2022
Statement on the Russian attack on Ukraine
(25.02.22) The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany has issued a statement condemning the Russian attack on Ukraine and expressing solidarity with its Ukrainian partners. In the statement, the organisations say that the Russian invasion threatens fundamental values and also has consequences for academic freedom and cooperation. The DFG is the lead institution within the Alliance for this year. To the Statemen
DFG Takes Steps in Response to Russian Attack on Ukraine
(02.03.22) As a consequence of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the DFG is suspending all of its funded research projects between academics from Germany and Russia with immediate effect. What is more, funding proposals for new collaborative projects and renewal proposals for ongoing projects will not be accepted until further notice. Refugee researchers are to receive support under assistance programmes. mor
Awards go to four female researchers and six male researchers
(08.03.22) Four female and six male researchers will receive the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize this year – the top award for early career investigators in Germany. The award-winners were chosen by a selection committee appointed by the DFG and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The prizes are each worth €20,000 and will be presented at an award ceremony on 3 May that will be broadcast via live stream. mor
DFG Sustainability Commission Meets for the First Time
(16.03.22) The DFG is seeking to give due consideration to aspects of sustainability in its actions. The Commission established for this purpose in December 2021 has now met for its first session chaired by President Katja Becker. It is to submit recommendations for sustainable action to the DFG bodies in summer 2023. mor
DFG Extends Mandate for Commission for Pandemic Research
(25.03.22) The DFG has extended the mandate of the interdisciplinary Commission for Pandemic Research until the end of 2023. The Commission’s work was initially planned to last for two years but is now being extended in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In addition, the DFG has assessed the specially created programme “COVID-19 Focus Funding” based on accompanying monitoring and presents its initial findings. mor
DFG to Fund Nine New Research Units
(28.03.22) The DFG is establishing nine new Research Units. This was decided by the DFG Joint Committee on 25 March at the recommendation of the Senate. The new Research Units will receive total funding of approximately €38 million, including a 22-percent programme allowance for indirect project costs. The decision has also been made to extend the funding of seven Research Units for a second period. mor
DFG Establishes Eight New Priority Programmes
(28.03.22) The DFG is establishing eight new Priority Programmes for 2023. This was decided by the DFG Senate at a virtual meeting. In the coming months, the DFG will announce the consortia individually before going on to review the incoming funding proposals in terms of academic quality and their contribution to the overriding theme in each case. mor
Düsseldorf Public Philosophy Project "denXte" Receives Award
(04.04.22) This year, the Communicator Award conferred by the DFG and Stifterverband goes to the public philosophy project denXte and its team of seven researchers. They jointly receive the award worth €50,000 for their captivating yet challenging communication in a subject area that is otherwise rather difficult to access. mor
DFG and Niels Birbaumer Settle Legal Dispute
(05.04.22) The legal dispute between the DFG and Tübingen-based brain researcher Professor Dr. Niels Birbaumer has ended. At its meeting on 25 March 2022, the Joint Committee of the DFG approved a draft settlement which has now become effective. With this an earlier decision by the DFG’s Joint Committee which involved sanctions being imposed on Birbaumer for scientific misconduct remains largely intact. mor
DFG Consolidates the Impetus of its High-Throughput Sequencing Funding Initiative
(20.04.22) The DFG has arrived at a positive interim assessment of its high-throughput sequencing funding initiative and decided to support its further development: after the initiative ends in 2023 funding opportunities for projects with high sequencing requirements will continue to be offered and integrated in the DFG’s established funding portfolio. Permanent funding of such projects has the potential to contribute to Germany’s competitiveness in research. mor
Outstanding German-Polish Collaboration Receives Award
(28.04.22) Professor Dr. Sascha Feuchert, University of Giessen, and Professor Dr. Krystyna Radziszewska, University of Łódź, have been selected to receive of the Copernicus Award 2022, presented by the DFG and its Polish partner organisation FNP. The award recognizes the two scholars’ in-depth collaboration in the field of Holocaust studies. The award ceremony is to take place in Warsaw in June. mor
Third DFG Office in the USA
(29.04.22) The DFG is opening an office in San Francisco, USA. It is part of the newly established German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) and the third DFG office in the United States, in addition to those in Washington D.C. and New York. DFG Secretary General Dr. Heide Ahrens emphasised in San Francisco the great importance of networking with research companies and top universities on the US West Coast. mor
Statement on Reforming Research Assessment
