Funding for interdisciplinary research symposia

Submit your ideas now!

To further develop our research profile in the context of the university's overall strategy, we would like to invite you to submit applications for scientific symposia by November 30 2024. Under the strategic research goals Understanding Energy, Information, and Life, Creating Knowledge in a Changing World and Building a Sustainable Future, the university aims to promote cooperative and interdisciplinary research areas and to address socially relevant research questions. The symposia advertised are intended to serve as interdisciplinary meeting spaces in which dialogs are facilitated across all academic career stages and new research questions are developed. They also serve as preparation for cooperative research activities in line with the university's application to Potentiale strategisch entfalten, which is currently being assessed as part of zukunft.niedersachsen.

Funding

Three symposia - ideally one for each research objective - are to take place in the second half of 2025 and can be funded with a budget of up to €15,000 each. The funds can be used for travel and accommodation costs for external guests, ancillary conference costs (e.g. posters), temporary personnel support, as well as hospitality costs within the framework of the University of Göttingen's hospitality guidelines.

In addition, the Public Relations Department is available to assist you with the organization of the symposia if required.

Eligible applicants

Applications can be submitted by professors and scientists in early career phases who work at the University of Göttingen, the University Medical Center or the Göttingen Campus.

Application procedure

Please submit your application to the Department of Research and Transfer at forschung@zvw.uni-goettingen.de by November 30 2024. The application should be informal (max. 3 pages; in German or English) and include the lead person(s), any other persons or institutions involved, the aim and content of the symposium, a proposed timetable, as well as the justification and amount of funding requested.

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact Dr. Elisabeth Michelbach or Dr. Katrin Fehl at forschung@zvw.uni-goettingen.de. We will be happy to help you!

Objectives and selection

The decisive factors are the internationally competitive potential of the idea, the strengthening of existing core topics or the development of new interdisciplinary research areas at the university and the relevance for the further development of strategic research goals as well as addressing societal challenges. Preference will be given to applications that have the potential to be the starting point for new, internationally compatible research networks and contribute to the acquisition of third-party funding (at national or EU level). In addition, the involvement of scientists from different faculties, the Göttingen Campus or international partner universities in a joint application will be positively evaluated in the selection process.

The symposia will be selected by the Research Commission of the Senate and by the Presidential Board at the beginning of 2025.

We look forward to receiving your applications!