Template 
	
for a Final Report under the Programme
Research Training Groups and
International Research Training Groups 	

Disclaimer: The English translation of this document is provided for informational purposes. In the event of a discrepancy between the English and the German versions, the German text takes precedence.

Preliminary Note
Research Training Groups enable doctoral researchers to qualify within the framework of a thematically focused research programme and a structured qualification programme. 
All grant recipients are required to submit a final report at the end of the project. In this way, they enable the DFG to perform an audit of the use of funds in accordance with the programme guidelines and report on the results of the funding to its funding bodies. The report also serves to assess the success of funding and provides a basis for evaluating funding programmes. It should account for the main research results and the structural impact of the RTG. In principle, reports must cover the entire funding period, even if individual project phases have already been reported on in connection with renewal proposals. The report must be understandable without referring to additional literature. The text of the report is the sole basis for evaluation.
Deadline, Form and Scope
The final report must be submitted to the DFG within three months of the end of the funding period. 
The final report comprises a public part (sections 1-5) and a non-public part (section 6). Sections 1-5 can be published by the authors of the report in a suitable repository of their choice on a voluntary basis. The DFG welcomes publication and provides report authors with detailed publication instructions once the report has been approved. See here for details:
www.dfg.de/final_reports_publication

The aim of publishing the report is to make the (scientific) results arrived at in the project freely available to the subject-specialist communities and the public outside the usual publication channels. The non-public part of the report (section 6) is intended solely for the reviewers and the DFG’s Head Office and statutory bodies. 
The final report must be submitted as a PDF file via the elan portal without any password protection or access restrictions.
elan.dfg.de
It is to be written in German or in English (whichever was used for the proposal), in A4 format, Arial 11 point, line spacing 1.5.
Length:
-	Sections 1-4 of the public part of the report should not exceed 10 pages in total; section 5 of the public part is not limited.
-	The non-public part of the report (section 6) is not limited.

If, in preparing your report, you used artificial intelligence (AI) in the form of generative models for text and image creation, please disclose this fact in a scientifically appropriate manner in your report. For more information, see the “Research Integrity” portal.
Process
The entire report undergoes a formal check by the DFG Head Office, and is then externally reviewed and submitted along with the result of the review to the Senate Committee on Research Training Groups as the responsible body of the DFG. If the report is accepted, feedback is sent to the spokesperson and the applicant university with detailed instructions on how to publish the public part (sections 1-5) of the report. Comments from the review are also shared.
Sections 2 (summary) and 5 (published project results) of the final report are also made available on the internet by the DFG via the GEPRIS information system. It is possible to object to the publication of extracts in GEPRIS by submitting a written statement to the responsible officer of the Group Research Careers along with the final report.
Data Protection
If you will be transmitting the personal data of third parties as part of your final report, you ensure that doing so is in compliance with data protection laws. Please note the DFG’s Data Protection Notice for Research Funding, which you can access at www.dfg.de/privacy_policy. Where appropriate, please also forward this information to those persons whose data will be processed by the DFG because of their involvement in your project.
www.dfg.de/privacy_policy
Final Report in the Case of Non-9-Year Funding
Research Training Groups that do not reach the maximum 9-year funding period due to rejection of the renewal proposal are required to submit only a reduced final report three months after the end of completion funding. Any further reporting obligation is deemed fulfilled through the submission of a progress report in connection with the renewal proposal. The reduced final report includes only the summary (cf. 2.), the list of published project results of the doctoral researchers and, where applicable, the postdoctoral researchers throughout the total duration of DFG funding (cf. 5.1). In addition, a list of a maximum total of the ten most important published project results of the Research Training Group may be listed so as to document the yield of the joint research efforts. These may have been authored by the participating researchers and/or the (post-)doctoral researchers of the RTG (cf. 5.2). 
Research Training Groups that have not submitted a renewal proposal must prepare a complete final report on the first funding period.
Template
The following template is intended to support you in preparing the final report. It applies to Research Training Groups (RTGs) including International Research Training Groups (IRTGs). Sections printed in black provide the structure of the report, while passages printed in grey provide additional information. When compiling the report, please replace grey passages with text. When compiling the information, feel free to use the data available to you from the DFG's annual survey (monitoring).

