Ministerpräsident Hendrik Wüst hat am Mittwoch, 15. März 2023, als Vorsitzender
die 40. Kuratoriumssitzung der Heinz-Kühn-Stiftung geleitet.
Hier begrüßt er Landtagspräsidentin a.D. Carina Gödecke MdL
Herr Ministerpräsident Wüst bedankt sich bei Staatssekretär a.D. Dr. Bernhard Worms,
der nach mehr als 40 Jahren Engagement aus dem Kuratorium der Stiftung ausscheidet.
Heinz Kühn was North Rhine Westphalia`s Premier from 1966 to 1978. He was born in Cologne in 1912. After completing secondary education he studied political sciences and economics and subsequently became a journalist. He was forced into exil after 1933 and returned to Germany in 1945. As a journalist and politician he was firmly committed to the building up of a democratic society. Heinz Kühn distinguished himself by his cosmopolitanism and sophistication.
Even from an early age he displayed a strong feeling for the specific problems of those countries which at the time were considered to belong to the "Third World". To Heinz Kühn however these countries and their people always were part of the one world in which we all live.
On February 16, 1982, when Heinz Kühn celebrated his seventieth birthday, the then Premier of North-Rhine-Westphalia, Johannes Rau, established a foundation named after his predecessor. The foundation's charter, signed by all members of the North-Rhine-Westfalia government, states:
"The foundation is designed to promote the development of young journalists, a task to which Heinz Kühn, after whom the foundation is named, selflessly devoted his endeavours during his entire professional life and to which, remembering his own carreer, he continues to be strongly committed even today."
The charter also provides for an international outlook of the foundation: "The foundation aims at further training and continuing training of young journalists from abroad in North-Rhine-Westphalia and of young journalists from North-Rhine-Westphalia in other countries". In his capacity as a member of the board of trustees Heinz Kühn actively supported the foundation until his death in 1992.
Until his election to the President of the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1999, Johannes Rau was closely affiliated with the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation as its chairman.
From June 1999 to November 2002, Wolfgang Clement, held chairmanship of the Board of Trustees. Premier Clement trained to be a journalist early in his career and was very much attached to the professional development of young journalists.
After Wolfgang Clement moved to federal politics in Berlin and was appointed Minister for Economic Affairs, Peer Steinbrück was elected Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia on November 6th 2002 and therefore assumed chairmanship of the foundation.
The state elections for North Rhine-Westphalia in May 2005, brought once again a change in the leadership of the Heinz-Kühn Foundation. Dr. Jürgen Rüttgers was elected to the office Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia and became the fifth chairman of the Foundation's Board of Trustees.
With the election of Hannelore Kraft as Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia in July 2010, she became the first woman in the history of the Heinz-Kühn Foundation to chair the Board of Trustees of the Foundation.
The North Rhine-Westphalia state elections in May 2017 also brought a change for the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation. On June 27th, 2017 Armin Laschet was elected as the 11th Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia. He assumed the chairmanship of the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation's board of trustees until october 2021.
After Armin Laschet moved to federal politics in Berlin the former minister of transport, Hendrik Wüst, was elected Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia on october 27th 2021 and therefore assumed chairmanship of the foundation.
What we support?
The aim of the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation is to support the training and professional development of junior journalists.
The foundation awards scholarships to young journalists from North-Rhine-Westphalia for six-week or three-month reporting trips in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The foundation also provides funds to enable candidates from developing countries to gain professional journalism experience in North-Rhine-Westphalia for up to three months.
Heinz-Kühn-Foundation scholarships are intended to enable junior journalists to further their professional development and continue training in new surroundings, and to gain a first-hand and in-depth knowledge of the customs, opinions and way of life in other countries.
Who is eligible?
Young journalists from North-Rhine-Westphalia and developing countries are eligible for a scholarship if they satisfy the following requirements:
- have a keen interest in development issues;
- have already gained substantial professional experience in journalism (a completed college education is desirable);
- are not older than 35 years of age; and,
- have a good command of the official language of their host country (candidates from abroad must at least have a basic knowledge of the German language).
What does the scholarship include?
Scholarship holders get
- a lump-sum contribution towards living expenses in the host country (with scholarship payments covering training and living expenses in the host country);
- a lump-sum allowance for flight and travelling expenses (the foundation pays a return air ticket for candidates from abroad);
- an allowance to cover costs of research materials (e.g. literature);
- an allowance for trips within the host country; and,
- (if neccessary, for scholarship holders from abroad) a German language course of up to two months at the Düsseldorf or Bonn based Goethe-Institut.
In the lead up to the scholarship and throughout the duration of the scholarship, the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation will provide support.
What are the obligations of German scholarship holders?
Scholarship holders from North-Rhine-Westphalia have to determine and agree with the foundation a plan for their training and professional development in their host country and to follow this plan during the scholarship to the best of their ability. They also undertake to submit a detailed report of their stay in the host country within six weeks of completing the scholarship. All reports from scholarship holders are published in the yearbook of the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation.
How to apply
Journalists who meet the requirements for a scholarship should first contact the foundation to discuss possible host countries and their topics of interest.
Applications for the following year must be received by 30 November only per Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The following documents should be enclosed with the application:
- curriculum vitae in tabular form and a photograph;
- certificates of vocational training and present occupation;
- foreign languages certificates;
- German candidates should provide a detailed statement explaining their reasons for applying, their choice of host country and proposed topic of research.
- Candidates from abroad should provide a letter of motivation in German.
Who selects successful candidates?
Candidates from North-Rhine-Westphalia who are eligible and have been short-listed for a scholarship will be invited to an interview with a selection committee headed by a member of the managing board of the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation.
Decisions are taken by the board of trustees of the Heinz-Kühn-Foundation on the recommendation of the selection committee.
Where to obtain further information?
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.