AIMS-DFG Collaboration Visits Programme in the Mathematical Sciences
Call for collaboration visits to Germany and Africa by researchers in early career phases in the mathematical sciences
With this call, the African Institutes for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) support the initiation of international research collaboration between researchers from African countries and researchers at universities in Germany in the mathematical sciences. Researchers in early career phases are particularly encouraged to submit proposals.
Aim of the Initiative
The aim of the initiative is to familiarise and connect the wider research communities in the mathematical sciences in Africa and Germany with each other and support their internationalisation. The initiative enables participating researchers to identify joint research interests in the field of mathematical sciences and initiate specific joint project ideas.
Funding Mechanism
This call is based on the DFG funding programme “Initiation of International Collaboration”. Under this programme, applicants interested in establishing collaborative scientific relations with partners abroad may apply for funding for trips abroad or guest visits, for example.
For the purpose of this call:
- “Applicants” are researchers in the German research system who apply for funding under the AIMS-DFG Collaboration Visits Programme,
- “Fellows” are researchers whose collaboration visits are funded under the AIMS-DFG Collaboration Visits Programme.
Two different modules are available:
- Trips abroad to one of the six AIMS centres (in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal or South Africa) undertaken by researchers in the German research system (max. three months)
- Guest visits to Germany undertaken by researchers in early career phases from African countries (max. three months)
The focus of this programme is to facilitate collaboration visits. However, the funding of scientific workshops can be granted in exceptional cases.
The funding remains available for a maximum of 12 months after the approval date: individual collaborative measures must be carried out within this time frame.
Eligibility
Applicants: researchers who have obtained their doctorates and who are working in the German research system may apply. Special rules apply to members of non-university research institutions. For further details, please consult the “Guidelines on the Duty to Cooperate” (DFG form 55.01; see link below).
Applicants from Germany visiting an AIMS centre:
- must be working in the German research system;
- must fulfil the DFG eligibility requirements;
- can apply to visit an AIMS centre themselves;
- must submit a letter of invitation from a host researcher at an AIMS centre.
Fellows from Africa visiting a host institution in Germany:
- can receive funding for their guest visit through an applicant in Germany;
- must have obtained their doctorate, be on track to defend their thesis or show proof of research activity. Candidates must have published at least one scientific article in a peer-reviewed journal listed on Math-SciNet or zbMath, for example;
- require a letter of support from an AIMS centre.
Applicants may apply either to undertake a collaboration visit to an AIMS centre themselves or for a fellow from Africa to visit the applicant’s institution.
For further information on the programme, eligibility and instructions for proposal preparation, please refer to the “Guidelines on Proposals for Grants to Support the Initiation of International Collaboration” (DFG form 1.813; see link below).
Application
Proposals must be submitted in English by 15 October 2024.
Proposals can only be submitted by researchers from Germany. Researchers from African countries act as collaboration partners and can receive DFG funding through their German collaboration partners.
It is necessary to have an elan-account to submit a proposal to DFG. Confirmation of registration is usually provided within three working days. The registration has to be confirmed before submitting.
Note that you will be asked to select the appropriate call “AIMS-DFG Collaboration Visits Programme 2025” during the proposal process.
The DFG very much welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, at different career stages 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.
With the submission of the proposal the applicants and fellows involved agree that DFG shares all necessary information with AIMS after the call deadline.
There will be an information session on 26 July 2024, at 09:00 a.m. (GMT)/11:00 a.m. (CEST) for this call. If you would like to participate, please write an e-mail to the following address: aims-dfg@aims.edu.g
Further Information
General information for German applicants on the “Initiation of International Collaboration” programme:
DFG form 55.01 “Guidelines on the Duty to Cooperate”:
DFG form 1.813 “Guidelines for the Initiation of International Collaboration Programme“:
The DFG’s electronical portal “elan” can be found at:
Further information on elan:
DFG’s data protection notice on research funding:
As part of the assessment procedure, the necessary personal data must be exchanged between the organisations involved. This requires the transfer of personal data between AIMS and DFG. Further information can be found in the data protection notices of the respective organisations. If necessary, please also forward this information to those persons whose data the DFG processes because they are involved in your project.
Data protection notice DFG:
Data protection notice AIMS:
Detailed information about the call and DFG collaboration with African countries can be obtained at the DFG Head Office, Bonn:
- Julia Bastong, phone +49 228 885 3045, julia.bastong@dfg.d
For questions concerning DFG funding of projects in the field of Mathematical Sciences:
- Dr. Carsten Balleier, phone +49 228 885 2063, carsten.balleier@dfg.d
- Dr. Frank Kiefer, phone +49 228 885 2567, frank.kiefer@dfg.d
- Dorothea Wannenmacher, phone +49 228 885 2933, dorothea.wannenmacher@dfg.d