<PUBLIC PART>
<FILE>
<This section is intended for reviewers and the DFG's Head Office and statutory bodies, but it may be published by the author of the report on a voluntary basis.>
FINAL REPORT
1	General Information
1.1	General information
DFG reference number: <Your DFG reference number>
Project number: <You will find this in the letter of approval.>
Title of the Research Training Group in German and English:
Name of the applicant university/universities:
Foreign partner institution: <applies to International Research Training Groups only>
Spokesperson
Office address: 
Reporting period (entire funding period):

1.2	Participating researchers
<Using the table, list all researchers involved in the RTG throughout the funding period, indicating the period during which they belonged to the RTG and the relevant research area. Presentation in the form of a table is preferable. For IRTGs, please include a second table listing the professors participating from the foreign partner institution and their area of research.>
Last name, first name, academic title	Period
of involvement	Research area	

			

1.3	Number of doctoral researchers, doctoral researchers in medicine, postdoctoral researchers, qualifying fellows and student assistants
<Use the table to list:
•	the number of doctoral researchers, doctoral researchers in medicine, postdoctoral researchers, qualifying fellows and student assistants funded by the Research Training Group;
•	the number of participating doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with funding from other sources;
•	for IRTGs, in addition the number of participating doctoral and postdoctoral researchers at the partner institution.>

	Number 	
Individuals funded through the Research Training Group		
Doctoral researchers
[fellowship or position with XX % of full-time hours]		
Doctoral researchers in medicine		
Postdoctoral researchers		
Qualifying fellows		
Student assistants		
Individuals funded from other sources		
Doctoral researchers		
Doctoral researchers in medicine		
Postdoctoral researchers		
2	Summary
<Provide a generally understandable summary in German and English (maximum 3,000 characters each) in which you present the topic and describe the relevance of the Research Training Group’s findings to the interested public.>
3	Scientific Progress Report 
<Address the following points in your report as applicable. The individual reports on the respective projects pursued by doctoral researchers and postdoctoral researchers are to be submitted in the non-public report section.
•	Initial questions and objectives set by the Research Training Group
•	Description of the project-specific results and findings from the 9-year funding period. How were the research objectives pursued with the original research programme of achieved? How was the central research idea implemented and how did it evolve? What thematic interplay – in the case of IRTGs particularly between the partner institutions – took place within the Research Training Group? Results that are already generally accessible in published form can be briefly summarised with reference to the publication. Unpublished results are to be described in more detail. For IRTGs: Description of the specific scientific added value that resulted from the international cooperation.
•	Deviations from the original concept; findings that contradict the initial hypothesis
•	Activities and approaches to quality-enhancing measures through which the validity or verifiability of your research results was ensured
•	Description of the handling of research data generated in the project and the data infrastructures used, if any (use the following checklist as a guide www.dfg.de/research_data/checklist
•	Description of any research data, methods, standards, software or infrastructures generated in the project that are re-usable and openly accessible to others
•	Implementation of scientific events, science communication measures
•	Bibliography (list of works you referred to in describing the scientific results generated by the project and putting these in context. This might include your own work and that of other researchers.)>

4	Qualification, Supervision and Partnerships
<Address the following points in your report as applicable:
•	Summary of the qualification programme and supervision strategy. What effects did the training programme and supervision structures of the Research Training Group have on the academic training of the doctoral researchers and their doctoral training period?
•	Doctoral record of the doctoral researchers financed by the Research Training Group with reference to the table below. 
•	Summary of the measures taken by the RTG to promote the scientific independence and career development of doctoral researchers and, where applicable, postdoctoral researchers.
•	Influence of the RTG on the conditions under which doctoral studies are pursued at the applicant university.
•	Explanation of equity and diversity measures; influence of the Research Training Group on equity and diversity in research.
•	Take stock of any collaboration with other research institutions and structured doctoral programmes within the host university and also with non-university research institutions, other RTGs, industry and international partners.
•	For IRTGs: Take stock of the collaboration with the foreign partner in the qualification programme and in joint supervision.>

