Osnabrück linguist on the international committee: Great honor for Bergs!

Osnabrück linguist on the international committee: Great honor for Bergs!

On October 6, 2025 it was announced that Prof. Dr. Alexander Bergs, a renowned linguist from the University of Osnabrück, was appointed to an international committee. This eleven-member expert committee is responsible for evaluating applications in the humanities and social sciences. Bergs sees his appointment as an extraordinary honor that symbolizes not only his personal career but also the visibility of his research work.

His previous experience includes evaluating projects for the Norwegian Research Council as well as other international institutions. The Norwegian Centers of Excellence, with a total of over 150 million euros in funding, are comparable to the German Excellence Initiative. The experts assembled in this committee come from prestigious institutions such as ETH Zurich, the University of Oxford, the University of Glasgow, the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the University of Amsterdam.

International collaboration and scientific innovation

In his comments, Bergs highlights the international visibility and recognition of linguistic research at the University of Osnabrück. This appointment reflects the growing importance of collaboration within academic cores. Online sessions are planned next year to discuss projects for the second phase of applications. Bergs emphasizes that the work of the committee includes the evaluation of projects from various disciplines and requires the exchange of opinions and a willingness to compromise.

The results of the first assessment phase are expected in summer 2026. This deadline represents a crucial milestone in the direction and development of projects that contribute to the achievement of important academic goals.

Research as a motor of society

The challenges arising from global developments should not be underestimated. Radical changes are needed to achieve the United Nations' sustainability goals by 2030, according to the Norwegian Research Agency. Many countries, including Norway, have not yet made the necessary progress.

The research authority sees a central role for research and innovation in the development of modern societies. It is essential to link ideas from science with real changes. Responsibilities lie with governments as well as with companies and the research sector. Only through collaboration across different sectors, disciplines and national borders can profound change be achieved.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impressively shown how important social engagement is in order to quickly achieve ambitious goals. Very few people who deal with today's challenges can ignore the need for a connection between research and society.

In summary, the commitment of Prof. Dr. Alexander Bergs, how relevant scientific work can strengthen international networks. His current and future efforts not only contribute to linguistic research, but also help to bridge academic knowledge and social change.