100 new research projects will be funded under the Australia-Germany Joint Research Cooperation Scheme in 2016 and 2017, with the full list of successful applicants out today.
The combined investment by Australian universities and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is $3.479 million. For the first time, researchers from all Australian universities were eligible to apply for funding to work alongside their counterparts in German research institutions.
Highlighting the scale of interest from Australia, the number of applications from Australian researchers this year – 380 submissions – was the highest from any country since the scheme began.
The grants announcement comes just days after the recommendations of the Australia-Germany Advisory Group were presented to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The group’s report recommended forging closer ties between the two nations in science, innovation, academic exchange and research collaboration, noting Australia’s strengths in basic research and Germany’s strengths in research commercialisation.
Universities Australia Chief Executive Belinda Robinson said new collaborations between small research teams could become a springboard for future large-scale research partnerships.
“This is another milestone in our growing partnership with Europe’s largest national economy, internationally renowned as a research and innovation powerhouse,” she said.
“There is enormous scope for both nations to build our future prosperity through partnerships forged in joint programs like this one.”
The DAAD is the largest funding organisation in the world supporting the international exchange of students and scholars. Since its foundation in 1925, it has provided funding for more than 1.9 million scholars in Germany and abroad.
The 100 projects range from research into preventing the radicalisation of Muslim youth, exercise slowing the progression of dementia, and identifying financial market contagion in real time.
The Australia-Germany Joint Research Cooperation Scheme is open to all Australian researchers at participating universities and has a specific focus on early career researchers. One third of the selection criteria is based on including early career researchers on the project.
Each project team receives up to AUD $25,000 for travel and living expenses to support their research work in Germany.
Another round of applications will be opened in early April 2016. Find more information here.
Universities Australia plays a vital role for its member universities and Australia’s higher education sector by building such partnerships with university sectors in other countries.
