DFG-UKRI/EPSRC British-German Basic Research Projects in the Engineering and Physical Sciences

Funding is available for bilateral collaborative research projects involving researchers from the UK and Germany, in engineering and physical sciences.

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG – German Research Foundation) is a self-governing organisation for the promotion of science and research in Germany and serves all branches of science and the humanities. It is almost entirely financed by the Federal Government and by the Federal states.

In line with its activities in the interest of research, the DFG maintains partnerships and relations with a large number of partner organisations on all continents, including the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

As part of their collaboration, DFG and EPSRC are now inviting research proposals for joint UK-German research proposals through a Lead Agency Procedure. This means that a single main proposal is submitted to one of the two funding organisations which conducts a single external review process. Decisions are taken separately by both funding organisations and funding will be granted to projects which are successful on both sides.

The opportunity is open to all themes within EPSRC and all corresponding subject areas of the DFG, covering chemistry, physics, mathematics and engineering (with the exception of Particles, Nuclei and Fields and Astrophysics and Astronomy).

EPSRC supports high quality research in:

• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Digital security and resilience
• Energy and decarbonisation
• Engineering
• Healthcare technologies
• Information and communication technologies (ICT)
• Manufacturing and circular economy
• Mathematical sciences
• Physical sciences and advanced materials
• Quantum technologies

There are no separate funds available for this joint initiative. These opportunities follow the general funding lines and budget processes of EPSRC and DFG.