Infrastructure Priority Programme “International Ocean Drilling Programme³ (IODP³)” (SPP 527)
In September 2024, the Senate of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) extended the Infrastructure Priority Programme “International Ocean Drilling Programme³ (IODP3)” (SPP 527) for another six years running from 2025 to 2030. The present call invites proposals for up to three years of project funding starting in 2025. The Priority Programme will publish a call for proposals each year.
Over more than 50 years, scientific ocean drilling programmes have significantly shaped our knowledge about our planet and the Earth system, and specifically improved our understanding of climate change, plate tectonics and marine geohazards. The “International Ocean Drilling Programme3 (IODP3)” is an international scientific ocean drilling programme under the joint lead of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD) and Japan to be launched in January 2025. It is the follow-up programme of previous successful ocean drilling programmes: “Deep Sea Drilling Program” (1968–1983), “Ocean Drilling Program” (1985–2003), “Integrated Ocean Drilling Program” (2003–2013) and “International Ocean Discovery Program” (2013–2024), which had been running since 1968.
Scientific objectives of IODP3 are summarised in the new 2050 Science Framework (see link below), which defines seven Strategic Objectives for targeted investigations: (1) Habitability and Life on Earth, (2) The Oceanic Life Cycle of Tectonic Plates, (3) Earth’s Climate System, (4) Feedbacks in the Earth System, (5) Tipping Points in Earth’s History, (6) Global Cycles of Energy and Matter, and (7) Natural Hazards Impacting Society. The fulfilment of the 2050 Science Framework also requires long-term, multidisciplinary research efforts with multiple expeditions combining several Strategic Objectives in Flagship Initiatives. Compared to former science plans, the new 2050 Science Framework puts a stronger focus on the societal relevance of its Strategic Objectives and is more focused on processes in Earth system components and key interactions among them.
A new development is the implementation of land-to-sea (L2S) drilling projects jointly with the “International Continental Scientific Drilling Programme (ICDP)”. Such projects will help to achieve a holistic understanding of, for example, natural hazards, the interplay between fresh and seawater along coastlines, ice sheet dynamics and sea level change, or the formation of sustainable georesources.
SPP 527 provides opportunities for innovative research on data and cores from the above listed ocean drilling programmes, but also for the preparation of future expeditions or the development of drilling tools and software. Proposals submitted under SPP 527 must have a clear link to ongoing, past or future drilling projects.
Research projects funded under SPP 527 are presented at the annual joint ICDP/IODP³ colloquia. Networking is the key element of these colloquia.
Proposal Submission
Proposals must be written in English and submitted to the DFG by 4 February 2025. Please note that proposals can only be submitted via elan, the DFG’s electronic proposal processing system.
To upload a new project within the existing Priority Programme, please go to Proposal Submission – New Project – Priority Programmes and select “SPP 527/45 (IODP³)” from the current list of calls. Previous applicants can submit a proposal for the renewal of an existing project under Proposal Submission – Proposal Overview/Renewal Proposal.
When preparing your proposal, please review the programme guidelines (DFG form 50.05, section B, see link below) and follow the proposal preparation instructions (DFG form 54.01, see link below). These forms can either be downloaded from our website or accessed through the elan portal.
Applicants must be registered in elan prior to submitting a proposal to the DFG. If you have not yet registered, please note that you must do so by 24 January 2025 to submit a proposal under this call; registration requests received after this time cannot be considered. You will normally receive confirmation of your registration by the next working day. Note that you will be asked to select the appropriate Priority Programme call during both the registration and the proposal process.
The DFG strongly welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, from different career stages, types of universities and research institutions, and with disabilities or chronic illness. With regard to the subject-specific focus of this call, the DFG encourages female researchers in particular to submit proposals.
Further Information
More information on the Priority Programme is available at:
Information on the “2050 Science Framework” is available at:
The elan system can be accessed at:
DFG forms 50.05 and 54.01 can be downloaded at:
For scientific enquiries, please contact the Priority Programme coordinator:
- PD Dr. André Bornemann, Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Stilleweg 2, 30655 Hannover, phone +49 511 643-2785, Andre.Bornemann@bgr.d
Questions on the DFG proposal process can be directed to:
- Programme contact: Dr. Guido Lüniger, phone +49 228 885-2333, guido.lueniger@dfg.d
- Administrative contact: Beatrix Stuch, phone +49 228 885-2719, beatrix.stuch@dfg.d