23.07.2026

DFG: Priority Programme “Combinatorial Synergies”

Deadline: November 30th, 2026

Combinatorics is the study of finite and discrete structures. Starting from fundamental questions of ordering, decomposing and structuring finitely many objects or states, combinatorics has evolved into a nanotechnology of mathematics and its applications. Due to its interdisciplinarity, it is a highly interactive core mathematical area. Research questions are unified, and structurally related approaches are developed into unifying theories with intrinsic questions and methods.

During the first funding period, the DFG Priority Programme “Combinatorial Synergies” has established itself as a new and internationally visible combinatorics network in Germany. Through targeted funding of projects and activities, such as workshops, Mercator Fellowships and Dive into Research formats, the SPP Combinatorial Synergies facilitated substantial and innovative mathematical research within and across the thematic areas described below.

In the upcoming second funding period, the individual projects in the Priority Programme concern combinatorial synergies in themes ranging from fundamental mathematical research to applications. The programme will continue to revolve around the following nine themes: 

• enumeration
• Dynkin classification
• commutative algebra
• matroids
• convexity
• lattice points
• statistics
• non-linear optimisation
• mathematical physics

Extremal combinatorics, additive combinatorics and related themes are not central to this Priority Programme.

A further overarching goal of the programme has been to guide the transformation of mathematical research fuelled by the availability of data and computational resources. The SPP Combinatorial Synergies encourages and supports the use of state-of-the-art computational methods, ranging from mathematical software and databases to statistical and machine-learning techniques, AI agents and formalisation, all under the FAIR principles. Proposals are strongly encouraged to outline how synergies created by the interaction between human mathematical insight and AI-supported methods can advance their scientific goals.

Please submit your proposal to the DFG by November 30th, 2026.

Further information:
https://www.dfg.de/de/aktuelles/neuigkeiten-themen/info-wissenschaft/2026/ifw-26-50 

Share

Back