(02.05.22) The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany has issued a statement acknowledging the joint effort to commit to responsible and quality-oriented research assessment on the initiative of the European Commission. The Alliance’s vision for research assessment in a renewed ERA is to share best practice as to achieve functional interoperability of specific research assessment systems and a strengthened process of mutual learning, and not to create one general Europe-wide harmonised system. mor
13 New Research Training Groups
(09.05.22) The DFG is establishing 13 new Research Training Groups (RTGs) to further bolster the support offered to early career researchers. This was decided by the relevant Grants Committee. The new RTGs will receive a total of roughly €93 million over an initial period of five years from autumn 2022 onwards. For the first time, they can also fund doctoral researchers for more than 36 months up to a maximum of 48 months. Six RTGs have each had their funding extended for a further period. mor
Academic Publishing and the Assessment of Scholarship
(18.05.22) Academic publishing faces a number of challenges that can have a negative impact on research. As a contribution to critical debate and with a view to rectifying developments, the DFG has published a position paper entitled “Academic Publishing as a Foundation and Area of Leverage for Research Assessment: Challenges and Fields of Action”. mor
DFG to Fund Nine New Collaborative Research Centres
(27.05.22) The DFG is establishing nine new Collaborative Research Centres (CRC) to promote world-class research at universities. This was announced by the relevant Grants Committee, which met by video conference. The new CRCs will initially receive a total of approximately €111 million over a period of four years from 1 July 2022 onwards. The Grants Committee also agreed to extend funding for another 19 CRCs for an additional funding period. mor
DFG Presents Awards to Selected Jugend forscht Winners
(31.05.22) The DFG has awarded its Europa Prize to selected winners of the national Jugend forscht competition. They recently received the award at the Jugend forscht finals in Lübeck in addition to their national prize. The aim is to prepare the winners for the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) in September. mor
DFG Annual General Meeting 2022 in Freiburg from 27 to 29 June
(13.06.22) The DFG is due to hold its 2022 Annual General Meeting in Freiburg im Breisgau from 27 to 29 June. This is the first face-to-face meeting of its kind in three years, since the 2020 and 2021 Annual General Meetings were held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. The AGM will involve meetings of all the central bodies of the DFG in hybrid format, while the presentation of the Communicator Award and the official function will be the first public events to be held since 2019. mor
Seven New Research Units and Two New Centres for Advanced Studies
(28.06.22) The DFG is establishing seven new Research Units and two new Centres for Advanced Studies. The DFG Joint Committee recently approved these new consortia on the recommendation of the Senate. The new Research Units will receive total funding of approximately €38.4 million, including a 22-percent programme allowance. In addition to the nine newly created consortia, the extension of six Research Units and one Centre for Advanced Studies was approved for a second funding period. mor
Eight New Research Units in the Field of Artificial Intelligence
(28.06.22) The DFG is to fund eight new Research Units under its strategic funding initiative in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The DFG Joint Committee approved these new consortia on the recommendation of the Senate. The new consortia will receive total funding of approximately €31.4 million, including a 22-percent programme allowance. The funding initiative seeks to boost AI research in a wide range of fields. mor
A new Vice President for the DFG
(29.06.22) The DFG has a new Vice President: at its meeting as part of the DFG’s Annual General Meeting in Freiburg, the DFG’s General Assembly elected legal scholar Professor Dr. Marietta Auer to the Executive Committee of the largest research funding organisation and central self-governing body for science and the humanities in Germany. mor
Position paper on the role of the DFG in the German research system
(29.06.22) What does the DFG see as its role in the German research system and what tasks and perspectives does this give rise to? The Executive Committee issued a position paper on these issues which was recently presented at the General Assembly. It describes the organisation’s three key operating principles of “promote, access, shape” while also emphasising the DFG’s responsibility in ensuring knowledge-driven research and the further development of the research system. mor
Focus on international research cooperation
(29.06.22) The DFG’s 2022 Annual General Meeting in Freiburg concluded with the General Assembly. The three-day event was the first gathering to be held on an in-person basis since 2019. In view of the current global political situation, one major topic at the committee meetings and the festive function was international cooperation in science. The DFG Annual Report 2021 was also presented at the General Assembly. mor
DFG Senate Commission Presents 2022 List of MAK and BAT Values
(04.07.22) The DFG Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area has presented the 58th List of MAK and BAT Values. The list has now been submitted to the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs; it contains 68 supplements and new entries this year. The digital version is available in German, English and Spanish in open access. mor
DFG Launches New Initiative for Equal Opportunities and Diversity
