Joining forces in research.

Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments

The goal of the “Excellence Strategy” is to strengthen science in Germany in the long term. Towards this end, German universities are to further improve their international competitiveness. With this funding programme, scientific developments successfully initiated as part of the Excellence Initiative (2005-2017) at German universities will be continued as of 2019.  The funding specifically targets scientific achievement, strategic profile development at universities, and cooperation within the scientific system.

Clusters of Excellence

Clusters of Excellence are consequential, internationally competitive fields of research at universities or within university networks. They combine scientific excellence with a coherent research concept for the development of their specific field of research, to further interdisciplinary collaboration and international networking. Clusters of Excellence are funded for 7 years on an individual project basis. Their strategic development plan regarding organisation and further development is closely coordinated with the development strategy of the university.

Collaborative Research Groups are long-term university research groups with fixed-term funding. They give researchers the opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research as part of an outstanding, cross-disciplinary research programme. They facilitate scientifically ambitious, complex, long-term research by concentrating and coordinating the resources available at a university. In doing so, they help enhance the hosting university’s profile.

Past DFG Collaborative Research Centres

A Research Unit is made up of a team of researchers working together on a research project. Funding provides the staff and material resources required for carrying out intensive, medium-term cooperative projects (generally six years). Research Units often contribute to establishing new research directions.

Past DFG Research Units

Research Training Groups are established by universities to promote young researchers. They are funded by the DFG for a period of up to nine years. Their key emphasis is on the qualification of doctoral researchers within the framework of a focused research programme and a structured training strategy. Research Training Groups with an interdisciplinary approach are warmly welcomed. The aim is to prepare doctoral researchers for the complexities of the job market in science and academics and simultaneously to encourage early scientific independence.

Past DFG Research Training Groups

A particular feature of the Priority Programme is the nationwide collaboration between its participating researchers through coordinated multi-location funding. The Priority Programmes aim to give clear impetus to the further development of important new topics and to encourage interdisciplinary exchange and networking.

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth coordinate the following programmes:

Past DFG Priority Programmes

Researchers from the University of Bayreuth lead the following Emmy Noether junior research groups:

Recently completed DFG Emmy Noether Junior Research Groups

By way of its research framework programmes, The European Commission finances ambitious research projects in academic fields that are especially important politically and economically. Such research projects are conducted in large international consortia. Management of such consortia is playing an increasingly prominent role in European research. The University of Bayreuth is currently coordinating the following projects:

Joint research projects in Horizon 2020

The renowned ERC Grants, on the other hand, are awarded to outstanding researchers, who carry out pioneering work in their projects.

ERC Starting Grants in Horizon 2020

ERC Consolidator Grant in Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and in Horizon 2020

ERC Advanced Grants in Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and in Horizon 2020

ERC Proof of Concept in Horizon 2020

ERC Synergy Grants in Horizon 2020

The European Commission’s Marie Skłodowska Curie measures are designed to support the mobility and career development of outstanding internationally mobile scholars and to make academic careers more attractive.

Marie-Skłodowska-Curie-Actions: Individual Fellowships in Horizon 2020

The European Research Area (ERA) is divided up on the basis of its own logic regarding national funding. This division can be overcome by coordinating and synchronizing national thematic programmes. Once they are coordinated, the programmes are then advertised and implemented in transnational cooperation. ERA nets are thus based on coordinated cooperation between regional and national research funding organizations and programme agencies (in Germany: DFG, project management agencies of the federal government, ministries).

The Bavarian Research Associations are interdisciplinary, application-oriented research projects. They are established for a period of three or six years and include multiple locations in Bavaria. Research Associations are founded on the basis of demand. They are launched to either address consulting demands in business, society, or politics or as a result of direct investments in Bavaria's future as a research and business location. The involvement of business partners helps ensure that scientific results can be implemented swiftly.

The University of Bayreuth as lead university

Participation of the UBT

Past Bavarian Research Associations

Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports innovative projects and ideas in research by way of strategic funding programmes.
Special emphasis is placed on so-called "coordinated projects". Research projects coordinated at the University of Bayreuth are generally characterized by cooperative and interdisciplinary structures.

Basic research to clarify the structure-property relationship of epoxy resins and fibres from renewable raw materials for application in the secondary structure of aircraft - EcoPrepregVolker Altstädt2018-2020

The Volkswagen Foundation is dedicated to the support of the humanities and social sciences as well as science and technology in higher education and research. It funds research projects in path-breaking areas and provides assistance to academic institutions for the improvement of the structural conditions for their work. In particular, the Foundation perceives its mission in supporting aspiring young academics and in promoting interdisciplinary and international collaboration. (Quelle: www.volkswagenstiftung.de/unsere-foerderung)

The University of Bayreuth as lead university

The Elite Network of Bavaria is designed for exceptionally self-motivated and talented students, doctoral researchers, and postdocs.  The Network ensures the best possible conditions and incentives for the highly qualified since its programmes link the teaching and research expertise of all Bavarian universities and research institutions. Elite programmes of study are open to outstanding students, while young researchers in the International Doctorate Program get the opportunity to work together closely with leading scholars while pursuing their doctoral research. Postdocs can achieve greater academic independence by joining existing elite programmes of study or international doctorate programmes and leading an international group of junior researchers.

UBT as managing university partner

UBT’s involvement