What kind of funding is available for research collaboration between Germany and African countries? Here you will find a guide to some of the main funding opportunities in the social sciences and humanities:
The German Research Foundation, DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) is the self-governing organization for research in Germany. It serves all branches of science and the humanities in the higher education sector. The DFG promotes cooperation between scholars in Germany as well as German research collaboration internationally, and the promotion of early career academics.
An overview of DFG-funded opportunities for collaboration with scholars and institutions in Africa:
- Support for international research collaboration: The DFG funds cooperation with partners worldwide, including in Africa.
- Cooperation with developing countries: The DFG supports research projects carried out by researchers in Germany in collaboration with scholars in developing countries.
- TWAS-DFG Cooperation Visits Programme: Postdoctoral researchers from all over the world, including from Africa, can undertake a “cooperation visit” of three months to an institution in Germany.
- Program Point Sud: The Goethe University Frankfurt am Main supports the infrastructure of Point Sud, while the DFG finances up to five events per funding period. Applications can be submitted annually by academics in Germany regardless of subject or university affiliation.
- An overview of DFG-funded projects related to Africa can be found here: DFG-Funded projects related to Africa.
The German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) awards competitive, merit-based grants for use toward study and/or research in Germany at any of the accredited German institutions of higher education.
An overview of DAAD-funded opportunities for collaboration with scholars and institutions in Africa:
- Postdoctoral Fellowships in Germany: for former DAAD in-region/in-country scholarship holders from sub-Saharan Africa.
- Cooperation with universities in developing countries: DAAD offers versatile funding programs for partner universities in developing countries.
- Centres of African Excellence: Funding for African universities to establish centres of excellence, improve the quality of education they provide, and increase their research capacities.
- Leibniz-DAAD Research Fellowships offer postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to conduct research at a Leibniz Institute of their choice in Germany.
The Volkswagen Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization and has been funding research projects in all disciplines since 1962. It also offers funding for research collaboration projects in sub-Saharan Africa:
- Workshops, symposia and summer schools in Africa
- Volkswagen Stiftung Postdoctoral Fellowships for sub-Saharan Africa at the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation promotes academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from Germany and abroad through research fellowships and research awards. Scholars from abroad can work on a research project chosen with a host and collaborative partner in Germany. Scholar from Germany can carry out a research project abroad as a guest of one the Humboldt Foundation alumni.
An overview of opportunities funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation:
- Georg Forster Research Fellowship (for researchers from developing countries): postdoctoral researchers and experienced researchers, as well as the Georg Forster Research Award.
- Humboldt Research Fellowships for postdoctoral researchers and experienced researchers.
- Sofja Kovalevskaja Award for early career scholars.
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award for academics who have already gained international recognition in their fields.
- Anneliese Maier Research Award for academics from abroad in the fields of the humanities and social sciences whose scientific achievements have been internationally recognized to promote the internationalization of the humanities and social sciences in Germany.
- Humboldt Research Award for outstanding academics at the peak of their careers.
- The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship enables award winners to carry out long-term and ground-breaking research at universities and research institutions in Germany.
