Forum Transregional Studies

What Forum Transregional Studies does

Forum Transregionale Studien is a Berlin-based non-profit research organization founded in October 2009 that promotes transregional research in the humanities and social sciences. It operates as a fellowship-driven platform hosting postdoctoral scholars from around the world through a portfolio of thematic programs: EUME (Europe in the Middle East – The Middle East in Europe), re:constitution (democracy and rule of law in Europe), Prisma Ukraïna (Eastern Europe and Ukraine studies), 4A_Lab, and joint initiatives including MECAM (Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb) in Tunis and EUTIM (European Times). The Forum offers fellowships, structured academic exchange formats such as the weekly Berliner Seminar, Fellows Exchange Meetings, and annual conferences, alongside publication series (Essays, Dossiers, Working Papers) and the TRAFO Blog distributed via open access through its website and publishing partners transcript Verlag and Matthes & Seitz Berlin.

The organization operates with 11-50 employees from a single headquarters at Wallotstraße 14, Berlin, with its technology stack centered on a website platform using Matomo open-source analytics, Vimeo and YouTube video embedding, SoundCloud audio hosting, OpenStreetMap, and CleverReach for newsletter management. All fellowships, publications, and events are provided free of charge to recipients. There are no patents, proprietary AI/ML systems, or commercial software products; the Forum functions as a research coordination network rather than a technology company.

Revenue is derived entirely from institutional grants and public funding. Primary funders include the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Berlin Senate Department for Science, Health and Care, and the European Research Council (ERC) via grants awarded to affiliated scholars. Additional funding flows from private German foundations including the Gerda Henkel Foundation, Zeit-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, Marga und Kurt Möllgaard-Stiftung, VolkswagenStiftung, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation through the Philipp Schwartz Initiative. The EUTIM program alone received approximately 1.7 million euros for an initial three-year term. The Forum is governed by an Executive Board, Board of Trustees, and Members' Assembly, with Prof. Dr. Friederike Pannewick serving as Deputy Chair and legal representative.

Name

Forum Transregional Studies

Legal name

Forum Transregionale Studien e.V.

Website

https://forum-transregionale-studien.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forum Transregionale Studien is a Berlin-based non-profit research organization founded in 2009 that operates postdoctoral fellowship programs and research networks in transregional humanities and social sciences, serving international scholars and at-risk researchers across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa through institutional grant funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships) (EDAIABAC)

Keywords

• Academic research fellowships
• Transregional studies programs
• Humanities social sciences
• Postdoctoral scholar support
• Scholarly publication platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: Primary funding from German federal and state government bodies including the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Berlin Senate Department for Science, Health and Care, and the European Research Council (ERC) grants to affiliated scholars.
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from private foundations including Gerda Henkel Foundation, Time-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, Marga und Kurt Möllgaard-Stiftung, VolkswagenStiftung, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Philipp Schwartz Initiative).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Forum Transregionale Studien runs transregional research programs and postdoctoral fellowships in the humanities and social sciences, hosting international scholars in Berlin and partner European cities on themes including democracy, rule of law, migration, war, and cultural change. The organization operates six named programs (EUME, re:constitution, Prisma Ukraïna, 4A_Lab, MECAM, EUTIM), supports scholars at risk through the Philipp Schwartz Initiative, and disseminates research via TRAFO Blog, Working Papers, Essays, Dossiers, and events. All offerings are provided free of charge to recipients, with funding sourced from German federal and state government, the European Research Council, and private foundations.

Product overview

Forum Transregionale Studien is a research institute that operates as a platform for transregional studies, offering multiple interconnected research programs and fellowship opportunities. The core portfolio includes: EUME (Europe in the Middle East – The Middle East in Europe), re:constitution (democracy and rule of law in Europe), Prisma Ukraïna (Eastern Europe and Ukraine studies), 4A_Lab, and research initiatives MECAM (Maghreb studies) and EUTIM (Central and Eastern European studies). The Forum provides a digital platform featuring the TRAFO Blog for transregional research publications, along with fellowship programs hosting scholars from 20+ countries. Communication formats include essays, dossiers, working papers, audio/video content, WorldCafés, and event blogs. The organization functions as a network connecting researchers rather than offering a traditional software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EUME: Europa im Nahen Osten – der Nahe Osten in Europa. A research program focusing on Europe and the Middle East.
• re:constitution
• Prisma Ukraïna
• 4A_Lab
• MECAM
• EUTIM

