The DFG Funding Programs Collaborative Research Centers and Clusters of Excellence

Transcription

1 The DFG Funding Programs Collaborative Research Centers and Clusters of Excellence Karen Schoch (Div. Of Research Centers) and Max Voegler (DFG Office Washington)

2 1. Introduction 2. Collaborative Research Centers 3. Clusters of Excellence 2

3 The DFG Who we are and what we do DFG serves all branches of science and the humanities by funding research projects at research universities and other publicly funded research institutions in Germany Funding in 2011, by scientific discipline Engineering Sciences million (21.8%) Humanities and Social Sciences million (15.3%) A self-governing body of science and research Member organization (universities, academies, research organizations) Budget in 2013: approx. 2.7 bil. (3.5 bil. $) of direct research funding Natural Sciences million (24.0%) Life Sciences million (38.9%) 3

4 DFG Profile Germany s Central Research Funding Agency The DFG funds all areas of science and humanities and fosters cooperation among researchers Special emphasis on the training of doctoral students and early career researchers promotes equal treatment of men and women provides scientific advice to federal and state parliaments and agencies promotes close ties between research and industry as well as with researchers abroad. 4

5 How Does the DFG Fund Research Projects? Funding instruments depend on who is targeted Individual persons apply for funding in the individual grants program: research grants enable individuals to conduct researchs project with clearly defined topics and duration, no predetermined fields, programs or deadlines Research networks apply for funding of coordinated programs : coordinated programs promote cooperation and structural innovation, in areas of current relevance and by concentrating scientific potential at a university! 5

6 Amount of research funding awarded by program for 2011 (in m and %) Infrastructure funding 180 (6.7%) Prizes, other 48 (1.8%) Excellence Initiative 407 (15.0%) Individual grants programme 955 (35.2%) Research Centres 42 (1.5%) Research Training Groups 144 (5.3%) Collaborative Research Centres 561 (20.7%) Priority Programmes 201 (7.4%) Research Units 175 (6.5%) 6

7 International Dimension of DFG programs All funding programs include funding options for international cooperation (travel, short-term and long-term visiting fellows, workshops) Researchers from all countries can be employed in DFG projects Researchers from abroad can apply for a project in Germany (example: Emmy Noether Program, Temporary Position) Fellowships for German postdocs to do research abroad Joint project funding with partner organisations (example: International Research Training Groups) International peer review 7

8 How Does the DFG Fund International Cooperation? Modul: Mercator Fellows Mercator Fellows are supposed to Strengthen research (and teaching) in Germany Contribute to the objective of the research project Support early-career scientists This module is available within the Individual Research Grant Program and for coordinated programs. Researchers can apply (through the German host institution) for funding for a research stay of 3 to 12 months (may be divided into 3-month blocks). 8

9 How Does the DFG Fund International Cooperation? Program: Initiation of International Cooperation Objective To support the initiation of international collaboration with the modules Bilateral Workshops, Trips Abroad and Guest Visits Type and Extent of Funding The modules can be combined Trips abroad of up to three months or research stays at partner institutions. Researchers from doctoral candidates to professors may take advantage of these; Joint workshops. Funding is available for a maximum of 1 year. The program relies on matching funds. 9

10 Excellence Initiative: The Aim the aim is to establish a university landscape that is similar to the Alps: to promote the excellent, to foster diversity and to link university and non-university research and graduate education 10

11 Excellence Initiative: General characteristics launched in 2005 to promote top-level research in Germany coordinated by the DFG and the German Council of Science and Humanities funding awarded according to the highest standards of research quality (on the basis of peer review) is financed jointly by the German federal government (75%) and the states (25%) two Phases: First phase (1.9 Billion ) Second Phase from (2.7 Billion ) 11

12 Excellence Initiative: Funding lines Institutional Strategy for Top- Level University Research Increase international competitive ability of the entire university 11 Institutional Strategies approx. 12,5 million p.a. each Graduate Schools Highest level research training 45 Graduate Schools approx. 1,6 million p.a. each Clusters of Excellence outstanding research 43 Clusters approx. 6,3 million p.a. each 12

13 1. Introduction 2. Collaborative Research Centers 3. Clusters of Excellence 13

14 Collaborative Research Centers (CRC : General characteristics The program Sonderforschungsbereiche - SFB (Collaborative Research Centers, CRC) was established in Goals: 1. Establishing temporary centers of excellence, to enable ambitious and extensive research on an innovative subject at an internationally competitive level 3 funding periods of 4 years Maximum duration of funding: 12 years Critical mass of research groups 2. Generating structural effects within the universities by creating core research areas 14 Eligibility: German universities can apply

15 CRC: Some figures and basic information Budget for all centers: about 588 million in 2013 = about 1 / 5 of total annual budget of DFG Number of currently funded centers: 232 Average budget per center: about 2.4 million per year (excl. indirect costs) Type of funding: salaries for staff, scientific instrumentation, consumables, travel, publications, conferences, visiting researchers, plus 20% overhead Core support: Funding of basic costs by universities and participating research institutes is required 15

16 CRC: Criteria for funding Scientific quality: originality, relevance, feasibility Documented preliminary work, international competitiveness Scientific qualification of researchers: Academic achievements in general Qualification for the project International reputation, publications Long-term concept for the overall project Critical mass of outstanding researchers, added value through cooperation Promotion of young researchers and female researchers Organisation and management, availability of infrastructure 16

17 CRC: International Cooperation / Funding for networking People Fellowships/positions for PhD students and Postdocs Travel funds for PhD students and Postdocs Visiting Scientists Mercator visiting professorship (up to 2 years) Sabbaticals for German PI s Resources Symposia and conferences 17