Doctoral record of the doctoral researchers financed by the Research Training Group
Total number of funding recipients	Theses that have only been submitted to date	Completed doctorates	Average duration of doctorate in months	Interruptions in doctoral studies due to illness, maternity leave, parental leave, etc. 
(>3 months)	Promotion dropouts	

5	Project Results
5.1	Project results achieved by the doctoral researchers and also the postdoctoral researchers, where applicable 
<List here all published results and theses of the doctoral researchers and, where applicable, the postdoctoral researchers under the 9-year funding. The names of the (post)doctoral researchers are to be clearly highlighted. In the case of IRTGs, joint publications with the foreign partners are to be particularly highlighted. 
Completed theses that have not yet been published may be listed, but must be clearly labelled as such. They will not be included in the publication of the results of the Research Training Group in the GEPRIS database of funded projects. The RTG is requested to notify the DFG of later publications of such papers so that they can also be included in GEPRIS. 
Wherever possible, please include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier), ISBN or other persistent identification number. If this is not available, please provide the direct link. If the medium permits, publications must contain a reference to DFG funding (e.g. in the form of an acknowledgement) and the project number.
Structure the project results as follows:>
5.1.1	Project results achieved by the doctoral researchers and also the postdoctoral researchers, where applicable (financed from RTG funds)
1.	Category A – Articles in peer-reviewed journals, contributions to peer-reviewed conferences or to anthology volumes, and book publications
<In this category please enter articles in peer-reviewed journals, contributions to peer-reviewed conferences or to anthology volumes, and book publications (see also DFG form 1.91). Open access publications should be designated accordingly.>
2.	Category B – Any other form of published results 
<Here you can cite the results and findings generated by doctoral/postdoctoral researchers that have been published in any other form. This may include contributions to non-peer-reviewed conferences, articles on preprint servers, data sets, protocols of clinical trials, software packages, patents applied for and granted, blog contributions, infrastructures or transfer. You may also indicate other forms of academic output here, such as contributions to the (technical) infrastructure of an academic community (including in an international context) and contributions to science communication.>
3.	Completed theses that have not yet been published

5.1.2	Project results achieved by the doctoral researchers and also the postdoctoral researchers, where applicable (financed from other sources)
1.	Category A – Articles in peer-reviewed journals, contributions to peer-reviewed conferences or to anthology volumes, and book publications
<In this category please enter articles in peer-reviewed journals, contributions to peer-reviewed conferences or to anthology volumes, and book publications (see also DFG form 1.91). Open access publications should be designated accordingly.>
2.	Category B – Any other form of published results 
<Here you can cite the results and findings generated by doctoral/postdoctoral researchers that have been published in any other form. This may include contributions to non-peer-reviewed conferences, articles on preprint servers, data sets, protocols of clinical trials, software packages, patents applied for and granted, blog contributions, infrastructures or transfer. You may also indicate other forms of academic output here, such as contributions to the (technical) infrastructure of an academic community (including in an international context) and contributions to science communication.>
3.	Completed theses that have not yet been published

5.2	Project results generated by the Research Training Group
<You may additionally indicate here a maximum of 20 – or a maximum of ten in the case of a reduced final report – of the most important project results generated by the Research Training Group as a whole in order to document the yield of the joint research efforts. These may be the work of the participating researchers and/or the doctoral/postdoctoral members. In the case of IRTGs, joint results with the foreign partners are to be particularly highlighted. 
Wherever possible, please include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier), ISBN or other persistent identification number. If this is not available, please provide the direct link. If the medium permits, publications must contain a reference to DFG funding (e.g. in the form of an acknowledgement) and the project number.
Structure the publications as follows:> 
1.	Category A – Articles in peer-reviewed journals, contributions to peer-reviewed conferences or to anthology volumes, and book publications 
<In this category please enter articles in peer-reviewed journals, contributions to peer-reviewed conferences or to anthology volumes, and book publications (see also DFG form 1.91). Open access publications should be designated accordingly.>
2.	Category B – Any other form of published results 
<Here you can cite any other form of published research results and findings of the RTG. This may include contributions to non-peer-reviewed conferences, articles on preprint servers, data sets, protocols of clinical trials, software packages, patents applied for and granted, blog contributions, infrastructures or transfer. You may also indicate other forms of academic output here, such as contributions to the (technical) infrastructure of an academic community (including in an international context) and contributions to science communication.>