Products and services

• EUME (Europa im Nahen Osten – der Nahe Osten in Europa) A research program examining Europe in the Middle East and the Middle East in Europe, focusing on transregional historical, political, and cultural connections. Includes sub-projects such as SYRASP and BEYONDREST. Intended for postdoctoral scholars and researchers studying Europe-Middle East relations.
• re:constitution Exchange and Analysis on Democracy and the Rule of Law in Europe — a fellowship program providing opportunities for early-to-mid-career scholars and practitioners to research democracy and rule of law issues.
• Prisma Ukraïna – Research Network Eastern Europe An interdisciplinary research network examining Eastern Europe with a focus on Ukraine, including the 'War, Migration, Memory' research group studying war, displacement, flight, history, memory, and societal cohesion.
• 4A_Lab A research program listed as one of the Forum's active programs focused on transregional studies.
• MECAM (Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb) A joint institute of German and Tunisian universities and research institutions focusing on research and international academic exchange in the Maghreb region under the theme 'Imagining Futures: Dealing with Disparity'.
• EUTIM (Europäische Zeiten / European Times) A transregional research network examining societies of Central and Eastern Europe through narratives of time and conceptualizations of history.
• Fellowship Program Postdoctoral fellowship opportunities for researchers from various countries to conduct research in Berlin and other European cities on topics of democracy, rule of law, migration, history, heritage policy, and cultural change.
• TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research A blog platform for transregional research providing essays, discussions, and scholarly commentary on topics related to the Forum's research programs, published via Hypotheses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ fellows supported since 2011 from diverse countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Max Weber StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation between Forum and Max Weber Stiftung including joint publication series 'Areas and Disciplines', WeberWorldCafé events, annual conferences, and collaborative research initiatives.
• European University ViadrinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum collaborates with European University Viadrina on EUTIM (Europäische Zeiten/European Times) project and Prisma Ukraïna (founded by Prof. Dr. Andrii Portnov from Viadrina).
• University of PotsdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EUTIM project alongside European University Viadrina and Forum. University of Potsdam hosted EUTIM Annual Conference 2022.
• Philipps-Universität MarburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead German university in MECAM (Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb), a joint institute of seven German and Tunisian institutions.
• Université de TuniscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for MECAM in Tunis. Core partner in the joint institute along with Forum and other German and Tunisian universities.
• Leipzig UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university in MECAM consortium.
• GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies HamburgsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in MECAM consortium.
• University of SfaxsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university in MECAM consortium.
• Institut Tunisien des Études Stratégiques (ITES)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in MECAM consortium.
• Freie Universität BerlinsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum and Freie Universität cooperate on Zukunftsphilologie program, announcing joint research fellowships through the Dahlem Humanity Center.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Central European University (CEU): Private research university focused on social sciences and humanities across Europe; overlapping theme areas around democracy, rule of law, and migration with a much larger institutional footprint.
• Max Weber Stiftung - Deutsche Geisteswissenschaftliche Institute im Ausland: German federal foundation operating global humanities and social science institutes; long-standing cooperation partner of the Forum on publications and events, structurally similar funder-and-program operator at larger scale.

Direct peers

• Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS): Nordic institute for advanced study in the humanities and social sciences based in Uppsala; closely comparable as a small, fellowship-driven, publicly funded research organization.
• Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung (ZiF), Bielefeld University: German center for interdisciplinary research hosting fellows and working groups on thematic research programs; directly comparable fellowship-based model in humanities/social sciences.
• Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin: Berlin-based Institute for Advanced Study offering residential postdoctoral fellowships in humanities and social sciences. Directly comparable as a fellowship-driven, foundation-supported research institute operating in the same city and overlapping applicant pool.
• Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS): European IAS offering residential postdoctoral fellowships in humanities and social sciences; comparable mission, funding model (public + endowment), and fellowship-driven operations.
• IMÉRA - Institut Méditerranéen de Recherches Avancées: Marseille-based Mediterranean institute for advanced study hosting international fellows; comparable residency-fellowship model with regional/transregional thematic orientation.
• Paris Institute for Advanced Study (IAO-SHP): French IAS attracting international fellows in humanities and social sciences; comparable European-scale, publicly funded fellowship organization with international applicant profile.

Others

• VolkswagenStiftung (Herrenhausen Symposium): Major German science foundation funding interdisciplinary research and scholars-at-risk programs; while primarily a funder rather than a peer operator, it shapes the same funding ecosystem in which the Forum competes for projects and fellows.

Regional players

• Columbia Global Centers / Europe: University-affiliated international research network hosting fellows and convening thematic programming; comparable in producing fellowship-driven transregional humanities activity, but embedded in a US university system.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/forumtransregionalestudien?fref=ts
• Instagraminstagram.com/trafo_berlin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Forum Transregional Studies