Funding and Collaboration - Research in Bavaria

Collaboration is one of the primary drivers of high-quality research in Bavaria. Researchers here are highly sought after as collaborative partners, given their broad networks and their excellent track-record. This opens up many opportunities to young researchers.

International Collaboration

In order to master today's scientific challenges, researchers in Bavaria work closely with colleagues and research institutions all over the world. Thanks to these top-class networks, Bavaria is one of the frontrunners when it comes to attracting third-party funding: As part of the EU research and innovation funding program, Bavaria is currently the leading federal state in the acquisition of Horizon Europe funding - making Bavarian universities among the most successful institutions in Germany.

The universities themselves support international collaborations by offering advice services for third party funding as well as their strategic networks. PhD candidates for their part profit e.g. from international training programs and other collaborative formats.

Bavarian International University Centers

BaCaTeC supports the cooperation between high tech researchers in Bavaria and California. Therefore, the center provides mobility grants for research institutions and companies as well as grants for summer schools.

BayCHINA has been set up in order to promote, develop and sponsor academic projects as well as research collaborations with China. Thanks to its liaison office in Beijing, BayCHINA established itself as a valuable point of contact.

BayFrance offers advice to scientists and universities as well as mobility grants for PhDs, Post-Docs and Professors and supports research exchanges between France and Bavaria.

BAYHOST provides mobility grants for young researchers and supports research collaborations between the Free State of Bavaria and its partner countries in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

From its two locations in Hof and in Bangalore, BayIND informs PhD students, post-doc researchers & faculty members on the vast opportunities available in the Bavarian research landscape.

BAYLAT promotes the networking of Bavarian and Latin American institutions and scientists, advises on searching and establishing research cooperation and offers funding programs for (young) scientists.

Collaborative Structures among Universities

International, national, and Bavarian funding organizations promote collaborative research at universities in different formats. These specially funded programs offer a variety of development opportunities aimed at researchers of all career levels, such as paid positions for PhD candidates, junior group leader positions, and positions within research training groups.

Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) and Formats Funded by DFG

Collaborative Research Centers

Collaborative Research Centers (Sonderforschungsbereiche, SFB) have played a fundamental role in the German research community for over 50 years. The format has been established by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the self-governing organization for science and research in Germany. The centers carry out complex, demanding, innovative research. They can secure funding by DFG for up to 12 years.

The centers have an interdisciplinary focus and are usually home to multiple projects, each one focusing on a different aspect around one main topic. Some centers are located at a single university, while others are situated at a number of different research institutions across Germany (so-called CRC/Transregios) and also count non-university research institutes among their partners.

Research Units and (International) Research Training Groups

Similar collaborative formats funded by DFG are the so-called Research Units (Forschungsgruppen), which often contribute to establishing new research directions at universities, and (International) Research Training Groups. These thematic graduate schools focus on the promotion of early-career researchers and can also be regarded as a form of collaborative research, sometimes offered by more than one university. Check out our structured PhD program list to find the program that best suits your research topic.

Clusters of Excellence

Germany's "Exzellenzinitiative" and its subsequent “Exzellenzstrategie” have strengthened excellence in research in recent years. Among other things, this has given rise to new types of research alliances, the so-called Clusters of Excellence. The quality standards of clusters exceed those of collaborative research centers (CRC), and, like these, are interdisciplinary in nature. A cluster of excellence may consist of up to four universities as well as a number of non-university research institutions.

The clusters receive generous funding and showcase high-quality university research. Four universities in Bavaria currently participate in six Clusters of Excellence:

Africa Multiple: Reconfiguring African Studies at the University of Bayreuth
e-conversion at LMU Munich and TUM
Origins: From the Origin of the Universe to the First Building Blocks of Life at LMU Munich and TUM
Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) at LMU Munich and TUM
SyNergy - Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology at LMU Munich and TUM
Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter: Fundamental Concepts, Materials Design, and Novel Technologies (ct.qmat), at the Universities of Würzburg and Dresden

Bavarian Research Associations

The Bavarian Ministries and the Bavarian Research Foundation (Bayerische Forschungsstiftung) foster interdisciplinary collaboration through research associations. These Bavarian Research associations come together for a number of years to work on current and trend-setting topics. They include participants from different universities, non-university research organizations and—in the case of the Bavarian Research Foundation—also companies from across Bavaria.

Bavarian Research Networks

The Bavarian Climate Research Network (Bayklif)

The network aims to strengthen climate change research efforts in Bavaria. A particular focus of Bayklif is facilitating contact between researchers, government representatives, climate-policy initiatives, and the public. To maintain open, interdisciplinary exchange between these parties, the network helps organize a range of academic events—including workshops, symposia, seminars, and educational programs. A number of junior research groups and interdisciplinary joint research projects have been established under Bayklif.

bayresq.net – New Strategies Against Multi-Resistant Pathogens by Means of Digital Networking

bayresq.net is a Bavarian-wide collaborative network involving researchers from different Bavarian universities. Its aim is to develop new strategies against multi-resistant pathogens. Through a cross-project data platform, all network members will be able to share, access, and evaluate data collected during the course of bayresq.net’s various projects. Since 2020 the network has been funding six research groups.

University Collaboration with Non-University Research Institutions

Particularly close cooperation exists between universities and non-university research institutions that are often located in the same area or even on the same campus. For example, doctoral candidates doing a joint PhD will receive training from both the university and non-university research institution where they are registered; similarly, university professors can be appointed as institute heads at research institutions.

University Collaborations with Society and Industry

Outside of academia, universities collaborate intensively with a variety of actors, including governmental and nongovernmental organizations, as well as enterprises. In fact, the success of the German economy is often attributed to this collaboration with industry partners. The exchange between universities, industry, and society continues to drive and strengthen scientific and technological development in sectors throughout Bavaria.

Knowledge and Technology Transfer Services

Alongside research and teaching, knowledge and technology transfer has become ever more important among universities worldwide. The successful transfer among science, the economy, and society is essential for social and technological progress.

Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT) Services at Bavarian Universities

All universities and some universities of applied sciences as well as some technical universities of applied sciences, offer services in knowledge and technology transfer. These services include for example advice on corporate partnerships, networking, contract design, and contract mediation as well as legal advice on patents and licensing. Possible forms of cooperation include PhD projects, engagement with experts, consulting, contract research, and multiyear research projects.

Clusters

The Cluster Initiative (website in German) is a product of the State’s efforts to promote economic development in 17 key sectors in Bavaria. Its different cluster platforms connect companies and research institutions throughout the State. They help them to jointly develop products, optimize business processes and conquer markets. All Clusters operate their own websites in English. You will find the links to these pages on each cluster's web profile.