Submitting a proposal for a collaborative research center
Are you a professor and would you like to submit a proposal for a new collaborative research center (CRC) to the German Research Foundation? Research and Early Career Support at FAU supports you all along the line from developing the idea up until the review. The sooner you contact us, the better we can tailor our advice to your individual situation and assist the application process with our experience.
Information on funding for CRCs from the DFG
Traditionally, a CRC is applied for and run by one university. It focuses on a comprehensive research program by pooling the resources available at the university. It is possible for sub-project leaders from other universities and extramural research institutions to get involved. A CRC/transregio (TRR) is applied for and run jointly by two or three universities. It allows close collaboration between these universities and the researchers based there, as well as allowing resources to be shared.
- Personnel costs, investment funds, consumables
- Travel
- Symposia
- Guests and visiting professorships
- International collaborations
- Coordination and service projects
- Supporting early career researchers including integrated research training group (MGK)
- Equality and diversity measures
- Information infrastructure
- PR and transfer projects
The number of applicants (principle investigators, PIs) and scientific sub-projects depends on the requirements of the specific CRC, the DFG does not have any requirements or make any recommendations in this respect. Our experience indicates that CRCs generally have between 15 and 40 PIs and 15 to 22 scientific sub-projects.
Frequently asked questions on the CRC funding program and answers from the DFG.
How we can assist with your proposal
We are happy to provide individual assistance for submitting a proposal, covering areas such as structure, advice on various phases, checking draft proposals and simulating reviews. Depending on the stage your proposal is at, you can contact us via FAUconnect for setting your CRC in motion or apply to the Executive Board for seed funding for (draft) proposals. Further information on the services we offer:
Services and documents from Research and Early Career Support
Please contact us in good time in order for us to be able to draft a schedule for submitting your proposal and to allow you to benefit from our experience every step of the way, from the initiation of your project to submitting the draft proposal and the final proposal. We have accompanied CRC projects at FAU for years now and provide detailed monitoring of various aspects (including number of pages for the various chapters, amount of funding, number of PIs, number of sub-projects, positions applied for). Based on this, we are happy to give you advice, check your texts during the drafting process and review them before submission, also consulting with the relevant experts if necessary (e.g. regarding support for early career researchers or equal opportunities).
With the dialog platform FAUconnect, the Executive Board supports the initiation and development of interdisciplinary collaborative research projects. More information is available on the program website.
You can apply to the Executive Board for seed funding for your project during the drafting and submission phases.Please contact Research and Early Career Support.
Once a year, Research and Early Career Support and the Vice President Research organize a networking event. This is aimed at both experienced spokespersons and at researchers who are currently planning or submitting a proposal for a CRC or CRC/TRR. The events always focus on current topics of relevance to CRCs (research data management, scientific communication etc.) and internal and external speakers (for example for the DFG) are invited to attend.
FAUnetwork coordinators is an online community for research network coordinators at FAU (CRCs, Research Training Groups, FAU research centers, EU and BMBF networks). We organize an informal get together twice a year for these groups.
Our many years’ experience working with spokespersons from collaborative DFG projects has allowed us to establish a large network. Please contact us if you would like to share ideas and opinions with researchers from your subject area who already have experience in submitting proposals.
A professional proof-reading or scientific editing service can be helpful when drafting or submitting your proposal, or maybe you need the address of a printing company. We have gathered experience with several service providers during past projects, and we are happy to share this with you.
We have also gathered information on locations, hotels, accommodation, catering and coaches that may be of interest for you when arranging an on-site review.
We gather helpful tips for submitting your proposal and organizing an on-site review and monitor all projects (including number of pages for the various chapters, amount of funding, number of PIs, number of sub-projects, positions applied for). Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.
Templates on aspects relating to support structures such as support for early career researchers, research data management, equality and diversity, and sustainability are available via CRIS.
We are happy to provide you upon request with proposals and presentations from projects that have already been approved and that their spokespersons have given to us for this purpose.
In preparation for your consultation and for the review, we have gathered some useful tips and information on rehearsals that we are happy to forward to you. This includes information on the procedure followed during the consultation and the review, suggestions on how to organize rehearsals and tips on preparing presentations.
Over recent years, we have compiled a list of questions covered in reviews on aspects concerning support structures (such as equality, support for early career researchers, research data management). Our compilation of questions that are raised during consultations after the submission of a draft proposal, as well as after reviews and poster sessions are available to help you prepare.
In consultation with you and representatives from any other locations involved, we draft the presentation of the Executive Board at the university (or universities) involved in the project for the review.
