Announcement of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

within the framework of the strategy of the German Federal Government for the internationalisation of science and research - Regulations governing the funding of activities within the framework of the "German-South African Year of Science 2012/2013"

Logo Bundesanzeiger

from 23 January 2012

1. Funding purpose and legal basis

1.1 Funding purpose

South Africa is one of Germany's most important cooperation partners on the African continent today. Germany is South Africa's third-largest partner for scientific and technological cooperation after the US and Great Britain. The two countries laid the foundation for their collaboration in 1996 by signing a cooperation agreement. Since the end of apartheid, close economic ties between the two countries have simply become a matter of course in many areas and have opened up new markets and created new opportunities for German companies. In the summer of 2011, Minister Schavan and her South African counterpart, Minister Pandor, decided to acknowledge the special standing of this cooperation by initiating a German-South African Year of Science 2012/2013.

The joint Year of Science will offer an excellent platform for enhancing the visibility of the successful bilateral activities of the ministries and the research and intermediary organisations. This effort will also provide key political stimulus for the further development of this collaboration with a view to the future working together with actors from the realms of science, research and innovation in both countries to fully capitalise on the potential of the German-South African R&D (research and development) cooperation.

The German-South African Year of Science is geared towards decision-makers in the political sphere, research institutes, funding organisations and research-oriented companies and educational and training facilities as well as scientists, information disseminators (scientific and intermediary organisations, interest groups/associations, media) and anyone in the general public who is interested in science. Special emphasis will be given to encouraging collaboration among the younger generation of scientists in the two countries.

To make the diversity and excellence of the bilateral scientific and educational cooperation visible, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funds activities from the fields of education, research, science and technology, giving particular priority to events that take place until April 2013 and that make a specific contribution to the following goals of the German-South African Year of Science:

  • The diversity and excellence of German-South-African initiatives and projects in the fields of science, research and education must be given increased visibility.
  • New partnerships must be initiated between German and South African research institutions, universities and businesses.
  • Collaboration between ministries, intermediary organisations and funding organisations must be deepened in order to achieve a new quality of bilateral cooperation.
  • Collaboration with the partner country must be promoted to junior researchers from both countries, with particular emphasis on increasing South African students and postgraduates’ interest in study or research periods in Germany, and thus achieving a more balanced exchange system.
  • The level of awareness of Germany and South Africa as research locations must be increased amongst leading research companies in both countries.
  • In order to strengthen the economic development in South Africa, German vocational education and training providers must be advertised in South Africa.
    The National Research Foundation (NRF) will also publish a similar announcement in South Africa parallel to this announcement.

1.2 Legal basis

Project grants in the form of private-law funding contracts can be funded in accordance with this regulation, the BMBF standard terms and conditions for grants on an expenditure or cost basis and the administrative regulations under sections 23 and 44 of the German Federal Budget Code (BHO). There is no legal entitlement to funding. The funding provider will make a decision at its own proper and dutiful discretion and within the framework of the budget funds available.

2. Object of funding

To initiate and expand cooperation as well as to increase bilateral successes, the BMBF funds events designed to raise public awareness, e.g. trade conferences and conventions, delegation excursions, exhibitions, etc. as part of the German-South African Year of Science.

The events can be held in South Africa, in Germany or in both countries and should reach as broad an audience of industry experts as possible and should be particularly visible.

Special consideration will be given to applications that involve the main areas of scientific and technological collaboration between Germany and South Africa and that are consistent with the main themes highlighted by the Year of Science as follows:

  • Climate change (including sustainable resource management – as natural resources, water, agriculture – biodiversity, renewable energy, green energy, marine and polar research)
  • Human capital development (vocational training, science education, women in science)
  • Bioeconomy (including biotechnology, food security)
  • Urbanisation/mega cities (infrastructure, energy, water supply, telecommunications)
  • Astronomy
  • Health innovation
  • Social sciences and humanities

3. Funding recipients

Entities entitled to apply for funding include German research institutes, universities, public entities (e.g. cities, municipalities) and industrial companies (particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)*).

Research institutions that receive joint basic federal and state funding are only entitled to receive project funding above and beyond their basic financing for their additional expenses under certain preconditions.

In the case of joint German-South African initiatives, the applicants have to decide which partner will be the principal investigator. If the principal investigator is from South Africa, he submits the application to the National Research Foundation (NRF) and if he is from Germany, this application has to be submitted to the International Bureau of the BMBF (IB).

4. Funding prerequisites

Funding can be granted through project funding as non-repayable subsidies.

  1. Travel expenses for German experts to South Africa (economy class) including reimbursement for the cost of obtaining the necessary visas to a maximum of €1,200.
  2. Travel expenses for South African experts to Germany (economy class) including reimbursement of expenses to obtain necessary visas to a maximum of €1,200.
  3. Subsistence expenses of South African experts visiting Germany (currently: €104 per day).
  4. Subsistence expenses of German experts visiting South Africa (currently: €94 per day).
  5. Event costs in Germany and/or South Africa: (e.g. transfer, equipment rental, catering, room rental). The amount of the allowance depends on the size of the event and the number of (foreign) guests.
  6. PR and publicity expenses (e.g. posters, publications) associated with the planned activities.