(05.07.22) The DFG aims to further promote equal opportunities and diversity in science at a number of levels. As a result, the aspect of diversity is now to be incorporated in the so-called Research-Oriented Standards on Equal Opportunities” and the title of these standards will be expanded to reflect this: in future they will be known as the “Research-Oriented Equal Opportunities and Diversity Standards". In addition to promoting the issue of equal opportunities, the DFG will also be doing more to embrace diversity in its own funding activities. mor
Realignment of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize
(05.07.22) The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize is to be realigned: regarded as the most important award in Germany for researchers in the start-up phase of their careers, the prize is now to be transferred to the DFG’s funding portfolio and the area of institutional funding. At the same time, the prize money will be increased from €20,000 to €200,000, with the addition of a 22 percent programme allowance. As before, the prize will go to ten individuals from across all disciplines each year. mor
DFG calls for greater consideration of basic research
(06.07.22) The DFG calls for greater consideration of basic research in the Federal Government’s new strategy for research and innovation. “Knowledge-driven research lays the foundation for future innovations, technologies and applications,” says DFG President Katja Becker in a statement. mor
DFG awards prize for early-career success in the geosciences
(26.07.22) Doctoral candidates Mariel Dirscherl (Cologne/Würzburg) and Nicolas Bourgon (Leipzig/Mainz) are to receive the DFG’s Bernd Rendel Prize 2022 for conducting promising and original geoscientific research at an early stage of their career. They were selected by a jury made up of members of the DFG’s review boards in the geosciences. mor
DFG awards prize in recognition of alternative methods in research on tumours and barrier organs
(28.07.22) The physician Dr. Michael Karl Melzer (Ulm) and the Würzburg Initiative 3R (WI3R) have been awarded this year’s Ursula M. Händel Animal Welfare Prize by the DFG for their ideas and methods contributing to the reduction of animal experiments. Worth a total of €80,000, the prize is now being awarded for the ninth time. The award ceremony is scheduled for 13 October in Münster. mor
Position paper on securing efficient biomedical research while maintaining the highest animal welfare standards
(04.08.22) The DFG’s Standing Senate Commission on Animal Protection and Experimentation has published a position paper putting forward recommendations on how to ensure high-performance biomedical research while at the same time meeting the very highest standards in terms of research quality and animal welfar. mor
New Website Clusters Information
(23.08.22) The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany now has its own website. The recently launched website www.allianz-der-wissenschaftsorganisationen.d clusters all the information on the Alliance and its members. In particular, this will provide a central platform for publication of the Alliance’s statements on science policy and details of its activities. mor
GAIN Academic Careers Conference in Europe for the first time
(29.08.22) The German Academic International Network (GAIN) is inviting early career researchers to come to Bonn from 2 to 4 September to attend the 22nd GAIN Annual Conference and Talent Fair. The GAIN conference is one of the largest networking events for international academic careers in Germany. This year it will once again bring together researchers and high-ranking representatives from German academia, politics and business. mor
Mathematician Honoured for Work on Quantum Field Theories and Operator Algebras
(05.09.22) The DFG’s von Kaven Honorary Award 2022 goes to Heisenberg Professor Dr. Gandalf Lechner, Erlangen, for his achievements in the mathematical formulation of relativistic quantum systems. The €10,000 DFG award will be presented on 12 September 2022 at the annual meeting of the German Mathematical Society (DMV) in Berlin. mor
Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness
(08.09.22) The DFG’s Interdisciplinary Commission for Pandemic Research has evaluated its findings and experience gained from the coronavirus pandemic to date. In a position paper now published, a total of 17 Lessons Learned identify where gaps remain in terms of knowledge and action as well as specifying measures required from the perspective of the sciences and humanities. mor
DFG to Fund Three New Research Units
(30.09.22) The DFG is establishing three new Research Units. The DFG Joint Committee decided this on the recommendation of the Senate. The new networks will be funded for a maximum of two four-year periods. In addition to the three newly created networks, the extension of eight Research Units and one Clinical Research Unit was approved for a second funding period. mor
Statement on the Energy Crisis
(04.10.22) The Alliance of Science Organisations warns that a further increase of electricity and gas prices and possible supply shortages of key energy sources would have severe consequences for all areas of scientific work including academic teaching. The Alliance issued a statement in which it calls for science to be considered with regard to energy supply and possible financial support, pointing out that this was the only way to counteract a severe weakening of the German scientific system. mor
DFG announces Communicator Award 2023
(04.10.22) The DFG is once again announcing the “Communicator Award – Science Award of the Donors' Association”. This personal award is worth €50,000 and is presented to researchers or teams who make an outstanding contribution to science communication. The DFG and the Stifterverband (Donors' Association) accordingly honour researchers from any discipline who are particularly committed to dialogue between the research community and society. mor
