Call for proposals subject to timely release of funds by the funding organizations in 2022
The Academies Programme, the joint research programme of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, serves long-term fundamental research in the humanities, historical legal sciences, as well as economics and social sciences. Research questions and materials in the overlapping field of these scientific areas with natural science disciplines can also be addressed within the framework of the Academies Programme. The central task of the Academies Programme is the provision, preservation and visualization of cultural traditions of overriding scientific and social relevance.
The Academies Programme is currently funded with approximately 70 million euros annually as part of the joint research funding provided by the federal and state governments. These funds are currently used to finance 132 projects in 191 workplaces.
Researchers who have completed their doctorate and have institutional ties in Germany can apply (as individual applicants or together with one or more co-applicants) to one of the academies listed with a research project. In terms of focus, scope and duration, the project must meet the following requirements and criteria for applying to the Academies Programme.
Application Requirements
- The project must be of cross-regional significance and of interest to national scientific policy. The application is limited to projects in the previously mentioned scientific fields.
- The proposal must be characterised by high disciplinary or interdisciplinary relevance.
- The proposal must consider the current state of research in thematic and methodological terms and have the potential for scientific innovation.
- Projects must consist of long-term elements, have a modular structure and be completed within the framework of the project's duration. The project modules must be conclusive in terms of time and content.
- The duration of the projects must be at least 12 and no more than 25 years. The annual funding budget must be at least 120,000 euros.
- The involvement of young researchers and the further qualification of academic staff in the project must be guaranteed.
- Only projects that cannot be carried out more expediently by a higher education institution, another research institution or by another organisation will be accepted.
- The funded projects will be scientifically supervised by an academy; they can be carried out in close cooperation, if possible also internationally, with other academies, universities and
- non-university scientific institutions.
- The inclusion of digital humanities in terms of methodology is explicitly expected. Thorough concepts and strategies for the provision of digital resources and information offerings as well as for digital processing and publication concepts must be submitted.
Application procedure and criteria for application
The application procedure takes place in two stages within a two-year cycle. First, a preliminary application must be submitted to the selected academy (approx. five pages, 11 pt. font, 1.2 lines; if necessary, clarification with the respective academy). The deadline for submitting a pre-proposal for 2024 is 31 January 2022. Applicants are requested to have a consultation with the chosen academy before submitting the pre-proposal.
The academy examines the preliminary application and the possibility of accepting it into its academic and organisational supervision. The applicants of the shortlisted preliminary applications will be asked by the Academy to submit a detailed application according to the criteria listed below. This proposal will be evaluated by national and international peer reviewers and, if approved by the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, will be submitted for inclusion in the funding programme. If the application is approved, the academy will assume sponsorship of the project and it will be super vised by a scientific commission.
The preliminary application must identify the project concept, the need for its long-term pursuit and the planned method of implementation and must contain the following information:
- Name with academic degree, position and date of birth of the applicant, name of the research institution, faculty/department/institute, address, telephone, e-mail address
- Brief description of the project (approx. two lines)
- Subject area and special scientific field of work of the project Brief summary of the project and the research objective
- Information on the current state of research and own preliminary work Description of the project's methodology and research objective Details on the overall duration and planned start of the project Information on the work, time and financial planning of the project
- Details on the modularisation of the project with regard to content and time
- Information on the number and value of the planned staff positions and the amount of material resources required Brief description of the connection to a university or a non-university research institute
- Details on additional cooperation partners
- Reference to qualification measures for young researchers as well as to a long-term oriented further qualification concept for the project's employees
- Information on the involvement of the staff in university teaching
- Declaration as to whether a preliminary application has already been submitted or will be submitted to another academy and whether funding has been or will be applied for from other sources for the project
- Submission of a digital humanities concept as well as a first draft of a data management plan, which should specifically include considerations on long-term digital archiving and the provision and re-usability of digital research data Considerations for the scientific communication of the project
In addition to the preliminary application, applicants must submit CVs with a list of publications (no more than one DIN A4 page) and information on current externally funded projects.
A separate information bulletin contains instructions on the size limits and the formal structure of new applications to the Academies Programme.
Information on the Academies Programme and currently funded projects is available at: www.akademienunion.de/en.
