 Panorama
of Plant Research Funding Opportunities
in Germany
Note: this article
presents national funding opportunities open to transnational applicants
Publication date: May 2007. An updated version is available on the member's only website.
In 2005, Germany’s investment in
R&D totalled an estimated €56 billion, or 2.5% of gross domestic product,
placing the country in third place, in terms of GDP, among EU Member States.
The research is
performed at universities (345 universities, of which 183 specialise in applied
sciences) and at four large research organisations:
The universities
are financed at the individual state level. The institutes and research centres
are jointly financed by the federal government and the federal states.
EPSO members in Germany (9) are:
-
Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, Aachen, Fraunhofer
Society.
Website
-
Gemeinschaft zur Förderung der privaten deutschen Pflanzenzüchtung e.V.,
Bonn.
Website
- Institute
Phytosphere Research; Research Center Jülich.
Website
- Leibniz Institute for
Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben.
Website
- Leibniz Institute of
Plant Biochemistry, Halle (Saale).
Website
- Max
Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena.
Website
- Max Planck Institute
for Developmental Biology (University Cluster with: Centre for Plant
Molecular Biology – Tübingen University and Institute for Biology II –
Freiburg University).
Website
- Max-Planck-Institute
of Molecular Plant Physiology Golm, Max-Planck-Society.
Website
- Max-Planck-Institute
for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Max-Planck-Society.
Website
Click
 here to view an
interactive map displaying EPSO members in Germany
®
Basic research projects are mainly funded by the
German Research Foundation (DFG)
In
terms of project-related funding in basic research, the DFG is the central
self-governing agency of the German research system. It is jointly funded by the
federal government and the federal states.
The DFG
encourages
international collaboration through various funding
opportunities, such as funding for individuals, individual projects and
coordinated programmes , and measures aimed at preparing collaborative projects.
Among the numerous programmes funded by the DFG,
Priority programmes (PP) and
International Research training Groups (IRTG) are of
particular interest to non-German research scientists.
PPs, which run for six years,
promote interdisciplinary networking and nationwide coordination of research
projects. Although these programmes are mainly directed at German research
groups, “it is also possible for foreign scientists to participate provided that
their project is of paramount importance to the Priority programme as a whole”.
Among the
94 PPs currently funded (16 of which started in 2007 with
a total budget of €57 million), three are most relevant to plant scientists:
-
PP1149 ‘Heterosis
in plants’, coordinated by Prof Dr Albrecht E Melchinger,
Stuttgart
-
PP1152 ‘Evolution
of metabolic diversity’, coordinated by Prof Dr Dieter
Strack, Halle
-
PP1212 ‘Microbial
reprogramming of plant cell development’, coordinated by
Prof Dr Martin Parniske, Munich
IRTGs
are doctoral training programmes
between German universities and universities abroad. The research and study
programmes are jointly developed and supervised by the participatory groups.
Workshops, seminars and sabbaticals are also available.
Another major
project funded by the DFG is the
Arabidopsis Functional Genomics Network (AFGN). Launched
in 2001, it currently has a budget of €2.6 million per year. It supports basic
functional genomics research in
Arabidopsis
thaliana.
AFGN currently funds 25 projects in Germany and is organised in close
coordination with the 2010 Project of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in
the United States. In
addition, the AFGN has initiated
AtGenExpress, a worldwide co-operative Arabidopsis
transcriptome project.
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Bi- or tri-lateral R&D co-operation is funded by the
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
The Federal Ministry of Education
and Research (BMBF) coordinates federal R&D policy. Nearly two-thirds of all
federal R&D expenditure is financed by the BMBF’s budget.
Funding for
plant research is available through the BMBF’s Biotechnology Framework Programme
(no direct relation to the European Framework Programme). The main contact point
and coordinator for this programme is the project management organisation in
Jülich (Projekttrager
Jülich) which provides support and administrative support
for the 25 different programmes in this field and in particular for the
GABI programme (Genome
Analysis
of the Plant
Biological
System) which is targeted at plant genomics research.
Part of the budget for phase one
(1999-2004) of the GABI programme was allocated to bilateral collaboration
between GABI and Génoplante (the French plant genomics programme). Up to 25% of
the phase two (2004-2007) budget was available for trilateral co-operation
between GABI, Génoplante and the Spanish plant genomics programme. The third
phase, GABI Future will start in July 2007 (see Members’ News section).
The thirds phase, GABI Future has a
budget of €50 million and will run from mid-2007 to 2016. Funding will be
available for research projects submitted by universities, non-university
research institutions and commercial companies with their headquarters in
Germany. The first proposals have been selected by the GABI Scientific Committee
and are currently being reviewed by the BMBF for a July 2007 start.
