[Call for Proposal]

ROK-GER Cooperation Programs(DFG, DAAD) 2025

The National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF), upon the agreements with its international partners, announces the call for the “ROK-GER Cooperation Program(DFG, DAAD) 2025”.

February, 2025

Hong, Won-hwa

President

National Research Foundation of Korea

[NOTE]

The maximum number* of national research and development(R&D) projects that a researcher may perform simultaneously is inapplicable to this program.

* S&T(3 projects as PI, 5 project as Co-I) / Humanities and social science(1 project as PI, 3 project as Co-I)

1.	Program Overview

1.1. Objectives

Program Title	Objective
Korea-Germany R&D Network Program	To strengthen R&D collaboration network and develop future-oriented joint research projects by supporting workshops and promoting research visits of Korean and German researchers
Korea-Germany Partnership Program(GEnKO)	To expand partnerships through mid/long-term academic exchanges between Korea and Germany
Korea-Germany Summer Institute Program	To provide Korean and German graduate students with opportunities to enhance their research experience and capacity by conducting oversea’s research visits during summer vacation

1.2. Features

- Program Type : Researcher/Student Exchange and Workshops/Seminars Organization

- Eligible Fields : All academic fields

【Korea-Germany R&D Network Program Outline】

Agency	Grants			Commencement	No. of Projects
	Funding (KRW/Year)		Period
DFG	Workshop/Seminar	20,000,000	1 year	March 1st 2026	15

※ Funding is exclusively for supporting workshops/seminars and research visits.

【Korea-Germany Partnership Program (GEnKO) Outline】

Agency	Participating Country	Grants		Commencement	No. of Projects
		Funding (KRW/Year)	Period
DAAD	Korea-Germany	20,000,000	1 ~ 3 years	March 1st 2026	4
	Korea-Germany-Japan	30,000,000

※ The partnership of this program may be: either Korea-Germany or  Korea-Germany-Japan. The amount of grant for the 2nd and 3rd year is limited to 50% of the first year funding.

<NOTES>

1. Details of each program are subject to change based on the agreement among partner organizations.

2.  The funding above is for Korean researchers applying to the NRF. Partner researchers are encouraged to check their respective partner agencies for their funding.

3. Funding grants include indirect expenses (less than 5% of direct expenses).

4. The program is aimed at building the network and base for research exchange activities, rather than conducting research itself. Thus, expenses of personnel, research equipment and materials should not be counted.

5. The names of partner organizations and researchers should be stated in application form (in English).

6. An applicant should find and identify the most relevant research area code from ‘Research Area Classification Table’(enclosed, Excel).

7. A due date for submission may vary depending on partner organization so the applicant is encouraged to check the period of submission and its results with his/her respective partner organizations.

※ ONLY jointly (simultaneously) submitted proposals to NRF and DFG/DAAD are subject to evaluation.

【Korea and Germany Summer Institute Program】

Agency	Grants**			Commencement	No. of Projects
	Funding (KRW/Year)		Period*
DAAD	Dispatched	Airfare (funded by NRF)	2 months	July ~ August 2025	Sending : 7 / Receiving : 7
	Invited	Living Expense (funded by DAAD)

* Period : This program will begin from July 1, 2025, and end at August 31, 2025 (2 months).

** Grants Details

① Airfare (by NRF) : To the nearest airport at a university/institute to visit (Economy Class)

※ Domestic airfare is not included in funding.

② Living Expenses (by DAAD) : About 2,000€ per project

※ 1,000,000 won will be supported to Korean host researcher(per person).

2. Application Guidelines

2.1. Eligibility

[R&D Network Program/ GEnKO]

- Researchers at universities/institutes eligible under Article 2 of the Academic Promotion Act

※ Partner researchers should meet qualifications by their respective agencies

- Researchers who are NOT restricted under the followings:

① A researcher who has already participated in more than one research under Korea-Germany Cooperation Programs.

② A researcher, as of the commencement date, who is currently participating or intends to participate as PI in other NRF funded international cooperation programs*

※ Short-term research exchange (international symposium/seminar/airfare funding) programs are NOT included.

※ For the project with extended period, only originally contracted period is considered

③ A researcher under restriction of participation in national R&D project (participation can be allowed only if his/her restriction ends before the last day of submission).

④ A researcher funded by the NRF, and has not yet submitted the final report on the respective projects within due date.

➄ A researcher who intends to submit the same research already funded by either the NRF or other funding agencies.

* NRF International Cooperation Programs

NRF-NSFC Joint Research, NRF-JSPS Joint Research, NRF-NSFC Key Joint Research, A3 Foresight Program, ROK-GER Cooperation Program (DFG,DAAD), NRF-STINT Cooperation Program, ROK-US Cooperation Program in Humanities, Research Exchange (Bilateral/unilateral), NRF-IIASA Cooperation Program, NRF-CSTEC Young Researcher Exchange Program

[Summer Institute Program]

- A Korean aged 19 or older and a Master's or Doctorate student at a domestic university who can apply for a project in the name of the head of the affiliated university.

- As of the deadline for application, a person who is attending a university in the third semester of Master's/Doctor's degree or integrated Master/Ph.D degree in Korea.

※ Applications are available after completing at least two semesters.

※ Students on leave and graduates cannot apply.

2.2. How to Apply

- Application Period

Program Title	Schedule
	Application	Deadline
Korea and Germany R&D Network Program	March 14	April 16 18:00 KST
Korea and Germany Partnership Program(GEnKO)	April 2	June 11 18:00 KST
Korea and Germany Summer Institute Program	March 21	April 21 18:00 KST

- Application Procedures

Register/update personal information on KRI*	→	Apply via IRIS system*	→	Organization Approval
* Korea Researcher Information (www.kri.go.kr / +82 (0)42-869-7744)		* http://iris.go.kr

<NOTES>

1.  PI application and organization approval should all be done within application period. Application without approval from organization is not accepted

2.  The above schedule is for those applying to the NRF. Partner PIs are encouraged to check application schedules from their respective agencies.