<NON-PUBLIC PART>
6	Further Information 
<This section is only intended for reviewers and the DFG’s Head Office and statutory bodies; it is not intended for publication.>
6.1	Information on how the project progressed, its structural impact and future prospects 
<Address the following points in your report:
•	Statement regarding the implementation of possible requirements, notes and recommendations arising from the review of the renewal proposal
•	Description of the progress of the Research Training Group, including any problems encountered in its organisation or implementation
•	Where applicable, potential follow-up studies or indication of potential applications, in particular with regard to knowledge transfer
•	Report on how the project progressed and the scientific results it generated, where applicable also other outcomes if funding was provided in the previous funding period for the purpose of start-up support; also report on substitution for participating professors, temporary substitute positions and knowledge transfer projects
•	Report on the use of funds and describe the measures to provide relief for the spokesperson if the spokesperson had gender inclusion funding available during previous funding period
•	For the development of the Research Training Groups Programme, it is important for the reviewers, committees and Head Office of the DFG to learn about your opinions regarding the proposal process and programme design. Your criticisms, comments and recommendations are valuable for the further development of the programme.>

6.2	Information on qualifications and structural impact 
<Address the following points as applicable, using the appropriate tables and templates to record the information. Delete unnecessary tables and rows or add additional rows to the table if needed. 
When compiling the information, feel free to use the data available to you from the annual survey (monitoring).>

6.2.1	List of all persons funded by the Research Training Group to date
<List all doctoral researchers (including medical doctoral fellowship holders), postdoctoral researchers, qualifying fellows, student assistants and graduates of the Research Training Group who received “start-up funding” after their doctorate – in the case of IRTGs, both on the German side and at the partner institution – according to the following sample tables.
The information in the tables should be listed in chronological order, according to the date on which the person entered the Research Training Group. 
When specifying the “Start of doctoral training”, please provide the date on which the doctoral researcher considers that they began their doctoral research. This date may differ from the date of entry into the Research Training Group or from the date on which the researcher began receiving financial support from the RTG.>
Doctoral record of RTG doctoral researchers (including medical doctoral fellowship holders) (financed by the DFG through RTG funds)

	Name	Supervisors	Field of study; university and degree date (MA, diploma, etc.).	Start of doctoral training	Funded member
of RTG
(from / to)	For ongoing 
doctoral studies: 
time to date
(in months)	If appropriate: interruption 
in funding 
(in months)	After submission of thesis: time until submission
(in months)	Time of oral examination
	Grade	Occupation(s) following doctorate 	Cf. individual report on page	
1													
2													
3													
...													

Doctoral record of RTG doctoral researchers (including medical doctoral fellowship holders) (in Germany, funded by other sources)

	Name	Supervisors	Field of study; university and degree date (MA, diploma, etc.).	Start of doctoral training	Member
of RTG
(from / to)	For ongoing 
doctoral studies: 
time to date
(in months)	If appropriate: interruption 
(in months)	After submission of thesis: time until submission
(in months)	Time of oral examination
	Grade	Occupation(s) following doctorate 	Cf. individual report on page	
1													
2													
3													
...													

