The Global Young Faculty is an initiative of Stiftung Mercator, coordinated by the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities, Essen.

The Global Young Faculty gathers about 100 young researchers of the Ruhr metropolitan area working together with renowned researchers from Germany and abroad on current and future challenges of our globalized world. The Global Young Faculty wants to link young researchers of the Ruhr metropolitan area, to present their answers on important issues of the future and to give them the opportunity to cooperate with experts in international networks.

The Global Young Faculty is a contribution of the Stiftung Mercator, the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities, the University Alliance Metropolis Ruhr and the extramural research institutes to the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010. The Global Young Faculty is additionally supported by the Ministry of Innovation, Science, Research and Technology of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The international scientific conference "Our Common Future" is the final event and highlight of this cooperation program.