Points of contact for topics concerning support structures
Dr. Christian Schmitt-Engel
S-FORSCHENDE - Forschung und wissenschaftliche Karriere
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-20722
- Email: christian.schmitt-engel@fau.de
Dr. Henriette Müller-Ahrndt
S-FORSCHENDE - Forschung und wissenschaftliche Karriere
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-22807
- Email: henriette.mueller-ahrndt@fau.de
Dr. Magda Luthay
Büro für Gender und Diversity
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-20947
- Email: magda.luthay@fau.de
Dr. Marcus Walther
FAU Competence Center Research Data and Information (FAU CDI)
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-70701
- Email: marcus.walther@fau.de
Contact: forschungsdaten@fau.de
Prof. Dr. Kathrin Möslein
Vizepräsidenten
- Phone number: +49913185-2660085-29313
- Email: praesidium-assistenz@fau.de
Blandina Mangelkramer
Office of Communications and Press
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-70210
- Email: blandina.mangelkramer@fau.de
Immanuel Reinschlüssel
Office of Communications and Press
- Phone number: +49 9131 85-70227
- Email: immanuel.reinschluessel@fau.de
Please contact the team at H3 for advice on formal aspects and budget. Who to contact depends on the surname of the head of your department/institute. If you don’t know who to contact, please use the following generic address: Office H3
Guidelines for submitting a proposal
Draft proposal phase
Duration of phase: at least 6 months
- Deciding on a topic and recruiting the core team
- Initial consultation with Research and Early Career Support
- Get into touch with point of contact at DFG
- Present project to faculty and/or department (arrange dates yourself)
- Meeting with Vice President Research (VP-R) (appointment via Research and Early Career Support)
- Consultation with experts on aspects concerning support structures and the relevant passages in the text
- Consultation on formal aspects and budget with H3
- If applicable, discuss equipment budget with the Chancellor (date arranged by H3)
- Presentation of the project to FAU committees (date arranged by H3)
- EUL (University Governing Board) via the Dean of the faculty
- Senate via the spokesperson
- UL (Executive Board) via VP-R
- Initial check and review of the passages relating to support structures in the draft proposal by experts and Research and Early Career Support (Research and Early Career Support is happy to coordinate if necessary)
- Final inspection of the draft proposal via H3 at least 4 weeks before submission
- Draft proposal submitted by spokesperson
- Submit draft proposal via DFG-elan portal
- Sign receipt from DFG elan portal and send it to H3 for the President to sign
- Send signed receipt and 8 printed copies of the draft proposal to DFG
- Send the digital version of the draft proposal to H3 and Research and Early Career Support
Consultation
Duration of phase: at least 6 months
- Steps after draft proposal submitted to DFG:
- Formal inspection of draft proposal
- Arrange an appointment for a consultation
- DFG Head Office decides on the consultation panel: approximately five researchers from the relevant subject area and one member from the relevant subject area from the Senate Committee on CRCs (reporting officer) and members of staff from DFG Head Office
- Consultation (online, via Webex)
- Participants: 5-6 representatives of the initiative plus consultation panel
- Presentation of the project lasting 10-15 minutes and followed by a discussion lasting 1.5 hours
- Decision on draft proposal
- Consultation panel evaluates the draft proposal and draws up an assessment for the Senate Committee on CRCs on the basis of the draft proposal and the consultation.
- Reporting officer presents the consultation panel’s assessment to the Senate Committee on CRCs (May/November)
- DFG communicates recommendation of the Senate Committee on CRCs to spokesperson (e.g. call to submit a proposal)
Application phase
Duration of phase: at least 9 to 10 months
- Spokesperson and DFG decide on a date for submitting the proposal (2 months before review) and for the review
- Inform H3 of both dates in good time (H3 is responsible for coordinating appointments with the Ministry, Executive Board, experts)
- Submit a draft proposal to DFG at the latest 6 months before the date of the review (only goes to DFG Head Office to allow them to select reviewers)
- Spokesperson is responsible for organizing review, including
- Booking rooms (approximately 6 months in advance, also for rehearsals)
- Reserving 15 hotel rooms in consultation with DFG (at least 6 months in advance)
- Ordering catering
- Informing Research and Early Career Support of the dates for the rehearsals
- Forwarding the program for the DFG review to H3 and Research and Early Career Support
- Initial check and review of the passages relating to support structures in the proposal by experts and Research and Early Career Support (Research and Early Career Support is happy to coordinate if necessary)
- Final inspection of the proposal via H3 at least 4 weeks before submission
- H3 arranges for the proposal to be signed by the President (please note that in the case of a transregio, this phase takes a particularly long time, as all partners have to sign)
- Spokesperson submits the proposal to DFG: 20 printed copies and USB stick with “Documentation for DFG Head Office” (see DFG Guidelines 60-011)
- Send 2 printed copies and an electronic version of the proposal to H3 and Research and Early Career Support (H3 forwards it to the Ministry)
Review phase
Duration of phase: 2 to 3 months
- Rehearsals for preparing for the on-site review (we would recommend more than one, support from Research and Early Career Support and experts)
- Preparation of the President’s presentation about the University, via Research and Early Career Support
- Meeting with the President to prepare the on-site review (via Research and Early Career Support); in the case of TRR: additional appointment with heads of the other universities involved in the project
- On-site review
- Review panel: approximately 10 reviewers, one member from the DFG Senate Committee on CRCs from the subject area and one with another subject background (reporting officer), at least one member of a pertinent DFG review board, members of staff from DFG Head Office
- Day 1 (whole day, beginning at 11 am): Presentation (presentation and poster session) of the CRC and statement from the Executive Board, attended by the review panel, President, Chancellor, if Universitätsklinikum is involved then also the commercial director, as well as Research and Early Career Support, Office of Equality and Diversity and Dr. Jürgen Kleinöder (CIO)
- Day 2, 9 am to 9:30 am: Time slot for reviewers to pose questions to the CRC consortium. This is followed by the internal closed meeting of the review panel and Ministry.
- After the closed meeting of the review panel (as of approx. 3 pm): DFG announces preliminary result to CRC board (up to 3 people), President, Chancellor and possibly Ministry
- Negotiations on support from initial budget between DFG, Executive Board and spokesperson (via H3); FAU informs DFG of its final acceptance of the offer (in the case of TRR via the university filing the proposal)
- Reporting officer presents the consultation panel’s assessment to the Senate/Grants Committee on CRCs (May/November)
- Decision about proposal
- DFG communicates recommendation of Grants Committee on CRCs to spokesperson.