※ R&D Network Program / GEnKO : ONLY simultaneously submitted proposals are subject to evaluation.

3.  In case of Summer Institute Program, those who are disqualified from overseas travel cannot apply.

4. In electronic application, seal or stamp from researcher and lead organization is not required.

2.3. Requirements  ※ Forms for each requirement is enclosed

Program Name	R&D Network Program	Partnership Program(GEnKO)
Proposal (Korean)	○	○
Proposal (English)	International Researchers	International Researchers
Applicant’s Qualification Confirmation	○	○
Personal Information Collection and Use Consent Form	○	○
Letter of Collaboration between PIs	○	○

[Summer Institute Program]

① Training Plan (Korean/English) ② Applicant’s Qualification Confirmation ③ Personal Information Collection/Use Consent Form ④ Recommendation Letter of Korean Supervisor(Korean, signed PDF file)/ Invitation Letter of German Supervisor(English, signed PDF file) ⑤ Certificate of Enrolment or Completion Certificate of Master/Ph.D. ⑥ Transcripts of German or English Language Proficiency (limited to holders)

3. Evaluation and Selection Procedures

3.1. Evaluation Procedures

□ Eligibility Check	→	□ Peer Review	→	□ Final Selection
Screening Qualifications		Evaluation of Projects		Consultation and Selection
NRF		NRF(external reviewers)		NRF↔Partner Agencies

※ Each Procedure except for the final selection is conducted according to the protocols of each agency.

3.2. Criteria(R&D Network Program / GEnKO)

Criteria	Evaluation Indicators	Score
Research Plan (40)	Creativity and necessity of research project - Validity, feasibility and innovation of research objectives	10
	Fidelity of plans and adequacy of implementation system - Previously conducted exchange activities, and basis for cooperation - Validity and concreteness of exchange(technical/personnel) plans - Distribution of workload between partners, and validity of plans	20
	Budget allocation adequacy	10
Research Capability (30)	Capability and research performance of a Principal Investigator	15
	Capability and research performance of a partner researcher/institute	15
Research Impact (30)	Expected effects of research result and utilization plans - Contribution to globalization (establishment of network, strengthening cooperation, etc.)	10
	Possibility of further development to domestic/international cooperation - Development to joint research group via research exchange with partners	20
Total		100

※ Summer Institute Program will be examined based on the different evaluation criteria.

3.3 Selection

- Selection is finalized through consultation among funding agencies

- As stated in [Management Guideline for International Cooperation Program], a project with a score of less than 60 is excluded from the final selection

- Agencies may not select any projects if they are under-qualified for funding

4. Project Management

4.1. Submission of Reports ※ Forms and other details(how to submit, lengths etc.) will be provided by the NRF

- Mid-term report : Must be submitted to the NRF within one month after the end of the current year

- Final report : Must be submitted to the NRF within one month after the end of project

※ Mid-term and final evaluation shall be implemented according to [Management Guideline for International Cooperation Program]

4.2. Management of Research Fund

- Provision : The NRF provides contracted fund to a lead institute after concluding contract.

- Management  A lead institute is responsible for management of research funds.

- Use of Fund : Fund should be used according to the proposal for contract and [Management Guideline for International Cooperation Program]

※ Must use Research Credit Card and be managed through EZbaro System

- Financial Report (adjustment) : Should be reported via Ezbaro system within 3 months after the end of current research year

※ For multi-year contract, balance may be carried in the same category

※ Summer Institute Program is not subject to the submission of the financial report.

4.3. Research Outcome and Acknowledgement

- A lead institute (or PI) should register/upload research outcomes to NRF e-R&D system for five years after the end of the project. The NRF may request a lead institute(or PI) to submit research outcome in hard copy

- In any research outcome (thesis, journal, etc.) acknowledgement should be stipulated

< Acknowledgement >

- (KOR) 이 논문(저서)은 20**년도 한국연구재단의 국제협력사업의 지원을 받아 연구되었음(Project No.)

- (ENG) This work was supported under the framework of international cooperation program managed by the National Research Foundation of Korea(Project No., FY20**)

- Other details shall conform to the [Management Guideline for International Cooperation Program]

5. Schedules

Program Title		R&D Network Program	Partnership Program (GEnKO)	Summer Institute Program
Application	Start	March 14 09:00 KST	April 2 09:00 KST	March 21 09:00 KST
	End	April 16 18:00 KST	June 11 18:00 KST	April 21 18:00 KST
Eligibility Check & Exchange the List		May	Late June	Late April
Evaluation		July ~ October	July ~ October	Early May
Consultation		November	November	Mid May
Selection & Contract		January, 2026	January, 2026	Late May
Commencement		March 1st 2026	March 1st 2026	July ~ August 2025

※ Schedules may change upon the agreement between NRF and DFG/DAAD.

6. Contact Point

Country	Organization		Name	Contact
				E-mail	Tel.
Korea	NRF		Dr. Jong-Deok Kim Principle Researcher/ Education Director	jdkim@nrf.re.kr	+82 (0)2-3460-5631
Germany	DFG		Mr. Wagner Raoul Program Officer	raoul.wagner@dfg.de	+49 (228) 885-2217
	DAAD	GEnKO	Ms. Doris Bretz Program Manager	bretz@daad.de	+49 (228) 882-522
		Summer Institute Program	Mr. Simon Schumacher Scholarship Programs	s.schumacher@daad.de	+49 (228) 882-366