Preparatory Measures for International Cooperation

The International Bureau provides financial support to German universities, research institutes and small and medium-sized enterprises for cooperation in science and research with partners from selected countries and for work in particular scientific and technical fields. This support is intended to help fund exploratory activities and the preparation of projects. Feasibility studies and pilot investigations may be funded as well. Applicants for funding should take note of country-specific thematic orientations and specific funding initiatives.
Purpose of Grants

As a rule, the financial support consists of grants for exploratory measures to assess the potential for cooperation, for the establishment and deepening of contacts with organisations abroad as well as for the preparation of cooperative projects - including feasibility studies and pilot investigations. Applicants for funding should take note of country-specific thematic orientations and specific funding initiatives.

Selection Criteria for Grants

Applications are evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:
  • Contribution to the generation of new projects relevant to the research programs of the BMBF and the European Commission
  • Scientific quality of the work plan and originality of the approach
  • Degree of innovation and potential for commercial exploitation of the anticipated results
  • Prospects of success of the planned project
  • Common interest and utility for the project partners
  • Multilateral networking
  • Support of young scientists and equal opportunity

Potential applicants include German institutions of higher education, non-university research establishments (institutes of the HGF, MPG, WGL and research establishments which receive joint basic funding from the federal government and the Länder only under certain preconditions) as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.

What is eligible for funding?

Within the framework of these preparatory measures, the BMBF supports the exchange of scientists between German and foreign partner institutions. As a rule, grants are meant to cover the cost of accommodations for foreign experts visting Germany and the travel costs of German experts visiting partners abroad. Partners abroad are responsible for covering the accommodations of German partners visiting their countries as well as for the travel costs of researchers from their own countries who are visiting in Germany. In many cases, foreign ministries provide corresponding funding within the framework of intergovernmental agreements.

In special cases, further costs can be covered as well (e.g. costs of scientific workshops, smaller investments and consumable materials for feasibility studies and pilot investigations, personnel) as long as these are not already covered under the basic public financing of participating organisations.

As a rule, funding for preparatory measures can be provided for a maximum of two years.

Submission of Project Proposals

Applications for funding must be submitted using the official forms provided by the funding organisation and according to the rules of the corresponding national funding agency. The application of German partners must be submitted in duplicate (one original and one copy) to the International Bureau in either English or German. Partners abroad seeking funding need to submit an application to the authorities responsible for such funding in their own countries. Deadlines for the submission of proposals within current calls can be found by clicking on the corresponding country. Proposals not addressing a particular call can be submitted at any time.

Applicants for funding should take note of special country-specific information on current activities and calls.