DFG and SSHRC Expand Partnership for German-Canadian International Research Training Groups in Social Sciences and Humanities
In their continuous effort to strengthen the cooperation between their research communities, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) are happy to announce the expansion of their partnership for funding of one joint research project in the International Research Training Groups (IRTG) programme and hereby invite proposals under a joint proposal and funding scheme.
Background and Description of International Research Training Groups
International Research Training Groups (IRTG), in which German universities cooperate with research institutions in other countries and regions, combine innovative top-level research and the structured promotion of excellent early career researchers. As a bilateral programme set up by experienced researchers with a track record of previous collaboration, IRTGs promote systematic academic cooperation through joint research and corresponding qualification measures for doctoral researchers. A central feature of IRTGs are coordinated and reciprocal research visits by doctoral researchers to the respective partner institutions. IRTGs can only be established by universities and research institutions entitled to confer doctoral degrees.
Structure of German-Canadian International Research Training Groups
Proposals for German-Canadian IRTGs intended for DFG-SSHRC funding are open to all subject areas covered by SSHRC, particularly in social sciences and humanities that are not primarily focused on health or health service delivery. Interdisciplinarity in IRTGs is encouraged.
An IRTG is run by two teams of participating researchers in Germany and Canada, respectively. Each team should have approximately five to ten members with proven expertise both in the IRTG’s main research topic and in providing outstanding supervision to doctoral researchers. Previous research collaboration between the two groups should ideally have been documented by joint publications. The participating researchers’ expertise at the two locations should be complementary and provide added value to the IRTG. Each team of participating researchers in an IRTG should be based at a single institution in Germany and Canada, respectively. In convincingly justified cases, an IRTG may be based at more than two institutions.
The German and Canadian teams in an IRTG should jointly formulate a high-quality and coherent research and training programme to be implemented on both sides. The teams should have common research interests and objectives, and these must be reflected in a common framework and joint project. Proposals are to be submitted by the host institutions. For every IRTG, one member of the team on each side acts as spokesperson, being responsible for the proposal and the scientific coordination of the IRTG. This also includes responsibility for reporting to SSHRC and the DFG, respectively.
The programme should provide for regular exchanges of academic staff and doctoral researchers for the purposes of joint research and training. Doctoral researchers should spend a period of at least six months (and up to one year) in total during their PhD project at the respective partner institution for research and training, and each doctoral researcher should have both a German and a Canadian supervisor. On the German side, approximately thirty doctoral researchers can be funded over the course of the IRTG. The partner site in Canada should support a group of doctoral researchers of approximately 14–20 in total.
Funding Guidelines for German-Canadian International Research Training Groups
Both SSHRC and the DFG will provide funding for IRTG project-specific costs incurred by the respective partner institutions. The funds requested from SSHRC must have approximately 75% of the budget allocated directly to effective research training activities for the students (e. g. their salaries and travel).
In accordance with respective internal policies of SSHRC and the DFG, funds can be requested for the following activities of one IRTG:
funding for PhD positions/fellowships for up to 48 months per doctoral researcher;
project-specific funding for dissertation research projects (e. g. consumables);
longer-term, coordinated and reciprocal research visits (one or more with an overall duration of six to twelve months) by doctoral researchers to the respective partner institutions;
joint workshops, conferences and seminars;
short-term visits, lectures and workshops by the participating researchers;
further funds according to the funding organisations’ individual programme guidelines.
While SSHRC can only fund one successful project under this framework, the DFG may still be able to fund the German component of more than one joint project, if the Canadian team can secure alternative funding for their part of the project.
As an additional support mechanism, DFG will make funds available to support preparatory workshops for IRTG proposals (see below).
Duration of Funding for German-Canadian International Research Training Groups
The German-Canadian IRTG will be supported for a potential maximum period of nine years, divided into two funding periods, the first one being 5 years and the second one being 4 years. Continuation of funding after the first funding phase can be granted based on a successful renewal proposal. Both parties will accept only joint proposals by German and Canadian institutions. All joint proposals are to be prepared according to the DFG guidelines for IRTGs and have to provide separate budget requests for the German and the Canadian part of the project.