Doctoral record of doctoral researchers (including medical doctoral fellowship holders) at the foreign partner institution <applies to IRTGs only>

	Name	Supervisors	Field of study; university and degree date (MA, diploma, etc.).	Start of doctoral training	Member
of RTG
(from / to)	For ongoing
doctoral studies:
time to date
(in months)	If appropriate: interruption
(in months)	After submission of thesis: time until submission
(in months)	Time of oral examination
	Grade	Occupation(s) following doctorate 	Cf. individual report on page	
1													
2													
3													
...													
…													

RTG postdoctoral researchers (financed by the DFG through RTG funds)
Name	Project/topic	Doctorate
(subject, date and place obtained)
(MM/YYYY)	Funded member
of RTG 
(MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY)	Tasks relating to the Research Training Group	Occupation(s) after leaving the RTG 	Cf. individual report on page
(page number)	

							
RTG postdoctoral researchers (funded by other sources)
Name	Project/topic	Doctorate
(subject, date and place obtained)
(MM/YYYY)	Funded member
of RTG 
(MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY)	Tasks relating to the Research Training Group	Occupation(s) after leaving the RTG 	Cf. individual report on page
(page number)	

							
RTG researchers who received start-up funding after their doctorates
Name	Aim of funding (e.g. individual project proposal on topic XY)	Date of
doctorate
(MM/YYYY)	Funding period
(MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY)	Type of funding (position/fellowship, direct project costs, etc.)	Occupation(s) after start-up funding 	Cf.
individual report on page
(page number)	

							
Qualifying fellows
Name	Supervisors	Academic qualification (type of qualification, subject, date and university)	Funded member
of RTG 
(MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY)	Date of admission to doctoral programme
(MM/YYYY)	Occupation(s) after completion of
qualifying phase	Cf. individual report on page
(page number)	

							
Student assistants
Name	Supported researcher(s)	Course/
field of study	Funded member
of RTG 
(MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY)	Tasks in RTG	

					

6.2.2	Duration of employment and fellowship contracts 
<Using the following table, please provide details of the duration of employment (or fellowship) contracts of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers who participated in the nine-year funding period and were funded by the Research Training Group. For individuals with consecutive contracts, note the duration of each.>

Duration of contract	Number of contracts for	Number of contracts for	Total number of contracts	
	Female doctoral researchers 	Male doctoral researchers	Female postdoctoral researchers 	Male postdoctoral researchers		
Up to 12 months						
Up to 24 months						
Up to 36 months						
Up to 48 months 						
Exceeding 48 months						

6.2.3	Promotion of gender equality: Female RTG Participants by Qualification Level
<Using the following table, please indicate the number of female researchers involved in the RTG and their levels of qualification. Table A includes both DFG-funded RTG members and those funded from other sources. Figures relating to reference dates are to be stated as a total number of persons since the establishment of the RTG.>

A.	Female RTG members
	1. funding period	2nd funding period	
	%
Goal
As per establishment proposal	%
Status Quo
As of renewal proposal submission	%
Goal
As per renewal proposal	%
Status Quo
As of last day of funding	
Female doctoral researchers
					
Female postdoctoral researchers					

B.	Participating female researchers
	1. funding period
% Status Quo
As per establishment proposal	2. funding period 
% Status Quo
As of renewal proposal submission	End of funding 
% Status Quo
As of last day of funding	
Female postdoctoral researchers*				
Junior Professors, Independent Junior Research Group Leaders				
Professors C3/W2				
Professors C4/W3				
Total				
	* Research staff with a doctoral degree but without their own working group
6.2.4	Research stays 
<Provide details of research stays or internships undertaken by (post)doctoral researchers at other institutions (research institutions, cultural institutions, commercial enterprises, etc.), both in Germany and abroad. In the case of IRTGs: do not include information on stays at the partner institution here (cf. 6.2.6 and 6.2.7). >
Name	From / to	Institute visited	Local supervisors (if applicable)	Research activities performed and skills acquired during stay	

					

6.2.5	Conference travel undertaken by (post)doctoral researchers 
<Provide details of conference attendance by (post)doctoral researchers. >
Name	From / to	Name of conference	Location	Title of own presentation/title of own poster presentation/participation only	

					

6.2.6	Stays by German (post)doctoral researchers at foreign partner universities <only for International Research Training Groups> 
Name	From / to	Institute visited	Local supervisors	Research activities performed and skills acquired during stay	Participation in qualification activities	

