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Call for Proposals: Academies' Programme

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The Academies' Programme the joint research program of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities. It is dedicated to long-term basic research in the humanities and in the historical disciplines of law, economics, and the social sciences. Research questions and materials at the intersection of these fields and the natural sciences may also be addressed within the framework of the Academies’ Program. The central mission of the Academies’ Program is to document, preserve, and study cultural traditions of outstanding academic and societal relevance.

The funded projects are scientifically overseen by one or more academies; they may be carried out in close cooperation—including, where appropriate, on an international basis—with other academies, universities, and non-university research institutions.

The Academies' Programme approximately 82 million euros in annual funding as part of the joint research funding initiative of the federal and state governments. These funds are currently used to finance 130 projects at 198 research institutions. 

Researchers who have earned a doctoral degree and are affiliated with an institution in Germany may apply (as individual applicants or together with one or more co-applicants) to one of the listed academies with a research proposal. The proposal must Academies' Programme the following requirements and criteria for applications to Academies' Programme in terms of focus, scope, and duration.

  • The project must be of supraregional significance and serve the national interest in science policy.
  • Applications are limited to projects in the scientific fields mentioned at the beginning.
  • The project must demonstrate high disciplinary or interdisciplinary relevance.
  • It must take into account the current state of research in terms of both subject matter and methodology and demonstrate potential for scientific innovation.
  • The project must be a modular, long-term initiative (lasting at least 12 and no more than 25 years) that can be completed within its planned total duration. Ongoing projects are not eligible for funding.
  • The annual funding amount is at least 120,000 euros.
  • Opportunities for further professional development must be ensured for research staff, particularly in the early stages of their careers.
  • The incorporation of the digital humanities and the development of a corresponding concept are prerequisites.
  • Only projects that cannot be more appropriately carried out by a university, another research institution, or another organization will be accepted.

The application process takes place in two stages within a two-year review and selection cycle. First, a preliminary application must be submitted to the selected academy. The academy reviews the preliminary application and assesses whether it can provide academic and organizational support.

The preliminary application must include the following information:

  • Names, professional and institutional affiliations of the applicants,
  • Title, field of study, and specific research focus of the project,
  • intended duration, as well as equipment and staffing,
  • Brief description of the research topic (including, if applicable, a description of the collection to be cataloged) and research methodology
    , including initial ideas for a digital humanities concept,
  • The applicants’ résumés, including a list of publications (no more than one DIN A4 page per person) and information on
    ongoing externally funded projects.

The length of the application is limited to five to a maximum of 10 pages. For applications submitted jointly by several academies, seven to a maximum of 10 pages are permitted. (Font: Arial 11 pt., 1.2-line spacing). Any formal requirements should also be clarified with the respective academies, if necessary.

Preliminary applications may be submitted to one of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities by January 31, 2027. Applications that promote diversity within the scientific community and its workforce are expressly encouraged. Applicants acknowledge that their data will be used and stored for specific purposes during the application process. In this context, please Union (of the Academies) to the relevant data processing notices of the academies and the Union (of the Academies) .

Researchers planning a project that meets the specified requirements are asked to submit their project idea in the form of a preliminary proposal to one of the German academies of sciences participating in the program. Applicants are encouraged to schedule a consultation with the academy of their choice before submitting the preliminary proposal.

The Academy asks the applicants whose preliminary proposals have been shortlisted to submit a full proposal. For inter-academy proposals, one academy assumes the lead role. The proposals will be evaluated by national and international expert reviewers and, if approved, will be presented to the Scientific Commission of Union (of the Academies) spring of 2028. If approved, the Academy will assume responsibility for the project at the start of funding on January 1, 2029, and will oversee it through a project oversight committee.

The full application must meet the following criteria:

  • Names of applicants, along with their academic degrees, positions, and dates of birth; name of the research institution; college/department/institute; address; phone number; email address;
  • Exact name of the project (max. two lines) and short title,
  • Field of study and specific area of academic research,
  • Summary of the project and the research objective (max. 1 page),
  • Information on the current state of research and our own preliminary work,
  • Description of the methodology and research objectives,
  • Information on the total duration and modular structure of the project. The modules must be self-contained in terms of both content and duration.
  • Information on work, time, and financial planning, particularly regarding the number and level of the planned positions and the amount of material resources required,
  • Submission of a digital humanities proposal and a preliminary draft of a data management plan that specifically addresses long-term digital archiving and the availability and reusability of digital research data,
  • Brief description of the affiliation with a university or a non-university research institute,
  • Information about other partners,
  • Information on professional development opportunities for early-career researchers, as well as on a long-term professional development plan for employees,
  • if applicable, information on the involvement of faculty and staff in university teaching, details on science communication,
  • A statement indicating whether an application has already been submitted or is being submitted to another academy, and whether funding for the project has been or is being sought from other sources.

A separate information sheet Academies' Programme on the scope and formal requirements for new applications to Academies' Programme ( see the Downloads section).

For researchers Academies' Programme in submitting a proposal to Academies' Programme , the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities is offering Academy of Sciences and Humanities general information sessions (online):

  • Friday, November 6, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. 
  • Thursday, November 26, 2026, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. 

The link will be posted on the website this fall. Registration for the event is not required.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a personalized consultation, please contact Dr. Dieta Svoboda-Baas.

Call for Proposals from Union (of the Academies) the Academies' Programme

Information Sheet on the 2029 Call for Proposals

Call for Proposals: Academies Program 2029 (English)

Information Bulletin 2029 (English)

 

About Projects in Academies' Programme