DFG Funding Initiative “Global Minds in DFG Consortia” under the BMFTR’s Global Minds Initiative Germany
Second round of calls for professorships and Mercator Fellows in DFG consortia / Research Impulses and Research Training Groups now also eligible to apply alongside Clusters of Excellence and Collaborative Research Centres
Through the initiative “Global Minds in DFG Consortia”, the DFG offers consortia funded under the programmes Clusters of Excellence (EXC), Research Impulses (RI), Research Training Groups (RTG) and Collaborative Research Centres (CRC and CRC/Transregio) the opportunity to recruit highly qualified, experienced researchers currently working abroad who are seeking to continue their careers within the German research system, in accordance with the Global Minds Initiative Germany initiated by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
Type and Scope of Funding
Funding is intended for the recruitment of researchers who have been working abroad for at least three years at the time of proposal submission. The funding duration is limited to five years and will commence in 2028.
Two funding modules are available:
“Professorships” module
This module enables consortia to appoint an outstanding researcher from abroad to a long-term professorship at the applicant higher education institution, providing the individual meets all requirements for such an appointment. Funding of up to €3.5 million in total may be requested. Staff funding may be requested for the researcher up to the level of a professorship. It is also possible to apply for additional funding for staff, in particular for doctoral researchers, as well as for funding for direct project costs and instrumentation funding. The funding duration is five years.
“Mercator Fellows Global” module
This module allows consortia to select an outstanding, experienced researcher who is currently working abroad and does not (yet) intend to make a permanent move to the German research system, and integrate this individual as a long-term, closely involved fellow. Integration of the funded person is also expected to give the consortium additional expertise and enhance its international visibility. A core component of this module consists of one or several extended periods of residence in Germany during which the fellow works actively within the consortium. These stays may be structured flexibly, potentially including several visits of varying duration. Over the total funding period of five years, the fellow must spend no less than fifteen months and no more than thirty-six months on site. Funding may only be requested for the periods in which the fellow is physically present and active within the consortium. Lump-sum funding may be requested to remunerate fellows. The proposed remuneration should reflect the fellow’s qualifications and may not exceed the DFG’s staff funding rate for professors. It is also possible to apply for additional funding for staff for the duration of stays, in particular for doctoral researchers, as well as for funding for direct project costs and instrumentation funding, in order to provide on-site support for the fellow. Total funding of up to €650,000 may be requested and awarded for the total period of residence.
In both modules, in addition to direct project funding, the applicant institution will receive an allowance in the event of approval. This allowance is intended solely to cover indirect project-related costs. It amounts to 22 percent of the approved project funding for Clusters of Excellence and 25 percent for Research Impulses, Research Training Groups and Collaborative Research Centres.
Proposal Submission
Eligible applicants are higher education institutions in Germany that are applicant institutions for a currently funded EXC, FIP, RTG or CRC/TRR (“host consortium”). They may request funding for the integration of a specifically identified researcher into the respective consortium. If this consortium is jointly hosted by several applicant institutions, the proposal must likewise be submitted jointly. In addition to the applicant institutions, non-university research institutions participating in the consortium may also serve as host institutions for the researcher for whom funding is requested.
Proposals for funding under the “Global Minds in DFG Consortia” initiative must be submitted by the applicant institution(s) of the respective consortium in agreement with the researcher for whom funding is requested.
A maximum of one proposal per consortium may be submitted.
Participation in the call is conditional on the prior submission of a letter of intent by the spokesperson authorised to represent the host consortium. Please submit the letter of intent electronically via the (externer Link) by 12 noon on 8 December 2026. It will be treated in strict confidence and used solely by the DFG Head Office to prepare the review process.
The proposal must be written in English and must be submitted exclusively via the elan portal, likewise by the spokesperson authorised to represent the host consortium. Please note that the proposal must be submitted to the DFG by 12 noon on 27 January 2027.
When preparing your proposal, please refer to the following documents:
Guidelines “Global Minds in DFG Consortia” ((interner Link)).
(Download) for the “Global Minds in DFG Consortia” letter of intent
Proposal Preparation Instructions and Proposal Template - Funding Initiative “Global Minds in DFG Consortia”, (interner Link)).
Guidelines for Reviewing Proposals under the Funding Initiative “Global Minds in DFG Consortia”, (interner Link)).
Further Information
For further information in English about the Global Minds Initiative Germany, please see the joint DFG, AvH and DAAD (externer Link).
Contact Persons at the DFG Head Office
For Research Training Groups: (externer Link), Tel. +49 228 885-2397
For Clusters of Excellence and Research Impulses: (externer Link), Tel. +49 228 885-2273
For Collaborative Research Centres: (externer Link), Tel. +49 228 885-2958
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 (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.