[CALL] FWF - Special Research Programmes (SFB)

30.09.2022

Deadline: 30 Sep 2022, 13:00 (concept proposal)

For building up a bigger research network for complex research topics.

The well-established SFB programme supports researchers in Austria in the development of extremely productive, closely interconnected research establishments for long-term and multi-/interdisciplinary work on complex research topics. You can find the new SFB guidelines on the FWF homepage.

2-step procedure

     

  • Submission deadline draft proposals: 30 September 2022 (the possibility to submit via elane ends at 2:00 pm Vienna local time)
  • Decision draft proposals: March 2023
  • Decision full proposals: November 2023

Target group

  • A core group of five to fifteen internationally outstanding researchers from all scientific/scholarly disciplines1, in particular from the humanities, social sciences and cultural sciences, form a special research programme at an Austrian research institution.
  • Participation in a special research programme is possible in addition to the currently applicable project number restriction of three FWF projects. Each researcher may only participate in a maximum of two SFBs, including participation in an SFB funded by the DFG in Germany. If a researcher is already involved in two SFB projects (in Austria or Germany) as a subproject leader, no further participation in an SFB draft proposal is possible. This applies to both the application and implementation phases of a project.
  • Researchers working abroad who have an additional 25% affiliation with an Austrian research institution can participate in a special research programme2.
  • One researcher acts as coordinator (former spokesperson) of the special reseach programme.
  • The formal application is submitted by the Austrian research institution; all Austrian research institutions are eligible; there is no limit to the number of applications that can be submitted by a research institution. A research institution can thus submit several applications.


Goals

  • Establishment of research networks based on international standards through autonomous research concentration at a single university location
  • Building up of extremely productive, tightly interconnected research establishments for long-term and multi-/interdisciplinary3 work on complex research topics


Requirements

  • already available research potential
  • The nucleus of researchers involved in the application must be sufficiently large and well qualified to be able to establish and run a research program of international standing within the scientific /scholarly profile of the participating research institution(s); a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15 project part leaders (including the coordinator of the project); target quote of 30 % female researchers requested4; at least 50% of the project part leaders have to be located at a single university location5; commitment of all universities and research institutions participating


Length
8 years, an interim review after 4 years decides on continuation

Level
Benchmark 1,000,000 € per year

Applications
via the FWF’s electronic application portal

  • Approval via the lead research organisation by 30 September 2022; the possibility to submit via elane ends at 2:00 pm (Vienna local time)
  • in English
  • Application guidelines (English version) will be available on April 1, 2022


Allocation
once a year in the last board meeting by the FWF Board based on an international review process