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Research in a Network

Collaborative projects

Collaborative projects offer the opportunity to carry out larger research projects with a consortium. Depending on the funding format, the consortia consist of scientists at a university or international partners.

For collaborative projects, industrial participation may also be possible or even necessary. The objectives of the collaborative projects also vary with the funding formats. Collaborative research centers and international collaborative projects generally aim to generate new knowledge or develop new technologies or products. Ministerial research funding, in turn, aims primarily at overcoming social, economic, and/or political challenges. Research units and Centres for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences work on a common innovative topic in several subprojects. In contrast, research training groups focus on the structured training of doctoral students.

In the preparation of DFG collaborative projects, the rectorate provides support already during the first step of brainstorming and consortium formation. The Grants Services team will support you in the application process for all collaborative projects and if you have further questions about the formats of collaborative funding. On the following pages, you will find a characterization of common funding formats in collaborative research.

Formats of collaborative research