Funding Opportunity for Japanese-German Workshops and Research Visits

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) are pleased to provide a co-funding opportunity for Japanese-German workshops.

The submission deadline on the Japanese side is set for 3 September 2025. On the German side, proposals need to be submitted in parallel.

Scope

This initiative aims to bring together relevant and competitive researchers from Germany and Japan to establish collaborative scientific relationships and prepare joint projects.

Funding is available for exploratory workshops.

The workshop must be carried out in the period of 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027.

Funding is only available for proposals that initiate convincing collaborations between German and Japanese partners and serve the purpose of jointly exploring a specific topic or preparing a specific project idea. The anticipated benefit for research must be clearly outlined.

Please note that this funding instrument is not intended to support international conferences (see International Scientific Events and Annual Conferences of Scientific and Academic Associations, DFG form 1.09(interner Link)), the implementation of joint research projects (see Research Grants Programme, DFG form 50.01(interner Link)) or meetings of research networks (see Scientific Networks, DFG form 1.03(interner Link)).

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants to be funded by the DFG must fulfil the eligibility requirements of the DFG’s Initiation of International Collaboration programme (DFG form 1.813(interner Link)). For members of non-university institutions with permanent positions within Germany, the “Duty to Cooperate” applies. Any duty to cooperate for DFG applicants at non-university research institutions can only be fulfilled through cooperation with a partner at a German university (Guidelines on the Duty to Cooperate, DFG form 55.01(interner Link)).

Researchers in early career phases holding a doctorate are strongly encouraged to participate in the above-mentioned activities.

Proposal Preparation, Submission and Deadlines

Proposals must be submitted to both organisations in accordance with the proposal preparation requirements of both sides, respectively. Applicants from Japan submit their documents to JSPS under “Joint Seminars”, applicants from Germany to the DFG.

Each national funding organisation will cover the costs for travel and accommodation of the researchers based in the respective country. Organisational costs for workshops and for workshop participants from third countries are covered by the funding organisation of the host country.

Applicants to be funded by the DFG are requested to use the project description template Initiation of International Collaboration Programme (DFG form 53.10(interner Link)). The component “exploratory workshops” can be funded. Please note that the components “project-related trips abroad” and “project-related guest visits“ cannot be funded.

All documents must be written in English and submitted by 3 September 2025. Proposals arriving late and/or not fulfilling the national requirements will not be considered. For first-time users of the DFG’s electronic proposal processing system “elan”, registration is required prior to 25 August 2025.

Applicants to be funded by the DFG must upload their proposal via elan, following the DFG’s guidelines. After logging in, please go to “Proposal Submission” – “New Project” – “Initiation of International Collaboration Programme”. In the field “Proposal for an Initiation of International Collaboration”, click the button “Start online form” – “Continue”. On the next screen, you will find a list of “Calls for Proposals”. Please select “JSPS-DFG-Initiation Proposals-2025” to tag your proposal for this specific call.

Review and Decision-Making Process

All proposals will be reviewed by both organisations separately. The results of the review process will be shared between the organisations. Support will be granted for proposals for which both the DFG and JSPS recommend funding.

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.

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 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. If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the Research Integrity team at the DFG Head Office.

Further Information

General information for German applicants on the Initiation of International Collaboration programme(interner Link).

To submit a proposal to the DFG, please follow the Guidelines Initiation of International Collaboration Programme with Proposal Preparation Instructions (DFG form 1.813(interner Link)) and Description – Initiation of International Collaboration Programme (DFG form 53.10(interner Link)).

Here you can find the DFG’s elan portal(externer Link).

Further information on elan:

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.

Contact

For researchers in Germany

Detailed information about the collaboration between DFG and JSPS can be obtained at the DFG Head Office, Bonn:

Raoul Wagner, phone +49 228 885-2217, raoul.wagner@dfg.de(externer Link)

For researchers in Japan

Sayaka Noguchi, phone +81-3-3263-2367, kenkyouka13@jsps.go.jp(externer Link)