German-African Cooperation Programme in the Mathematical Sciences – DFG Launches Joint Call with AIMS

Call offers support for early career researchers in the mathematical sciences who wish to initiate a joint project between Germany and Africa.

In collaboration with the African Institutes for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG – German Research Foundation) offers support for the initiation of international research collaboration between early career researchers in the mathematical sciences from African countries and Germany.

The aim of the call is to familiarise and connect the wider research communities in the mathematical sciences in Africa and Germany and support their internationalisation. It offers opportunities for participating researchers to identify joint research interests and initiate specific joint project ideas.

The programme offers funding for visits of German researchers to one of the five AIMS Centres in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal or South Africa, as well as for African researchers to visit their partners in Germany. In justified cases, funding of scientific workshops may be granted as well.

DFG funding is requested by researchers from Germany. Researchers from African countries act as cooperation partners and can receive DFG funding through their German cooperation partners.

Eligible to apply for the programme are researchers who have obtained their doctorates and who are working in the German research system. Researchers at non-university research institutions must fulfil their Duty to Cooperate with university partners in Germany in order to receive DFG funding. Applicants may apply either to undertake a cooperation visit to an AIMS centre themselves or for a fellow from Africa to visit the applicant’s institution.

Fellows from Africa visiting a host institution in Germany must have obtained their doctorate, be on track to defend their thesis or show proof of research activity. Candidates must have published at least one scientific article in a peer-reviewed journal listed on Math-SciNet or zbMath. They also require a letter of support from an AIMS centre.

DFG offers support as part of its regular funding programme ‘Initiation of International Collaboration’.

The programme consists of two modules:

  • Trips abroad to one of the five AIMS centres undertaken by researchers in the German research system (up to three months).
  • Guest visits to Germany undertaken by researchers in early career phases from African countries (up to three months)

The funding remains available for a maximum of 12 months after the approval date. The individual collaborative measures must be carried out within this time frame.

The application deadline is 31 October 2023.

(This report was the subject of a RESEARCHconnect Newsflash.)