Research Units - German Research Foundation
Research Units supports teams of researchers through the German Research Foundation, funding coordinated projects to achieve results beyond individual grants and establish new research directions.
Funder: German Research Foundation
Due Dates: Rolling (draft and establishment proposals) | Six months before funding period ends (renewals)
Funding Amounts: Personnel and material resources, generally for up to eight years in two four-year periods
Summary: Supports closely coordinated research teams pursuing a defined research task beyond the scope of individual grants.
Key Information: Applicants generally need a doctorate and must be based at German research institutions; most projects must be university-based.
Description
The German Research Foundation’s Research Units programme supports close, medium-term collaboration among outstanding researchers working on a defined research task. It provides personnel and material resources for coordinated projects whose thematic focus, duration and sometimes funding requirements exceed what individual grants can support. The aim is to achieve results beyond the reach of individual projects and help establish new research directions.
Open across all disciplines, the programme allows networks to structure their collaboration around the research question and intended structural impact. A Research Unit typically comprises fewer than ten coordinated projects and may operate at one or several locations. Networks must include measures supporting early-career researchers, equity and diversity. They can also strengthen non-university partnerships, enable international collaboration and provide temporary relief from teaching or administrative duties.
