To coincide with the ‘Fourth Day of Rhine-Main Universities’ on 24 October 2022, which under the motto ‘RMU – The Future Is Ours. Networking Career Paths’ places the focus on scientists in their early career phase and the so-called academic mid-level faculty, RMU announced a new funding line of the RMU Initiative Funding for Research that exclusively addresses this target group. This funding is designed to support the establishment of academic networks of post-doctoral researchers, before they become established academics, for instance, in the context of a lifetime professorship, and is directed towards achieving a concrete common collaboration goal. This goal could be applications for third-party funding, joint publications or joint activities in science communication. At least two of the three universities in the alliance must be significantly involved, one of them in a leading role.

Early career researchers (from R2 to R3) who are employed by the RMU universities at the time of application and throughout the duration of the project are eligible to apply. Funding of between EUR 10,000 and EUR 30,000 max. per project can be applied for and is designed to promote networking between the academics across all participating locations. The maximum funding period in the case of approval is two years.

There are two deadlines for applications: 15 March and 15 September. Applications must be submitted online to: koordination@rhein-main-unis.de. For more detailed information, please refer to the ‘Call for proposals’.