What are the basic requirements for creating an SFB?

  • existing core group of researchers with a documented research background – the aim is to achieve a 30% ratio of female researchers. If this ratio is not achieved, an explanation must be given.
  • existing preliminary work and cooperations: SFB are not intended to establish new fields of research but should be based on a pre-existing research potential. The goal is to create added value through the focused funding of the coordinated research work that could not be generated by the sum of the individual efforts.
  • clear ideas on the

    • participants (principal investigators)
    • topic (inter- or multidisciplinary);
    • main focus of the project:
      a) mid-term (respective funding periods) and long-term (the entire duration) perspectives in an overview;
      b) specific description of the project parts for the first funding period.
    • structure of the network and the creation of added value through joining together to form an SFB. SFB are focused research projects with clearly defined aims; the mere breadth of a project is not sufficient.

In any case, applicants are recommended to contact the FWF for advice before developing a concept and submitting an application. Applicants are also encouraged to attend an SFB Concept – Proposers’ Day. The dates of these events can be found on the FWF calendar.

What are the basic requirements for creating a Research Group?

A team of 3-5 internationally outstanding researchers from all scholarly/scientific disciplines, in particular from the humanities, social sciences, and cultural studies, who want to work together in a research group at an Austrian research institution (at least one third of the group should be from the underrepresented gender, and the gender ratio within the team will be defined as one of the decisive criteria in the review of the project proposal). The current limit of three concurrent FWF projects does not apply for participation in a research group.

It is possible to include researchers who have a 25% employment with an Austria research institution.

The aim is to fund cooperation projects between researchers at smaller locations or in certain fields which cooperate on smaller scales to promote inter- or multidisciplinary, innovative research collaboration; the topic can be new or explore an existing one in more depth.

In any case, applicants are recommended to contact the FWF for advice before developing a concept and submitting an application. Applicants are also encouraged to attend an FG Concept – Proposers’ Day. The dates of these events can be found on the FWF calendar.

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