News and Events

Germany is competitive in artificial intelligence research, mid-table in terms of application, and lagging behind in growth and funding. At the same time, AI innovation capacity is geographically concentrated in a few centres. Nevertheless, there are opportunities to catch up – both for Germany as a whole and for regions that are lagging behind. This is shown by the new AI Atlas published by the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS). more info

Structural change is not just a question of technology or funding. It is also about valuations: which types of work, skills and visions of the future are considered valuable, and which are no longer? Who decides this? Since 1 September 2026, geographer Jonathan Friedrich has been investigating these questions at the IRS. He heads the new Junior Research Group "Value and Evaluation in Structural Change" and is also a junior professor of urban and regional sociology at the BTU Cottbus. more info

Coworking spaces have arrived in rural areas. However, this phenomenon of new workspaces, originally emerged in major cities, has not simply spread geographically, but has evolved in many ways. A recently published anthology explores this development. more info

With its new research programme, the IRS is systematically opening itself up to collaborative research with stakeholders outside the academic world. Transdisciplinary and participatory research are intended to help solve complex societal problems and strengthen trust in science. more info

Andreas Kuebart, researcher in the Research Area "Economy and Civil Society," represented the IRS at the EU's AI Policy Summit and spoke about critical capital structures for European tech companies. Because one thing is clear: Europe is strong in research, but it shows weaknesses when it comes to growth capital. more info

A new EU research report led by Andreas Kuebart at the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS) recommends more actively attracting pension funds and international sovereign wealth funds as investors for European venture capital. The aim is to improve start-up financing in the EU and strengthen Europe's technological sovereignty. more info

Whether due to Covid, travelling for work or fleeing war, people are working remotely for a variety of reasons. The EU project REMAKING is investigating the trend towards remote work. Anna Oechslen, postdoctoral researcher in the ‘Creativity and Work’ research group, is working on the IRS part of the research project. more info

A working holiday visa (WHV) allows young adults to get to know a country for a limited period of time and earn money there. But why do these workers regularly end up in precarious jobs in the gig economy, as delivery drivers or cleaners? In her article "Forging Mobilities, Becoming Ideal Workers? Temporary Migration and the Gig Economy," labour market researcher Barbara Orth attempts to explain this phenomenon. more info

Start-ups benefit from an environment with a high level of entrepreneurial activity, creative energy and a lot of exchange. Such entrepreneurial ecosystems were long thought to be local phenomena. A new article now shows that they are in fact networked across regions, and also explains how such networks come about. The authors have now been honoured for their work. more info