The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is pleased to announce five new fellowships under the Change!  program of the VolkswagenStiftung. The funded research projects are hosted at the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology (SOT) and combine academic excellence with societal impact. Together with partners from civil society, industry, and the public sector, the research teams develop practice-oriented knowledge to support societal transformation.

“The approval of five of the eight Change! Fellowships awarded nationwide is an outstanding signal of the relevance of transdisciplinary research at the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology — research that is further strengthened through the TUM Think Tank at the Munich School of Politics and Public Policy. The fact that our Fellows represent different career stages highlights the breadth of our excellence. Our researchers demonstrate how science can assume societal responsibility and actively contribute to shaping sustainable futures.”

— Prof. Dr. Urs Gasser, Dean of the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology and Rector of the Munich School of Politics and Public Policy

In times of multiple crises, more than analysis is needed: We need knowledge that makes a difference. Through its Change! program, the VolkswagenStiftung brings together researchers from different disciplines with actors from NGOs, civil society, public administration, companies, start-ups, and local communities. The goal is to better understand complex problems, open up new perspectives, and identify practical pathways for societal progress. This creates a research approach that connects insight and application — and thus enables real change.

The five funded Change! Fellowship projects at TUM SOT follow this guiding principle in different ways. They demonstrate how research at the intersection of technology, society, and policy can contribute to addressing pressing future challenges and highlight the growing importance of research that transcends disciplinary and sectoral boundaries.

Anna Antonova (expected from spring 2026 onwards) – Convivial Waterfronts: Reimagining Urban Coastal Conservation for Just Sustainability Transformations
The project “Convivial Waterfronts”, led by Dr. Anna Antonova, examines how nature conservation and urban development can be designed to benefit both people and ecosystems. An international research team from Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, and Albania develops innovative conservation approaches based on the principle of convivial conservation. Instead of creating rigid protected areas, residents, artists, and local stakeholders co-create solutions that preserve ecosystems while enhancing quality of life. Through Urban Living Labs, the team tests new approaches ranging from participatory urban planning to creative uses of coastal spaces.

Christian Djeffal – Future(s) of Justice
The project “Future(s) of Justice”, led by Prof. Dr. Christian Djeffal, investigates how the German justice system can be digitized without compromising its fundamental values. In cooperation with actors from the judiciary, the research team brings together judges, administrative staff, and citizens to develop practice-oriented digital solutions that strengthen judicial independence and access to justice. Rather than imposing innovation top-down, solutions are co-created with those who will ultimately use them.

Florian Egli – JET-GROW
The “JET-GROW” project, led by Prof. Dr. Florian Egli, focuses on the social and economic impacts of the green transformation. Using data science methods, the research team analyzes real-time data from more than 170,000 cleantech companies to identify where new green jobs are emerging and which skills are in demand. Together with partners in Bavaria and Scotland, the project develops strategies for workforce upskilling and regional resilience. An accompanying documentary film series gives voice to people experiencing the transition firsthand.

Manuela Fritz – BAMBOOST
The “BAMBOOST” project, led by Dr. Manuela Fritz, explores how older adults in Vietnam can secure income through bamboo cultivation and biochar production while contributing to climate protection. In collaboration with the Vietnam Organization for Better Ageing and the Thanh Hoa Association of the Elderly, the research team supports 72 intergenerational self-help groups in implementing local biochar initiatives. The project’s findings feed directly into policy recommendations for Vietnam’s National Strategy for Older People 2025–2035.

Orestis Papakyriakopoulos – Data-Driven Transformative Impact: Reshaping Innovation in NGOs for Social Change
The project “Data-Driven Transformative Impact”, led by Prof. Dr. Orestis Papakyriakopoulos, investigates how societal change can be made measurable. In collaboration with the WWF Global Innovation Team and the Innovation for Impact Network, the research team develops a data-driven framework to help non-governmental organizations (NGOs) systematically assess innovation and impact. Through AI-supported analysis and case studies in Cambodia and Brazil, the project creates a toolkit that enables organizations worldwide to evaluate and scale social innovation.

“As an incubator for society-centered innovation, the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology provides an ideal environment for this type of research. The successfully acquired Change! Fellowship projects show how the reorientation of technology-focused social sciences — across research, teaching, and practice — can contribute to addressing the world’s major challenges. Through a diverse set of innovative approaches — including AI and data analytics, urban living labs, participatory planning, and real-time monitoring tools — pioneering initiatives for societal transformation can be launched. These range from climate adaptation in coastal regions and public health to cleantech and the digitalization of justice, while also making their complex societal impacts — on education, job security, health, intergenerational justice, and democracy — visible and measurable.”

— Prof. Dr. Silke Beck, Vice Dean for Research and Innovation, TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology

With these five fellowships, the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology further strengthens its profile as a place where social and technological research come together to actively shape societal progress. The projects demonstrate how science can contribute in an application-oriented, collaborative, and responsible manner to developing sustainable solutions.

The Change! Fellowships of the VolkswagenStiftung support research projects with a duration of four to five years that translate knowledge into practice and generate long-term impact.

Contact

• Klaus Becker, klaus.becker(at)tum.de – TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology
• Yvonne Holzmeier, yvonne.holzmeier(at)hfp.tum.de – Hochschule für Politik München
• Rahel Roloff, rahel.roloff(at)hfp.tum.de – TUM Think Tank