Research Training Groups – Information and Advice

Proposal initiatives for Research Training Groups must:

• be supported by five to ten highly qualified scientists and involve the responsible participation of junior researchers,

• offer a focused, ideally interdisciplinary research program of high scientific quality and originality on an international level,

• establish a research-based study program and qualification scheme with innovative teaching and mentoring components,

• plan an integrated, high-quality guest researcher program.

The maximum duration of a Research Training Group is nine years in up to two phases, 5 + 4 years.

Funding for doctoral and postdoctoral positions, workshops, substitute positions, guest researchers, etc. can be applied for.

The funding volume is approximately EUR 500,000 – 600,000 per year.

The application process consists of two stages. Firstly, applicants must submit a draft proposal describing the project with a maximum of 15 pages. After a meeting with the DFG (Bonn) the preliminary decision is made in the DFG Senate. If the draft proposal is successful, the full proposal must be submitted and an on-site review will be conducted before the final decision is made.

Draft proposals can be submitted at any time. Note that the DFG Senate meetings take place in May and November and that draft proposals must be submitted to the DFG well in advance. It can take approximately one to one and a half years from the submission of the draft proposal and the decision on the full proposal. Applicants should therefore coordinate scheduling with the DFG Head Office.

Applicants preparing proposals for Research Training Groups should consult the following offices early on:

• The Research Funding section in the Central Administration to ensure that comprehensive consultation and the necessary coordination with university management can already take place during the proposal phase.
• Faculty management or the faculty research committees, if prior approval is required. At the Faculty of Science, please contact the Vice-Dean for Research Professor Klaus Harter or Ms. Meike Kammler in the Dean’s Office.
• Applicants from the Faculty of Medicine are invited to contact Research Funding at the Faculty of Medicine and Central Administration.
• Applicants must also contact the DFG program officers at an early stage.

In order to prepare a draft proposal and to prepare the full proposal, intramural start-up funding from the MWK (Ministry of Science, Research and Art Baden-Württemberg) can be applied for. Further information can be obtained from the Research Funding section.

Please also refer to the standard text modules relevant to all research funding at the university (equal opportunity, promotion of junior researchers, etc.).

• Research Training Groups at the University of Tübingen
• DFG program information
• FAQs on applications
• DFG contact persons
• DFG forms