The category ”Forum” also includes funding opportunities that support cooperative research projects submitted by institutions. As research groups or centres, these follow a coherent, medium- to long-term research programme that is linked to the development of core areas or structural development at the applicant institutions. They offer recognisable added value compared with a group of individual projects. The proposal is not required to describe the structure of the planned work in detail with respect to research content, duration or personnel. Evaluation focuses on the scientific quality of the joint research idea and the development of core areas and structural aspects which it intends to achieve.

• (International) Research Training Groups
  Research Training Groups are established by universities to promote early career researchers. They are funded by the DFG for a period of up to nine years. Their key emphasis is on the qualification of doctoral researchers within the framework of a focused research programme and a structured training strategy. Research Training Groups with an interdisciplinary approach are warmly welcomed.
• DFG Research Centres
  The primary objective of this programme is to establish a limited number of internationally visible and competitive research centres at German universities.
• Clusters of Excellence
• Excellence Initiative (2005-2019)