Ladenburg Horizons

Independent research group leaders in permanent or temporary employment at a university or a non-profit non-university research institution in Germany for the entire duration of the project are eligible to apply for funding of up to €300,000 for a joint research project. In addition to professors, junior professors and “Habilitanden” (candidates for lecturing positions), applications can also be made by persons with experience in group management, such as postdoc researchers who are at an advanced stage of their scientific careers and already lead their own research groups.

Only one application may be submitted per applicant. However, applicants may collaborate in other projects. Applications from African research institutions or from German institutions that do not conduct research themselves (e.g. associations or other such alliances) cannot be taken into consideration.

Funding is provided for projects with scientific institutions based in eastern, western, or sub-Saharan Africa. The countries Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and South Africa are not eligible to apply under this format.

Funding may be requested for a clearly defined research project with a central research question. The following are not eligible for funding:

• clinical studies,
• the mere establishment of pure research, training, or further education structures, or capacity building,
• visiting programs for African scientists at German institutions or vice versa,
• programs that serve solely to promote young researchers.

Furthermore, no projects with a duration period of less than two and a half years will be funded. Consolidation of a cooperative arrangement within the framework of the activities initiated in the project after its completion is desirable and should be addressed in the application. No further funding can be provided by the Foundation after conclusion of the funding period.

If cooperation with more than one African partner is sought, the added value for the project should be soundly justified in view of the limited budget. Involvement of external partners such as NGOs, associations, or companies is possible, but no funds can be requested for these partners.

The funding must largely benefit the African partner – to at least 60 percent of the total budget applied for. In view of the Foundation’s non-profit status, the total funds may only be transferred and accounted for via the third-party funding offices of German research institutes.

Funding may be requested for personnel and material resources and for travel expenses on location, and to a limited extent for travel expenses for mutual visits or short sojourns (less than one month) by scientists at the participating institutes. If the application clearly shows that the focus is on a research project, funding may also be requested to a limited extent for the establishment of structures (e.g. a laboratory) or for the training of scientists at the African research institute.

Applications cannot be made for remuneration for an applicant’s own position; overhead costs, costs for exemption from teaching duties, bench fees, fees for permanently employed scientists etc. cannot be covered. Remuneration of scientists and technical staff in Africa should be in accordance with local practice; personnel costs in Germany must be calculated on the basis of DFG rates or the collective agreements applying to the federal or state civil service. “Vollkostensätze” (full cost rates) or lump sums cannot be granted.

Please submit your application online in a single PDF file by February 1, 2027 The Foundation does not provide a template for this purpose, but the page margins should be at least 2 cm wide, and a readily legible font size (at least 11 pt Arial) should be chosen. Applications must contain the following information:

1. Name, institution, and contact details of the applicant (one person only) and a list of the scientists or institutions involved in the research project (max. 2 A4 pages); CVs and lists of publications need not be submitted.
2. Project title and description (max. 5 A4 pages); references can be provided on further pages.
3. Requested budget (max. 2 A4 pages); please state in tabular form the expected costs for personnel, travel, and materials, indicating the overall budget and the proportions to be allotted to the German and African partners respectively.
4. Declarations of intent may be attached to the application if applicable.

After submitting your application, you will receive prompt confirmation of receipt. The following will not be considered:

• incomplete applications;
• applications that do not meet the conditions specified under “Use and accounting of the funds applied for” as set out above;
• applications that do not meet the formal requirements (number of pages, font size too small etc.), and
• applications with blurred images or illegible descriptions.

Applications will be assessed in relation to the other project proposals submitted for the competition; where necessary, the Foundation will have individual applications reviewed externally.

Conditions of application English

Conditions of application German