Humboldt Research Award for Oliver Schmidtke: Strengthening Germany–Canada Research Networks on Migration and Democracy
Humboldt Research Award for Oliver Schmidtke: Expanding Germany–Canada Research Collaboration on Migration, Democracy, and Transatlantic Dialogue
Professor Dr. Oliver Schmidtke, co-director of the Europe–Canada Network and long-standing leader in strengthening transatlantic scholarly dialogue, has been awarded the prestigious Humboldt Research Award (Humboldt-Forschungspreis) from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. This major international honour recognizes internationally leading scholars whose work has shaped their fields and supports extended research stays and collaborations in Germany. The Humboldt Research Award is one of Germany’s highest academic distinctions, granted each year to only a select group of researchers worldwide.
The award recognizes Oliver’s influential contributions to research on migration, citizenship, democratic resilience, populism, and comparative politics, as well as his role in creating vibrant scholarly networks connecting Europe and Canada. He has built a research profile that combines ‘scientific excellence, international visibility, and a major impact on public debates on migration and democracy.’
New Chapter: Collaboration with the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (IMIS) 
Beginning in January 2026, during his sabbatical year, Oliver will join IMIS as a visiting research scholar and become associated with its newly established Collaborative Research Centre (SFB 1604) “The Production of Migration”.
The IMIS Excellence Cluster encompasses 15 multidisciplinary research projects, all examining how societies construct, interpret, and institutionalize migration — from media discourses and political debates to border regimes, local governance, and the production of mobility options. The SFB investigates the societal negotiation processes that determine the meaning attributed to ‘migration’ and ‘migrants and seeks to identify the actors shaping these dynamics.
Oliver’s research on Canada’s immigration and integration regime, multiculturalism, and the democratic governance of diversity offers a unique comparative perspective for this cluster. His expertise connects the SFB’s theoretical agenda with empirical insights from a major immigration society outside Europe.
A Distinguished Career Linking Europe and Canada
Oliver’s career combines exceptional scholarship with institution-building, public engagement, and international leadership. His book projects, comparative studies on migration policy, and work on right-wing populism have been influential in both Canadian and European contexts. His publications — including Work in Transition, Democratic Multiplicity, and the forthcoming We the People — have shaped debates on integration, democratic diversity, and the political contestation of identity.
His leadership roles include:
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Director of the Centre for Global Studies (2012–2025)
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Co-lead of EUCAnet and long-standing promoter of Europe–Canada scholarly networks since 2006
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Organizer of major international research consortia and policy dialogues
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Senior research fellowships at Harvard, the Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study, the European University Institute in Florence, and other leading institutions
The Humboldt Research Award recognizes and amplifies this trajectory of building robust transatlantic research communities.
Looking Ahead: Canada–Germany Collaboration at the Forefront of Migration Research
Oliver’s year at IMIS will provide an exceptional foundation for intensified Canada–Germany scholarly cooperation. From the perspective of EUCAnet, this award reinforces our mission: to cultivate transatlantic knowledge exchange, comparative research, and collaborative solutions to shared democratic and societal challenges.
Reflecting on the award, Oliver notes: “Strengthening connections between Europe and Canada has long been at the heart of my work with EUCAnet. This award will allow me to expand this mission by collaborating closely with German partners on migration, citizenship, and democracy, and by fostering new transatlantic networks.”
We warmly congratulate Professor Oliver Schmidtke on this exceptional achievement and look forward to supporting and amplifying the collaborations that will emerge from this distinguished award.
