The DFG and its Funding Schemes with particular Attention to the Excellence Initiative

DFG, Dr. Christian SchaichSofia, December 5, 2013

The DFG and its Funding Schemes with particular Attention to the Excellence Initiative


1. Profile and Tasks

2. Structure, Budget and Programmes

3. The Excellence Initiative

4. International Cooperation

5. Contacts

BeispielfolieInhaltsverzeichnis (mit Bild)The DFG


The German Research Foundation (DFG)

Bild durch Klicken hinzufügen

– Who We Are and What We Do

Who we are:► Central public funding organization for basic

research in Germany► A self-governing body of science and research ► Member organization (universities, academies,

research organizations)► The budget in 2011: approx. € 2.7 billion in direct

research funding, provided primarily by the federal government and the 16 German Länder


The DFG’s mission Statement

The DFG► serves all branches of science

and the humanities

► fosters scientific excellence through competition

► supports international cooperation in research

► advises political and social decision-makers

► supports the transfer of knowledge between science and industry

Funding in 2012, by scientific discipline

Humanities and Social Sciences€319.0 million

(15.5%)

Life Sciences€791.2 million

(38.6%)

Natural Sciences€500.8 million

(24.4%)

Engineering Sciences€440.7 million

(21.5%)


67,1%

funded by

Federal government

32,7%

funded by

German states

0,2%

funded by

private sources

The DFG´s 2012 budget

The DFG´s 2012 budget totalled approx. € 2.5 billion


► Ensure the best possible support for outstanding scientists and young researchers

► Make research funding open to all disciplines in accordance with scientific standards of quality

► Keep Germany future-oriented and internationallycompetitive as a scientific location

What are the DFG’s aims?The DFG’s scientific aims are to


Basic principle of the DFG

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Illustration: http://www.fernuni-hagen.de/REWI/STJZ/Daumier%20gruen.jpg

bottom-up






5. Contacts



DFG Funding Portfolio

Funding Programs

InfrastructureInternational

Scientific Contacts

Coordinated Programs

Individual Grants Program

Research Fellowships

Emmy Noether-Program

Heisenberg-Program

Reinhard Koselleck-Projects

Research Units

Priority Programs

Collaborative Research Centres

Clusters of ExcellenceInternational Research Training Groups

Prizes

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Prize

Heinz Maier-Leibnitz-Prize

Communicator Award

Promoting Young Researchers


DFG - Individual Grants Programme(funding for a period of up to three years)

► Research project on a specifically defined topicwithin a limited time period

► A research grant can be used to ● staff ● scientific instrumentation● consumables● travel and publications

► No submission deadline► Funding decision: General Assembly of DFG

► Information on formalities: DFG-Form 50.01DFG-Scientific Affairs

► funding for a period of up to three years

Part in total funding volume:

27,9% (2011)

How does the DFG promote international cooperation?Individual Grants Programme


What coordinated programmes does the DFG offer?

Purpose To create a core research focus at a university through the long-term promotion of interdisciplinary cooperation within the framework of a coordinated programme

EligibilityResearch universities

DurationUp to 12 years, with each funding period encompassing four years

Particular featuresCRC/Transregios are supported by multiple (usually up to three) university locations

Collaborative Research Centres (CRC)


Countries of origin of foreign visiting researchers in Collaborative Research Centres*

* Data source: Online survey CRC 2012, reporting period 2011

USA, 242

Russian Federation, 106

Great Britain, 100

France, 78

Italy, 72J apan, 50Switzerland, 44

Poland, 37India, 36

China, 35Spain, 32

Ukraine, 30

Canada, 29

Austria, 25

Australia, 23

Other, 306


How does the decision-making process work?Individual grants involve reviewers, a review board & the Joint Committee

conf

iden

tial

Draft of funding recommendation

Formal examination

Communication of funding recommendation

Decision letter, Reviewers’ recommendations

• Assessment of reviewer selection• Proposal and review• Comparative merit and funding volume

AssessmentReview Board

Reviewer selection

• Project quality• Applicants’ qualifications• Aims & work programme• Employment opportunities• Planned allocation of funding

(written)ReviewReviewers

• Cross-subject comparisonDecisionJoint Committee

DFG

Hea

d O

ffice

Proposal

Notification

Further inquiries


Peer reviewers in the individual grants programme► have special knowledge of the fields involved

in the proposals ► are unbiased and independent► are individually suitable and experienced► are able to argue evidentiary ► are additionally qualified

Each year, and abroad. Reviewers act in an honorary capacity.The DFG receives approximately 13,000 proposals forindividual grants and solicits reviews from 9,000 reviewersfrom Germany

Who reviews proposals for individual grants? Peer reviewers


These review boards► are elected by scientists and academics from their

respective communities► are involved in panel reviews for coordinated programmes► monitor the selection of reviewers, make recommendations

and comparatively assess all proposals and reviews in the individual grants programme

► ensure that comparable high-quality standards and criteria are applied equally in all DFG programmes

There are 48 DFG review boards with 594 members. Review board members act in an honorary capacity.