18 CRC: International Cooperation / Project-like collaboration Long-term international collaboration with well defined structures: 1. Center-to-center collaboration 2. International researchers as project leaders/ subprojects as part of the CRC 3. Non-German university as location of a Transregional CRC other CRC CRC with international collaboration 31 out of 232 CRC (= 13%) 18

19 CRC: 1. Center-to-center collaboration 5 CRC with Center-to-center collaboration: USA, USA + Japan, China, South Korea, Russia + France Example: CRC 829 Molecular Mechanisms regulating Skin Homeostasis University of Cologne and Skin Disease Research Center of the Columbia University (New York) and Denver University 2nd funding period Long-term formal collaboration between two separately funded centers Exchange of students and scientific and technical expertise; organization of common symposia and summer schools Funding for the German part by DFG Funding for the US-part by the university and NIH 19

20 CRC: 2. International Researchers as part of the CRC 15 CRC with 6 sub-projects and 16 Co-project leaders from abroad: Subprojects from Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Israel Co-PI s within subprojects from USA, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Poland, Israel, South Corea Increasing demand especially from USA, Japan, Israel, India Example: CRC 1053 MAKI - Multi-Mechanism-Adaption for the Future Internet University of Darmstadt and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1 st funding period since sub-project with 2 German PI s and 1 PI from USA (total 12 sub-projects) Funding for the German part by DFG Funding for the US-part by the university and NSF 20

21 CRC: Review procedure Initiative of Researchers University and Researchers Separate proposal Draft proposal Consultation with peer researchers Full proposal On-site evaluation (peer review) Recommendation of reviewers + to the funding agency abroad and evaluation according to their rules Recommendation of the Senate Committee on CRC Decision by the Grants Committee on CRC 21

22 CRC: 3. Non-German university as a partner in a Transregional CRC 5 T-CRC with non-german location: 3 with Chinese universities 2 with Dutch universities Increasing demand especially from USA, Japan, Israel, India, Russia Example: Transregional CRC 61 Multilevel Molecular Assemblies: Structure, Dynamics and Functions Sino-German Collaboration (Münster, Germany and Beijing, China) with balanced numbers of subprojects 2 nd funding period since 2012 Based on the agreement between the DFG and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Joint proposal to DFG and NSCF joint responsibility for the evaluation of proposals Separate responsibility for the funding

23 CRC: Review procedure Agreement between the DFG and the Partner funding agency Joint Initiative of Researchers University and Researchers Joint Draft proposal Joint Full proposal Joint On-site evaluation (peer review) Consultation with peer researchers Recommendation of reviewers Recommendation of the Senate Committee on CRC + Decision by the partner funding agency Decision by the Grants Committee on CRC + Decision by the partner funding agency If positive: International CRC, and next joint evaluation after 4 years!

24 CRC: Funding principles of international collaboration DFG Funding for the scientists in Germany for their research projects (staff, consumables, instrumentation, travel ) Complementary Funding by the partner funding organisation for the partner research projects (staff, consumables, instrumentation, travel ) Prerequisites for a joint Transregional CRC Long-term perspective (beyond first funding period) Agreement with partner funding organisation on co-funding Joint proposal and concerted review procedure, but separate funding + Networking funds by DFG for travel, visiting scientists, conferences

25 1. Introduction 2. Collaborative Research Centers 3. Clusters of Excellence 25

26 Excellence Initiative: Competition

27 Excellence Initiative: Origin of Peers 27

28 Review Criteria Example: Clusters of Excellence 1. Research Quality of the research program by international standards Originality and risk-taking Impact on the research area Added value of interdisciplinary cooperation Applicability, knowledge transfer, domestic and foreign cooperation partners 2. People Quality of participating researchers Strategies to promote training and career opportunities for young researchers Strategies to ensure gender equality 3. Structures Impact on the structural development of the university Added value of cooperation with other institutions Organisation, management and infrastructure Implementation and sustainability of the cluster of excellence

29 Clusters of Excellence: Example EXC 1086 BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg interdisciplinary research initiative in the field of neurotechnology (life sciences, engineering, clinical applications) 37 PI s and their working groups Develop medical technology that directly interacts with the nervous system Research, education, knowledge transfer and public outreach International collaboration plays a vital role (e.g. NSF funded Engineering Research Center of Excellence for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, Seattle) 29

30 Excellence initiative: Funding available for collaboration People Fellowships/positions for PhD students, Postdocs, Junior Research Group Leaders Professorships (anticipated appointment of regular professorship or new position) Travel funds Visiting Scientists Resources Symposia and conferences 30

31 Excellence Initiative: Impacts Allows institutions to set strategic research priorities Networks: fostering interdisciplinary and international structures University as a hub for regional innovation: Increased cooperation between universities, non-university research institutes and industry Targeted promotion of young researchers Measures to ensure broader participation of women in science and to promote work / life balance researchers currently working in clusters of excellence or in graduate schools, including: o 34 % female scientists o 25 % of all scientists recruited from abroad Approx. 6,200 new FTEs, including: o 800 new assistent or full professorships 31

32 Where can I find relevant projects and institions for my field? Research Explorer (interactive map of German research landscape) GEPRIS (online database on current DFG-funded projects) Funding Atlas 2012 (contains key data on publically funded research in Germany) 32

33 DFG support DFG Office North America DC Dr. Max Voegler (Dir. Washington Office) 1776 I Street NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20006, USA Tel.: max.voegler@dfg.de DFG Head Office Bonn Dr. Suzanne Zittartz-Weber (PD for Int. Collab. In CRCs) Tel Suzanne.Zittartz-Weber@dfg.de 33

34 Thank you for your attention For more information on the DFG: on DFG-funded projects: on over 17,000 German research institutes: 34