*** Geflohene Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler: DFG erleichtert weiterhin Mitarbeit in Forschungsprojekten ***
Since December 2015, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) has been offering funding options for academic researchers who have fled their home countries. So far, this has primarily enabled refugee researchers in their doctoral and postdoctoral phases to be supported by integrating them in established projects. Also in 2021 the DFG encourages project leaders to employ qualified individuals with a refugee background in DFG-funded research projects at all academic career levels.
In general, refugee researchers can be supported in all DFG funding programmes using existing grant funds without the need to submit a separate funding proposal to the DFG.
In some DFG funding programmes (research grants, Priority Programmes, Research Units, Clinical Research Units, Centres for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences and Research Training Groups), it is possible to submit supplemental proposals to integrate qualified refugee researchers in existing DFG projects. Supplemental proposals can be submitted for any funding that allows relevant individuals to be integrated in a project, especially guest funding and staff funding. For the integration of established researchers, the Mercator module is an especially suitable option. This can be used to cover accommodation and travel expenses and also provide remuneration at a level which, as with guest funding, is based on academic qualifications.
Supplemental proposals can be submitted informally at any time and should not exceed five pages (not including curriculum vitae and bibliography). Proposals must contain details of the person to be integrated in the project and explain what added value their participation would contribute to the project. Applicants should ensure that the proposal is clear and detailed enough to allow prompt review in accordance with the DFG's standard quality criteria.
To integrate refugee researchers, Collaborative Research Centres are encouraged to use their approved lump-sum funding, which allows them to respond to developments flexibly, autonomously and directly. The same applies to Clusters of Excellence.
For more information please look at DFG.