Who ensures scientific merit? The DFG’s review boards

2011


► scientific quality of the project► applicants’ qualifications► aims and work programme► employment opportunities► planned allocation of funding► quality and added value of cooperation► programme-specific criteria

What are the DFG's selection criteria? DFG reviewers judge proposals according to

in coordinated programmes






5. Contacts



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


The Aim

The Excellence Initiative aims to► strengthen German universities and departments► enhance Germany’s attraction as a research location► Increase Germany’s international competitiveness and

visibility in all fields of science and the humanities► Establish centres of excellence and raise the overall

quality of German universities


Description

The Excellence Initiative► promotes top-level research in Germany► was launched in 2005► First phase 2006 - 2012► is coordinated by the DFG and the German Council

of Science and Humanities► is financed jointly by the German federal government

(75%) and the states (25%)► Second Phase from 2012 – 2017


► Funding is awarded according to the highest standards of research quality (on the basis of peer review)

Funding 2006 - 2017

1st Funding Phase

2006/07 - 2012

€ 1.9 billion

€ 380 million per year

2nd Funding Phase

2012 - 2017

€ 2.7 billion

€ 540 million per year


DescriptionThe funding lines

Graduate SchoolsHighest level research training 45 Graduate Schools approx. 1,6 million € p.a. each

Clusters of Excellence Centres of excellence in research 43 Clusters approx. 6,3 million € p.a. each

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


Review Criteria for draft, initial and renewal proposals

► Research1. Quality of the research programme by international standards

2. Originality and risk-taking

3. Impact on the research area

4. Added value of interdisciplinary cooperation

5. Applicability, knowledge transfer, domestic and foreign cooperation partners

► People6. Quality of participating researchers

7. Strategies to promote training and career opportunities for young researchers

8. Strategies to ensure gender equality

► Structures9. Impact on the structural development of the university

10 Added value of cooperation with other institutions

11. Organisation, management and infrastructure

12. Implementation and sustainability of the cluster of excellence

Example: Clusters of excellence


Review Criteria for draft, initial and renewal proposals

► Realisation of objectives● in terms of each review criterion

● considering duration of the past funding period and funding volume

General evaluation: Added value through funding

Clusters (renewals)


Excellence InitiativeCompetition 2012


Impacts of the Excellence Initiative

In two rounds 2006/2007: excellent positivedynamics in research organisations► Sharpened profiles► New interdisciplinary networks► Expansion of internationalisation and international visibility

● Increased the attractiveness to students and scientists from Germany and abroad



► Increased cooperation between universities and non-university research-institutions and the private sector

► Improvement of administrative structures► Targeted promotion of young researchers► Promotion of equal opportunities and measures

to help balance work and family life



Approx. 4,000 new positions were created► EXC and GSC:~ 2,200 doctoral positions~ 660 positions for postdocs~ 70 junior professorships~ 110 senior professorships

► Institutional Strategies:~ 850 positions for early career researchers

(doctoral level to group leader)~ 145 junior & senior professorships[February 2009]


► 17.500 researchers are working in clusters of excellenceor in graduate schools

► Among them 34% female scientists

► ~ 25 % have been recruited from abroad

► ~ 330 positions for assistent or full professors; 220 among these have been newly established

Reference: Oktober 15th, 2011

Excellence InitiativeMonitoring


1. DFG and Funding of German Research




5. Contacts



How Does the DFG Fund International Cooperation?

All DFG funding programs generally allow the integration of international components as e.g. travel allowance, exchange of students/scientists.Special programs are:► Funding for the initiation of international cooperation► Individual Grants Program & Mercator Fellowships► International Research Training Groups

DFG support for projects with international partners is generally based on the principle of mutual responsibility. Researchers working in Germany apply to the DFG, while their partners abroad apply for funding at their respective partner organizations.


ObjectiveTo support the initiation of international collaboration with the modules „Bilateral Workshops“, „Trips Abroad“ and „Guest Visits “

Type and Extent of FundingThe 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. Funding is applied for by the German partner university.

How Does the DFG Fund International Cooperation?Program: Initiation of International Cooperation


DFG - Individual Grants Programme(funding for a period of up to three years)

► Research project on a specifically defined topicwithin a limited time period

► A research grant can be used to ● staff ● scientific instrumentation● consumables● travel and publications

► No submission deadline► Funding decision: General Assembly of DFG

► Information on formalities: DFG-Form 50.01www.dfg.de / English / Research Funding / Funding Programmes / Research Grant / Forms and Guidelines / list of Forms and Guidelines

► funding for a period of up to three years

Part in total funding volume:

27,9% (2011)

How does the DFG promote international cooperation?Individual Grants Programme


How Does the DFG Fund International Cooperation?

This module is available within the Individual Research GrantProgram and for coordinated programs.

Mercator Fellows are supposed to► Strengthen research (and teaching) in Germany ► Contribute to the objective of the research project► Support early-career scientists

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).

Module: Mercator Fellows


What coordinated programmes does the DFG offer?

Purpose To provide structured doctoral training under ideal conditions using well-established mentoring and qualification strategies in an international environment

EligibilityResearch universities together with their foreign partner universities

DurationUp to 9 years, with each funding period lasting 4.5 years

Particular featuresComplementary funding through the foreign partner organisation

International Research Training Groups

www.dfg.de/gk


What coordinated programmes does the DFG offer?International Research Training Groups


These provide a joint framework for international promotion of young researchers at

centres of scientific excellence coordinated research and qualification programmes Mentoring

The proposal is submitted jointly to the DFG or a foreign partnerorganisation by a group of researchers at a German universityand a partner group at a foreign university.

How does the DFG promote international cooperation?International Research Training Groups






5. Contacts



DFG Head Office in BonnDFG Office in Berlin

DFG Head OfficeDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e.V.Kennedyallee 4053175 Bonn

Tel.: +49 (228) 885-1Fax: +49 (228) 885-2777

[email protected]

DFG Office BerlinWissenschaftsForum (Gendarmenmarkt)Markgrafenstr. 37 10117 Berlin

Dr. Christian SchaichDirector International Affairs

Tel: +49 (30) 206121-4329E-Mail: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


For more information► on the DFG: www.dfg.de► on DFG-funded projects: www.dfg.de/gepris/► on over 17,000 German research institutes: www.dfg.de/research_explorer/

Thank you for your attention!

The DFG and its Funding Schemes with particular Attention to the Excellence Initiative

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