In particularly justified cases, allowances can be granted to a limited extent for human resources (e.g. professional fees or for students and research assistants) to prepare the event. The costs of purchasing computer hardware and other devices are generally not covered or subsidised. Expenses for office materials or communication cannot be reimbursed, either. The requested funding amount should not exceed a total of €100,000 per project.

Funding for industrial companies is calculated on the basis of eligible, project-related costs which are generally financed up to 50% depending on how practically oriented the project is. According to BMBF principles, these companies are required to contribute at least 50% towards the eligible costs incurred.

Funding for universities, research and scientific institutions and comparable establishments is calculated on the basis of the eligible, project-related expenses (whereas funding for Helmholtz Centres and the Fraunhofer Institute is calculated on the eligible, project-related costs) that can be individually funded up to 100%.
The Community Framework of the EU Commission for state aid for research and development must be taken into account when calculating the respective funding ratio. This Community Framework grants different bonuses to applicants from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for collaborative projects which can, in some cases, mean that the percentage of funding is higher.

The proposed projects should be carried out and completed before the end of April 2013.

5. Procedure

5.1 Involvement of the International Bureau of the BMBF and request for documentation

The BMBF has commissioned the International Bureau with processing the funding measures:

International Bureau
of the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF)
in the project management organisation at the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
53227 Bonn
Website: www.internationales-buero.de

Contact for scientific questions:
Petra Ruth Mann
Tel.: +49-228-3821 1461
E-mail: petra-ruth.mann@dlr.de

Contact for the Year of Science
Nicole Hurtz
Tel.: +49-228-3821 1724
E-mail: nicole.hurtz@dlr.de

Administrative contact:
Eliza Cwynar
Tel.: +49-228-3821 1897
E-mail: eliza.cwynar@dlr.de

5.2 Submission of formal funding applications and decision-making procedure

The funding procedure has two stages.

In the first stage of the procedure, a draft proposal must be submitted no later than

09 March 2012

via the electronic system PT-Outline (https://www.pt-it.de/ptoutline/application/rsasy12 ). A legally binding and signed version of the draft proposal also has to be sent to the International Bureau.

The submission date is an absolute deadline. As a rule, late or incomplete applications can no longer be considered.

The funding applications received (in Germany and in South Africa) will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

  • Considerable contribution to intensifying German-South African collaboration in education, science and innovation
  • Time period (funding period runs until April 2013)
  • Competence and excellence of the applicant and the partners involved
  • Previous experience in cooperation with South Africa
  • Involvement and support for young scientists
  • Follow-up activities and prospects for success, initiation of new partnerships
  • Visibility/effective awareness raising/active media work within the context of the Year of Science

The BMBF and its South African partner ministry (the Department of Science and Technology) are going to participate in a selection meeting, deciding on the basis of the evaluation which projects will be funded. The applicants will be informed of the decision in a timely fashion. The full-length application must be submitted within 4-8 weeks after they are requested.

In the second step of the procedure, the applicants whose draft proposals received a positive assessment will be asked to submit a formal funding application, if necessary working together with the the designated project coordinator. A decision will be reached on this funding application following the final review. The formal funding applications are to be created using the BMBF's electronic "easy" application system. Forms for funding applications, guidelines, instructions, information and supplementary provisions can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.kp.dlr.de/profi/easy/index.html or requested directly from the project management organisation.

After the application has been successfully reviewed, the IB will conclude a private-law funding contract with the selected applicants on behalf of the BMBF.

For the authorisation, payment and settlement of the funding as well as for verification and the examination of the use and, if applicable, the necessary termination of the funding contract and the reclaim of the granted funding, the administrative regulations under section 44 of the German Federal Budget Code (BHO) apply.

7. Coming into effect

This announcement comes into effect on the date of publication in the German Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger).

Bonn, 23 January 2012

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
On behalf of

P e t e r W e b e r s


*In accordance with the EU’s definition of SMEs: The category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is made up of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 employees and which have an annual turnover not exceeding € 50 million, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding € 43 million. Within this category the following definitions apply: small enterprises are defined as enterprises which employ fewer than 50 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed € 10 million. A micro-enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 10 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed € 2 million. In general, most SMEs are autonomous since they are either completely independent or have one or more minority partnerships (each less than 25 %) with other enterprises, which have one or more minority stakes (see 2.3.1, p. 16). If that holding rises to no more than 50%, the relationship is deemed to be between partner enterprises (see 2.3.2, p.20). Above that ceiling, the enterprises are linked (see 2.3.3, p.23).
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/sme_definition/sme_user_guide_de.pdf and http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/facts-figures-analysis/sme-definition/index_en.htm