Bundestag debate on the energy supply for science
(20.10.22) The Alliance of Science Organisations expressly welcomes today’s debate in the plenary of the German Bundestag on the concerns of science in connection with the energy supply and values the supportive voices among policymakers as a positive signal. mor
DFG launches call for proposals for Research Impulses
(20.10.22) The DFG has launched its call for proposals for “Research Impulses” (RI) at universities of applied sciences (UAS). It is the latest funding programme that explicitly calls on UAS to submit proposals. The aim is to establish research consortia with ideas for knowledge-driven research, thereby supporting UAS in further developing their research excellence and enhancing their scientific profile. mor
Crucial importance of German-Polish cooperation
(28.10.22) Bringing together 17 research institutions and funding organisations from Germany and Poland, the third Polish-German Science Meeting in Berlin focused mainly on the current global political crises and their impact on science and research in the two countries, as well as potential response strategies. The DFG and its partner organisations FNP and NCN emphasised the crucial importance of bilateral cooperation. mor
DFG welcomes GWK funding decisions in the third selection round
(04.11.22) The DFG has welcomed the funding decisions made by the Joint Science Conference (GWK) in the third selection round of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI). As in the previous two years, these follow the recommendations put forward by the Expert Committee appointed by the DFG, and they supplement the NFDI with the addition of seven new consortia and one initiative for basic services. mor
DFG and WR welcome decisions by the federal and state governments on the Excellence Strategy
(04.11.22) The DFG and the WR have welcomed the decisions taken by the Joint Science Conference on the further development of the Excellence Strategy. The increase in funding from 2026 onwards and the possibility of funding up to 70 Clusters of Excellence and four additional Universities or University Consortia of Excellence send out a powerful signal in favour of strengthening top-level research, said DFG President Katja Becker and WR Chair Dorothea Wagner. The second round of the competition starts on 15 December with the call for proposals for Clusters of Excellence. mor
DFG to Fund Eleven New Research Training Groups
(07.11.22) The DFG is establishing eleven new Research Training Groups (RTGs) to further support for academic qualifications gained through doctoral programmes. This was decided by the responsible Grants Committee in Bonn. From spring 2023 onwards, the new RTGs will receive a total of approximately €69 million over an initial period of five years. In addition, the decision was made to extend ten RTGs for a further funding period. mor
13 New Collaborative Research Centres
(25.11.22) The DFG is establishing 13 new Collaborative Research Centres (CRC) to further support top-level research in German universities. This was decided by the responsible Grants Committee in Bonn. The new CRCs will receive a total of approximately €166 million in funding for an initial four-year period as of 1 January 2023. 13 other CRCs have had their funding extended for an additional period. mor
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prizes 2023
(08.12.22) The latest recipients of the most prestigious research funding prize in Germany have been announced: the Joint Committee of the DFG today awarded the 2023 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize to four female and six male researchers. They were previously chosen from among 131 nominees by the selection committee responsible. The winners each receive €2.5 million in prize money. The award ceremony will be held in Berlin on 15 March 2023. mor
Seven new Research Units, one new Clinical Research Unit and one new Centre for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences
(09.12.22) The DFG is establishing seven new Research Units, one new Clinical Research Unit and one new Centre for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. This was decided by the DFG Joint Committee on the recommendation of the Senate. The new Research Units will receive total funding of approximately €46.6 million, including a 22 percent programme allowance. The decision has also been made to extend the funding of seven Research Units and one Centre for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences for a second period. mor
Start of the second competition phase: DFG announces Clusters of Excellence funding line
(15.12.22) Under the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments, the DFG has now announced the second phase of the Clusters of Excellence funding line. This marks the beginning of a multi-stage competition, with the funding decisions to be made in May 2025. The call for proposals is also the start of the second phase of the Excellence Strategy as a whole. The new competition under the Universities of Excellence funding line will be announced by the German Science and Humanities Council (WR) in 2024. mor
The DFG Head Office will be closed until 2 January
(22.12.22) DFG Head Office employees in Bonn and Berlin will be out of office from 24 December 2022 through 1 January 2023 and will resume work as of 2 January 2023.
The DFG is wishing all users of www.dfg.de peaceful holidays and all the best – most of all good health – for 2023.