Submission and Review of Proposals
The DFG will act as lead agency for the review of the draft proposal, the establishment proposal and the renewal proposal as applicable. The reviews of all proposals will be based on the DFG criteria for IRTG.
For proposals, the following schedule applies:
Submission of draft proposals no later than: 31 March 2027
Submission of establishment proposals no later than: 1 April 2028
Grant decision: November 2028
Start of funding: March/April 2029
Before submitting a draft proposal, interested consortia are required to consult with SSHRC to confirm whether the envisioned research programme falls within the scope of SSHRC’s funding and whether the researchers are eligible to apply.
The German-Canadian consortium will first need to submit a joint IRTG draft proposal to the DFG. The draft proposal is submitted to the DFG by the German host university on behalf of the consortium. The lead principal investigator in Canada must be affiliated with a Canadian (externer Link), and the proposal must align with (externer Link).
On average, approximately six to nine months are needed for the review. If the DFG concludes the review with a positive decision, the consortium will be invited to submit a joint establishment proposal according to the above-mentioned timeline. The joint establishment proposal must be submitted to the DFG in accordance with the DFG’s guidelines and through the established submission system. Should the joint establishment proposal be successful, the DFG will issue a grant to the team in Germany, and, following the submission of additional administrative documents, SSHRC will issue a grant to the team in Canada.
Renewal proposals for the second funding period are submitted about one year before the end of the first funding period. They are submitted by the German host university to the DFG. Submission must be in accordance with the DFG’s guidelines and through the established submission system.
Preparatory Workshops
For new German-Canadian IRTG initiatives, the DFG provides for the possibility to support a workshop for the preparation of an IRTG proposal. Funding can be granted only if research cooperation is already established and plans for the IRTG have already been consolidated. The workshop funding may either be applied for prior to draft proposal submission, or – after positive review of the draft proposal – prior to submission of the establishment proposal. Workshops can take place either in Germany or in Canada, while the respective partner institution is expected to support it by providing co-funds. See the proposal guidelines linked below for details.
Information Event
In order to further promote the new German-Canadian IRTG programme and to answer open questions, the DFG will host a virtual information event in collaboration with SSHRC on 29 September 2026, 5–6 p.m. (CEST). The dial-in information will be posted (interner Link) a few days before the event. Registration is not required.
Equity and Diversity
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 are strongly welcome.
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 (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 (externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the (externer Link) at the DFG Head Office.
Further Information
Comprehensive information about (International) Research Training Groups is available on the DFG website: (interner Link)
The “Guidelines for Research Training Groups and International Research Training Groups” provide a concise overview of the funding programme: (interner Link)
Draft proposals are to be prepared according to the “Draft Proposal Preparation Instructions for Research Training Groups and International Research Training Groups”: (interner Link)
Establishment proposals are to be prepared according to the “Proposal Preparation Instructions Research Training Groups and International Research Training Groups (Establishment Proposals)”: (interner Link)
Renewal proposals comprise the progress report on the first funding period and are to be prepared according to the “Proposal Preparation Instructions for Research Training Groups and International Research Training Groups (Renewal Proposals)”: (interner Link)
It is advisable to consult the “Guidelines for Differentiating International Research Training Groups from Research Training Groups”: (interner Link)
Information on how to apply for funding towards preparatory workshops can be found in the “Proposal Preparation Instructions for preparatory meetings International Research Training Groups”: (interner Link)
Information on the review criteria are specified here:
for draft proposals: (interner Link)
for establishment and renewal proposals: (interner Link)
Contact details for queries
For the DFG
For questions specifically addressing the international component of the IRTG initiative:
Dr. Astrid Evers, Research Careers, Tel. +49 228 885-3252, (externer Link)For general questions regarding the RTG and IRTG programme, please refer to the contact persons at the DFG Head Office responsible for the location of the applicant university: (interner Link)
For the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC): (externer Link)
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