GAČR-DFG Cooperation: Possibility for Joint German-Czech Research Projects
Funding Period 2021–2023
On the basis of their long standing cooperation and the respective Memorandum of Understanding the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the Czech Science Foundation (GAČR) have opened the possibility for funding of joint German-Czech projects in all areas of basic research for the period of 2021–2023. Collaborations of research teams from both countries are invited to submit joint proposals.
These joint proposals have to be based on a close interaction between the German and Czech research teams and should present joint project goals and a joint work plan with balanced contributions from all project partners. Proposals without strong interaction between the partners should be submitted as separate proposals in the standard funding schemes of DFG and GAČR.
At the DFG the proposals in this call are submitted in the funding scheme “Sachbeihilfe/Research Grants” and will be reviewed in competition with all other proposals in this scheme. It is important to note that there are no separate funds available for these efforts, proposals must succeed on the strengths of their intellectual merit in competition with all other proposals in the funding scheme “Sachbeihilfe/Research Grants”. All proposals will be reviewed by both organisations separately. The results of the review process will be shared between the agencies. Support will be granted for those proposals where both DFG and GAČR recommend funding.
The eligibility to submit a proposal follows the regulations for the programmes for the funding scheme “Sachbeihilfe/Research Grants” at DFG side (DFG form 50.01). This includes the duty to cooperate (“Kooperationspflicht”) within Germany for members of non-university institutions with permanent positions.
Proposals shall be written in English and must be submitted to both organisations in parallel in accordance with the proposal preparation requirements of each side, respectively. For German groups this means submission via DFG’s elan system according to the guidelines for the Research Grants Programme (DFG form 50.01).
All German applicants are requested to use the “Joint Project Description Template” (see below the text) instead of form 53/01-03/18 as for the reviewers the information about the added value of international cooperation is an important point. For Czech applicants, the competition documentation for an open public competition to receive grants from the GAČR should be consulted.
For submission via the DFG elan system German partners should select under “Call for Proposals” the “GAČR-DFG Call 2020”. In the elan system please go via Proposal Submission – New Project – Individual Grants Programme. In the field “Proposal for a Research Grant” click the button “Start online form” – “Continue”. There you will find the call.
The proposal must include a description of the full proposed research programme and research team and describe the total resources for the joint project (that is, the funds requested for both the Czech and German groups). In the electronic elan system it is only requested to fill in the German budget, because only applicants in Germany can receive funding from DFG.
Additional documents as CV of the principal investigators (PI) from both sides must be uploaded following the rules of each organisation respectively. Please note that the reviewers on both sides will need the full information on the PI from Germany as well as from Czech Republic.
For German partners – please note that if you are using the elan system for the first time, you need to register prior submitting your application with your complete personal and address details via http://elan.dfg.de by 27 April 2020 at the latest.
In accordance with the full proposal target date of GAČR proposals to the DFG should be submitted not later than 7 April 2020. (On 20 March 2020 the deadline was extended to
4 May 2020)
The next call for the funding period of 2022–2024 is foreseen for the beginning of 2021.
Applicants from Czech Republic are kindly requested to conform to all the requirements listed in the Czech call for proposals that is published on the GAČR website and to submit their documents to GAČR.
Further Information
Joint Project Description Template:
Guidelines for the DFG Research Grants Programme (DFG form 50.01):
DFG’s Electronic Proposal Processing System for Applicants – elan:
Further information for researcher in Czech Republic:
- https://gacr.cz/en/statement-of-the-gacr-presidium-to-the-announced-public-tenders-to-support-projects-with-the-expected-start-of-implementation-in-the-year-2021
- https://gacr.cz/en/types-of-grant-projects
Contact persons at the DFG:
- International affairs:
Stephanie Laß
phone +49 228 885-2442
stephanie.lass@dfg.d - Administrative inquiries:
Michael Sommerhof
phone +49 228 885-2017
michael.sommerhof@dfg.d
Content-related inquiries:
- Social Sciences and Humanities:
Dr. Niklas Hebing
phone +49 228 885-2949
niklas.hebing@dfg.d - Life Sciences:
Dr. Katharina Hartmann
phone +49 228 885-2342
k.hartmann@dfg.d - Natural Sciences:
Dr. Ilka Paulus
phone +49 228 885-2021
ilka.paulus@dfg.d - Engineering Sciences:
Dr. Xenia Molodova
phone +49 228 885-2374
xenia.molodova@dfg.d
Contact person at GA ČR:
- Ing. Eva Molíková
phone +420 227 088 896
eva.molikova@gacr.c