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Other funding opportunities open to
foreign applicants from all disciplines
The
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a joint
institution of German universities, and promotes exchanges of students and
scientists. Its programmes are usually open to all disciplines, countries and
nationalities. The DAAD maintains a
scholarship databaseof
all the DAAD funding opportunities
open to
foreign
students, graduates,
postdocs and
faculties,
as well as funding offered by other selected organisations
The
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) is a non-profit
foundation that promotes international research co-operation. Each year, they
offer research fellowships and research awards to foreign scientists and
scholars not resident in Germany to spend extended periods of research in
Germany. There are no quotas with regard to country or discipline. The
foundation sponsors people and not projects. In 2005, they awarded 542 new
fellowships and 87 research awards.
The
Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science
promotes and supports basic research at its own institutes. Among several
instruments geared at junior scientists, the
Independent Junior Research
Groups gives the opportunity to young scientists
and researchers, who have an outstanding track record in their field, to take on
leadership responsibilities in a five-year research programme.
The
Helmholtz Association promotes international cooperation
through
worldwide exchange programmes and cooperation agreements
such as the Young Investigators Groups
(deadline for application is 4 May 2007, one further call for applications is
planned for spring 2008) and the
jointly funded
Helmholtz-DAAD Fellowships (awarded once a year
in December, the next call is expected to be published in September).
The
Fraunhofer Society and the
Leibniz Association also promote international education
for junior scientists through grants and fellowship in collaboration with the
DAAD and other international organisations such as the EU.
Upcoming German calls open to
transnational applicants
15 December 07:
DAAD Research Grants for Doctoral Candidates and Young
Academics and Scientists.
For young foreign academics and scientists
(no older than 36) having
received their doctorate within the past 2 years.
15 December 07:
DAAD Study Scholarships for Graduates of all Disciplines.
For foreign graduates (no holder than 32) to gain a degree in Germany.
January 08:
Independent junior research groups. Max Planck Society. A
five-year grant for young scientists at a Max Planck Institute of their choice.
January 08:
Sofja Kovalevskaja Award. Alexander von Humboldt
Foundation. For young scientists and scholars (no
older than 35).
Continuous application:
From the Alexander von Humboldt
Foundation:
Ø
Humboldt Research Fellowships.
For early-stage researchers with doctorates to carry out research projects of
their own choice in Germany. Researchers of all nationalities and disciplines
may apply at any time. The selection committee meets
three times a year, in March, July and November.
Ø
Humboldt Research Awards to Outstanding Scholars resident outside Germany.
Nominations may be submitted at any time. Nominations are evaluated in March and
September.
Ø
Helmholtz Humboldt research award.
Six awards available annually. Submission at any time. Selections are made in
March and September annually.
Ø
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Awards.
For scientists and scholars from abroad who have received their doctoral degree
within the past 12 years. Nominations may be submitted at any time and are
evaluated in March and September.
From the DAAD:
Ø
Practical Traineeships for Foreign Students of Natural and Technical Sciences,
Agriculture and Forestry.
Two to three months
traineeships
arranged by the
International
Association
for the Exchange
of Students
for Technical
Experience
(IAESTE).
Precise information on when to submit applications is available from the
National IAESTE Committee of the applicant's home country.
Ø
Re-invitation programme for Former Scholarship Holders.
Only for former one-year scholarship holders. Applications may be submitted at
any time.
Ø
Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists.
For foreign academeics ans scientists to carry out research projects (one to
three months) in Germany.Applications may be
submitted at any time, at the latest four month before the desired start date.
From the DFG: (note: open to
foreign applicants intending to pursue an academic or
scientific career in Germany)
Ø
Heisenberg programme / Heisenberg Professorship. Seventy
five five-year scholarships available for scientists (no holder than 35)
eligible for professorships. Applications can be made at any time.
Ø
Emmy Noether programme. Fifty five-year sponsorships for
postdocs to gain the qualifications for an appointment as a university teacher.
No fixed application deadline.
Ø
Research Fellowships. For young scientists holding a
doctorate to carry out research projects (up to two years)
in Germany. Applications can be made at
any time. Up to 453 scholarships are available in 2007.
As the information provided on the website can only be a
selection of opportunities, EPSO appreciates to receive further and updated
information for distribution. Send us your updates at
epso<x>epsomail.org.
Acknowledgments - EPSO would like to thank Uli Schurr for his contribution to this article. |
