Post on 20-May-2015
The German Excellence Initiative
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
The DFG
The DFG
► serves all branches of science and the humanities by funding research projects and facilitating cooperation among researchers
► supports the education and advancement of young scientific researchers
► promotes equality between men and women
► advises parliaments and public authorities on scientific matters
► fosters relations between research and the private sector and between scientists and academics at home and abroad
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Germany’s largest research funding organisation
The German Excellence Initiative
The Excellence Initiative
► promotes top-level research in Germany
► was launched in 2005 (total budget: € 1.9 million)
► received renewal approval in 2009 (Second Phase from 2012 – 2017; total budget: € 2.7 million)
► is coordinated by the DFG and the German Council of Science and Humanities
► is financed jointly by the German federal government (75%) and the states (25%)
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
The German Excellence Initiative
The Excellence Initiative aims to
► strengthen German universities and departments
► enhance Germany’s attraction as a research location
► Increase Germany’s international competitiveness and visibility in all fields of science and the humanities
► Establish centres of excellence and raise the overall quality of German universities
Three funding lines
► 39 Graduate Schools (Highest level research training)
► 37 Clusters of Excellence (Centres of excellence in research)
► 9 Institutional Strategies (Increase international competitive ability of the entire university)
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
Approx. 4,000 new positions were created
► EXC and GSC:
~ 2,200 doctoral positions
~ 660 positions for postdocs
~ 70 junior professorships
~ 110 senior professorships
► Institutional Strategies:
~ 850 positions for early career researchers
(doctoral level to group leader)
~ 145 junior & senior professorships[February 2009]
Impacts of the Excellence Initiative (First Phase)
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Three Funding Lines: GSC, EXC, ISEvaluation and Decision-Making Process 2
GSCESC
Submission of Full Proposals Initial & Renewal Proposals
Sept. 1st, 2011
37 Panels1st and 2nd Line
63 GSC & 64 EXC
Evaluation Groups16 Site Visits
3rd Line: Institutional Strategies
Excellence Initiative Grant Committee
EvaluationNov. 11 – March 12
Preparation of the Selection
Recommendations for all 3 Funding Lines
Decision
Announcement of the Decision, June 15, 2012
Expert Commission Strategic Commission
Joint Commission
IS
DFG
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Excelencia Internacional / CEI
Spain
Investissements d´Avenir
France
The Center of Excellence (CoE) program
Denmark
Further Excellence Initiatives in Europe and Israel
Israeli Centers of Research Excellence (I-CORE)Israel
What are the DFG’s objectives in funding top young talent?
► From all scientific disciplines are supported
► From Germany are retained and that those from abroad
are attracted
► Have the freedom they require to perform excellent research
► Are supported by first-class research environments
► Are equipped with the necessary resources for their projects
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
The DFG’s promotion of young researchers aims to ensure that outstanding scientists
What are the DFG’s objectives in funding top young talent?To offer researchers appropriate funding options at each career stage
Studies Doctorate Postdoc PeriodAchievement of eligibility for tenure
Preparation for scientific mgmt position
Professorshipor other scientific mgmt position
Emmy NoetherProgramme
Heisenbergprofessorship
Heisenbergfellowship
Research Training Group fellowship
Research fellowship(abroad)
Research fellowship(abroad)
Research fellowship(abroad)
Research in a Research Training Group
Research Training Group position
Temp. principal investigator position (Germany)
Temp. principal investigator position (Germany)
Temp. principal investigator position (Germany)
Student assistantin DFG project
Position in DFG project
Position in DFG project
Position in DFG project
Position in DFG project
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
For more information► on the initiative’s projects: www.excellence-initiative.com► on the DFG: www.dfg.de► on DFG-funded projects: www.dfg.de/gepris/► on over 17,000 German research institutes: www.dfg.de/rex
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
Destination Europe Conference / Matthias Kleiner
Cambridge, Massachusetts, January 20, 2012
Aachen TH: Integrative ProductionTechnology for High-Wage Countries► researching the conditions for the
successful production in high-wage countries
► building on the existing technology roadmap, incorporating business and industry cases with partner companies
Bonn U: Mathematics: Foundations, Models, Applications► series of thematic priorities, multidisciplinarity► cooperation of international visiting professors with colleagues in Bonn e.g.:
G. Faltings (Fields-Medal), R. Selten (Nobel prize economics)
Konstanz U: Cultural Foundations of Social Integration► social integration and disintegration on all social strata► the cluster offers scholarly exchange on a cross-disciplinary basis
Dresden TU: From Cells toTissues to Therapies► research on human stem
cells for controlled regeneration
► develop new therapies in the fight against Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and Parkinson’s
Dresden TUAachen TH
Bonn U
Konstanz U
The German Excellence InitiativeClusters of Excellence – 4 Examples