of Berlin into an integrated research environment. In order to bring the five objectives and three cross-cutting themes to life, new staff members support the overarching work structure and joint projects.

Raffael Barth joined the Research Forum Next Grand Challenge on April 1, 2022, as a program manager for the Objective Fostering Knowledge Exchange. Previously, he completed his master’s degree in political science at the University of Potsdam and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, while working at the HUMBOLDT-VIADRINA Governance Platform gGmbH. There he organized various formats for participation in the context of the coal phase-out in Lusatia and worked for Climate Transparency as a Research Assistant.

Thomas Lilge also complements the Fostering Knowledge Exchange team. Since April 1, he has been responsible for the area of culture and creative industries as a program manager. The philosopher and theater scholar has been working at the interface of research, culture, and economy for ten years. In addition to the research platform gamelab.berlin at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, he has founded various companies and led numerous digital innovation projects in the field of mediation, exchange, and transformation for different organizations and companies.

The Research Forums aim to strengthen the transdisciplinary mode of research within the Berlin University Alliance and in Berlin. To this end, innovative formats are developed, new collaborations and networks are formed, practical experience is made possible for scientists and societal stakeholders, and permanent structures are established. In four different Research Forums, transdisciplinary processes are conducted with various groups of societal stakeholders as well as scientists from the partner institutions.