German Research Foundation

About DFG

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), also known as the German Research Foundation, holds a pivotal role as an autonomous research funding organization in Germany. It is instrumental in advancing research in both the sciences and humanities by facilitating and financing high-quality projects at universities and non-university research institutions. The DFG primarily concentrates on funding research initiatives that originate from the academic community itself, with a strong emphasis on knowledge-driven research. Furthermore, the DFG administers competitive opportunities, assesses research proposals, and influences the standards and conditions for academic research in Germany. It also engages in dialogues with various sectors, including society, politics, and business, while providing support for knowledge transfer and advising state institutions and public interest organizations on research-related matters.

The DFG places a special emphasis on nurturing international collaborations, supporting early career researchers, and promoting gender equality and diversity in the fields of science and humanities. It actively encourages international cooperation across its funding programs and maintains connections with numerous foreign partner organizations to facilitate transnational research collaboration. As an independent funding organization, the DFG plays a strategic role in shaping international research policies and is involved in various scientific and science policy bodies at both European and global levels.

 

INSF – DFG Collaboration

In 2016, the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and the DFG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commence collaboration in all areas of basic research in science and humanities. Activities stipulated in this collaboration include joint research projects, joint events, such as scientific workshops, and the exchange of scientists and information.

Within this collaboration, INSF and DFG jointly accept proposals through a Standing Open Procedure. Under this mechanism, scientists in Iran and Germany can submit their jointly prepared proposals throughout the year and in all areas of science and humanities.

 

Proposal Submission Process

The process comprises the following steps:

  1. Researchers based in Iran and Germany collaborate on a joint proposal. The division of tasks between the research teams in Iran and Germany and the funding requested by each side from the relevant funding organization, i.e., INSF and DFG, must be specified. The primary investigator in Iran must be a faculty member at one of the universities or research centers in Iran.
  2. The joint proposal should initially be submitted by the researcher based in Germany to DFG.
  3. DFG officially notifies INSF of the proposal's receipt.
  4. The researcher based in Iran can then submit their joint proposal to INSF.
  5. Scientific peer review of the proposal is conducted in parallel at INSF and DFG. Only those proposals that receive positive reviews on both sides will be eligible for joint funding.

 

Further Information