						

6.2.7	Research stays by (post)doctoral researchers from abroad in Germany <only for International Research Training Groups> 
Name	From / to	Institute visited	Local supervisors	Research activities performed and skills acquired during stay	Participation in qualification activities	

						

6.2.8	Individual reports by doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and, where applicable, qualifying fellows
<Attach individual reports by all doctoral researchers (including medical doctoral fellowship holders) and postdoctoral researchers involved in the RTG in the past funding period, regardless of their funding, based on the samples below. As a rule, they should each comprise three pages but not exceed five pages.
The reports should be grouped as follows: those by RTG-funded doctoral researchers and by associated doctoral researchers, and those by RTG-funded postdoctoral researchers and by associated postdoctoral researchers. Arrange the reports chronologically according to the date the person joined the Research Training Group. 
In the case of IRTGs, partner doctoral researchers are also requested to submit these reports.
Individual reports submitted by funded qualifying fellows, where applicable, should provide a brief outline of the activities undertaken and funding in the Research Training Group. The format of the individual reports can be based on the format specified for the individual reports to be submitted by doctoral researchers but should be limited to the relevant information.>

Template for Individual Reports by Doctoral Researchers (Including Medical Doctoral Fellowship Holders)
Project number:
First and last name of doctoral researcher:
(Working) title of doctoral project:
Name of supervisors:
1.	General information:
Duration of Research Training Group membership:
Example: 1 October 2015 to 30 November 2018	
Funding (type and duration):
Example: RTG position (1 October 2015 to 30 September 2018); research assistant at the Institute for Nuclear Physics (1 October to 30 November 2018)	
Start of doctoral training and (expected) time of oral examination:	
Commencement of studies; subject; university and date of degree (master, diploma, etc.):	
Any personal circumstances which may have affected your scientific work:	
Occupation after leaving the RTG, if applicable:	

2.	Description of doctoral project and research results achieved to date:
The initial hypothesis and aims of the project, the current project status, a description of results achieved to date and, if applicable, information on the anticipated work schedule, networking with other RTG projects. For IRTGs: Integration of the stays abroad into the individual’s own research work. Optional: references on the state of the art.

3.	Comments on the qualification programme and supervision strategy:
To what extent were the courses helpful to you and your work? Was their scope appropriate? How were you involved in the design or organisation of the programme? What could still be improved/expanded upon? How was the supervision structured? For IRTGs: How would you rate your stays at the foreign partner university; what skills did you acquire there? Any other comments?
Participation in the following Research Training Group events:	
Research stays or internships at other research institutions both at home and abroad. For IRTGs: stays at the partner university:	
Participation in conferences, congresses, etc., at home and abroad:	
4.	Individual publications:
Template for Individual Reports by Postdoctoral Researchers
Project number:
First and last name of postdoctoral researcher:
(Working) title of postdoctoral project:
1.	General information:
Duration of Research Training Group membership:
Example: 1 May 2015 to 30 November 2017	
Funding (type and duration):
Example: research assistant at the Institute for Nuclear Physics, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation (1 May 2015 to 31 December 2015); Postdoctoral position in the RTG (1 January 2016 to 30 November 2017)	
Subject; institution; start date and completion of doctoral programme:	
Commencement of studies; subject; university and date of degree (master, diploma, etc.):	
Any personal circumstances which may have affected your scientific work:	
Occupation after leaving the RTG, if applicable:	
2.	Description of individual research project and research results achieved to date
Initial hypothesis and aims of the project, current project status, description of results achieved to date, where applicable information on the anticipated work schedule, networking with other projects; Optional: 
references on the state of the art.
3.	Description of individual RTG-specific tasks
E.g. in the qualification programme and supervision strategy
4.	Statement on career development measures
E.g. qualification measures offered by the RTG or the university; integration in university personnel development strategies, etc.
Participation in or organisation of RTG-related events:	
Research stays at other research institutions at home and abroad, for IRTGs also research stays at the partner university:	
Participation in conferences, congresses, etc., at home and abroad:	
5.	Individual publications: