DFG-CAPES Collaborative Research Initiative
Joint call for German-Brazilian research projects in the field of production engineering and manufacturing technology
Within the scope of their Cooperation Agreement, the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) are pleased to announce a joint call for German-Brazilian research projects in the field of production engineering and manufacturing technology. The projects should focus on research on production systems and manufacturing processes, considering the application of advanced concepts, methods and technologies such as advanced digitalisation and cyber-physical systems, artificial intelligence and machine learning, optimisation and simulation, in order to improve the efficiency, productivity, energy efficiency, resilience and sustainability of production systems.
The researchers involved in the funded bilateral projects in each discipline may collaborate by means of regular project meetings, personnel exchange of researchers and PhD students and further collaborative activities.
The proposals for German-Brazilian research projects may be submitted to the DFG according to the following rules:
The cooperation with Brazilian partners, which is a prerequisite for proposal submission, has to be based on an already existing cooperation between these partners with substantial preliminary joint research.
Researchers may apply for a funding period of up to two years with the possibility of renewal for a period of two more years.
Proposals have to be written in English and must be submitted to both organisations in parallel in accordance with the proposal preparation requirements of each side, respectively. For German groups, this means submission via ela(externer Link), the DFG’s electronic proposal processing system, according to the guidelines for the Research Grants Programme (DFG form 50.0(interner Link)).
After logging in, please use the link “Proposal for a Research Grant” in the Proposal Forms column. Please select the relevant call: BRAZIL CAPES 2025 CRI-SCMfg– Joint Research Grants.
The proposal of the Brazilian partner has to be submitted as an annex to the DFG proposal.
The proposals have to be submitted to DFG and CAPES by 15 April 2026.
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 8 April 2026. You will normally receive confirmation of your registration by the next working day.
In addition to the guidelines of the DFG, the following considerations have to be taken into account:
Description of already jointly realised scientific-technological cooperation and exchange between the German and Brazilian partners on which the submitted proposal is based.
Description of the added value of the cooperation in comparison to a proposal without international cooperation.
These opportunities follow the DFG Research Grants Programme and corresponding budgets. There are no additional funds available, and proposals must succeed on the strengths of their intellectual merit in comparison with other proposals within the same research area. Funding of the joint research projects is contingent upon positive assessment by both funding organisations. Joint German-Brazilian projects will be co-funded by CAPES; unilateral funding of only one part of the project is not possible. Funding for approved proposals will be provided approximately twelve months after the launch of the call.
Specific Instructions for Applicants from Germany
Applicants to be funded by the DFG are required to fulfil the eligibility requirements of the DFG´s Research Grants Programme. This includes the duty to cooperate (“Kooperationspflicht”) within Germany for members of non-university institutions with permanent positions. Please note that 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. For more information, see the corresponding guidelines for the Research Grants Programme (DFG forms 50.0(interner Link)and 55.0(interner Link)).
While via elan, only the budget figures for the German applicant(s) have to be provided, the proposal itself should contain not only the German budget part but also a budget overview for the Brazilian part so as to provide comprehensive information to the reviewers. Please note that the CVs of the Germany-based applicants should follow the DFG’s CV template (DFG form 53.200)(interner Link) In the proposal submitted by the German applicant(s) to the DFG, an academic curriculum vitae for all Brazilian principal investigators should also be submitted to complete the reviewers’ information. There are no rules regarding the format of the CVs for the Brazilian PIs. Please upload the CVs of the PIs in Germany and in Brazil in separate PDF documents.
Note that only Germany-based applicants should be entered as “applicants”. Country partners (and potential further international partners) should be entered as “cooperation partners”. Employees whose positions are requested for funding should not be assigned to this category.
Specific Instructions for Applicants from Brazil
The Brazilian researchers submit their proposals with an identical scientific core in parallel to CAPES. The applicants have to be eligible according to the guidelines of CAPES. The German cooperation partners have to be mentioned in the Brazilian proposal. Information about the call on the Brazilian side including formal aspects and evaluation is available at CAPE(externer Link).
Timeline and Notification of Results
Call opening: 12 November 2025
Call closure: 15 April 2026
Evaluation of proposals expected by September/October 2026
Communication of results: November 2026
Approximate beginning of funding: from January 2027 onwards
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 Practic(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 Porta(externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the Research Integrity tea(externer Link) at the DFG Head Office.
Further Information
General information for German principal investigators on research grants may be found her(interner Link).
When submitting proposals, please use the elan porta(externer Link) and refer to the respective guidelines DFG form 50.01(interner Link)and DFG form 54.0(interner Link). The FAQ on Proposal Submissio(interner Link) may also be helpful.
Information on the DFG´s review and decision-making process in individual grants programmes may be found her(interner Link).
Contact persons at the DFG Head Office in Bonn, Germany:
For questions concerning DFG funding in the field of Industry 4.0 and Advanced Digitalisation:
Dr. Sebastian Heidrich, Engineering Sciences 1, Tel. +49 228 885-2277, sebastian.heidrich@dfg.d(externer Link)
For questions concerning international cooperation with Brazil:
Dr. Dietrich Halm, International Affairs, Tel. +49 228 885-2347, dietrich.halm@dfg.d(externer Link)
Contact person at the DFG Office Latin America in São Paulo, Brazil:
Dr. Christina Peters, International Affairs, Tel. +55 11 5189 8308 (BR) or +49 228 885-4550 (D), latinamerica@dfg.d(externer Link)
Information on the call for the Brazilian side is available at CAPE(externer Link) (in Portuguese).
Name of the call: PROGRAMA INICIATIVA DE PESQUISA COLABORATIVA (PIPC), Capes-DFG PIPC nº 21/2025
Contact at CAPES: inscricao.pipc@capes.gov.b(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 Polic(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.