In September 2024, the Senate of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) extended the Infrastructure Priority Programme “International Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP³)” (SPP 527) for another six years running from 2025 to 2030. The present call invites proposals for up to three years of project funding starting in 2026. The Priority Programme will publish an open call for proposals each year. 

Over more than 50 years, scientific ocean drilling programmes have significantly shaped our knowledge about our planet and the Earth system, and specifically improved our understanding of climate change, plate tectonics and marine geohazards. The “International Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP³)” is an international scientific ocean drilling programme under the joint lead of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD) and Japan. It is the follow-up programme of previous successful ocean drilling programmes: “Deep Sea Drilling Program” (1968–1983), “Ocean Drilling Program” (1985–2003), “Integrated Ocean Drilling Program” (2003–2013) and “International Ocean Discovery Program” (2013–2024), which had been running since 1968.

Scientific objectives of IODP³ are summarised in the new 2050 Science Framework(externer Link) , which defines seven Strategic Objectives for targeted investigations: (1) Habitability and Life on Earth, (2) The Oceanic Life Cycle of Tectonic Plates, (3) Earth’s Climate System, (4) Feedbacks in the Earth System, (5) Tipping Points in Earth’s History, (6) Global Cycles of Energy and Matter and (7) Natural Hazards Impacting Society. The fulfilment of the 2050 Science Framework also requires long-term multidisciplinary research efforts with multiple expeditions combining several Strategic Objectives in Flagship Initiatives. Compared to former science plans, the new 2050 Science Framework puts a stronger focus on the societal relevance of its Strategic Objectives and is more focused on processes in Earth system components and key interactions among them.

A new development is the implementation of land-to-sea (L2S) drilling projects jointly with the “International Continental Scientific Drilling Programme (ICDP)”. Such projects will help to achieve a holistic understanding of, for example, natural hazards, the interplay between fresh and seawater along coastlines, ice sheet dynamics and sea level change, or the formation of sustainable georesources.

SPP 527 provides opportunities for innovative research on data and cores from the above-listed ocean drilling programmes, but also for the preparation of future expeditions or the development of drilling tools and software. Proposals submitted under SPP 527 must have a clear link to ongoing, past or future drilling projects.

Research projects funded under SPP 527 are presented at the annual joint ICDP/IODP³ colloquia. Networking is the key element of these colloquia. The next colloquium is scheduled for 9 to 11 March 2026 at the University of Münster in Münster. Further details will be announced on the German IODP³ website(externer Link).

Proposal Submission

Proposals must be written in English and submitted to the DFG by 4 February 2026. Proposals are to be submitted solely via the elan portal(externer Link) in order to ensure proposal-related data is recorded and documents are securely transmitted. To enter a new project within the existing Priority Programme, please go to Proposal Submission – New Project/Draft Proposal – Priority Programmes and select “SPP 527/46 (IODP³)” from the current list of calls. Previous applicants can submit a proposal for the renewal of an existing project under Proposal Submission – Proposal Overview/Renewal Proposal.

When preparing your proposal, please note the Guidelines Priority Programme (DFG form 50.05(interner Link), section B) and follow the Proposal Preparation Instructions – Project Proposals (DFG form 54.01(interner Link)). These forms are available on the DFG website and through the elan portal. 

If this is the first time you are submitting a proposal to the DFG, please note that you must register in the elan portal before you can submit your proposal. You must do so by 28 January 2026. You will normally receive confirmation of your registration by the next working day. Note that you will be asked to select the appropriate Priority Programme call during both the registration and the proposal process. Applicants who already have an elan account are requested to check their data in elan. If necessary, you can update your data directly in the portal. It is not necessary to register again.

Equity and Diversity

The DFG strongly welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, from different career stages, types of universities and research institutions, and with disabilities or chronic illness. With regard to the subject-specific focus of this call, the DFG encourages female researchers in particular to submit proposals.

Good Research Practice

According to a resolution of the DFG General Assembly, DFG funding may only be awarded to research institutions that have implemented the guidelines laid down in the Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Good Research Practice(externer Link) in their own regulations. The management of your institution is responsible for implementing the guidelines in a legally binding manner. In order to avoid delays in the disbursement of funding, please verify implementation within your institution in good time. For information regarding the implementation, please refer to the Research Integrity Portal(externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the Research Integrity team(externer Link) at the DFG Head Office. 

Further Information

More information on the Priority Programme is available here.(externer Link)

More information on the “International Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP³)” is available here(externer Link).

Information on the “2050 Science Framework” is available here(externer Link).

When submitting proposals, please use the elan portal(externer Link) and refer to the respective DFG forms 50.05(interner Link) and 54.01(interner Link). The FAQ on Proposal Submission(interner Link) may also be helpful.

For scientific enquiries, please contact the Priority Programme coordinator:
PD Dr. André Bornemann, Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Tel. +49 511 643-2785, Andre.Bornemann@bgr.de(externer Link)

Contact Persons at the DFG Head Office

Programme contact: Dr. Guido Lüniger, Geosciences, Tel. +49 228 885-2333, guido.lueniger@dfg.de(externer Link)

Administrative contact: Beatrix Stuch, Geosciences, Tel. +49 228 885-2719, beatrix.stuch@dfg.de(externer Link)

Privacy Policy

We, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), take the protection of your personal data and its confidential treatment extremely seriously. Therefore, please refer to the DFG’s Privacy Policy(interner Link). If you intend to transmit personal data of third parties, please make sure to do so only if the necessary legitimation under data protection law exist. Before transmitting data of third parties to the DFG, please forward the DFG’s Data Protection Notice to the individuals affected (data subjects). If there is a legitimate interest not to inform individuals beforehand (e.g. for reasons of secrecy or in case of a nomination or candidate proposal), these individuals should be informed no later than at the time of publication.