The University of Cologne funds one international research cluster at the Cologne International Forum every year.

Scholars at the University of Cologne can apply to take on the coordination (directorship) of the cluster and thus implement three to five internationalization sub-projects with a shared theme.

We explicitly encourage postdoc researchers in their early career stages to apply.

A total sum of € 65,000 is available for the cluster.

The sub-projects can be carried out by the director and their international partners or, on their invitation, by other University of Cologne-researchers and their respective international partners.

The planning and implementation of the projects should take no longer than 18 months. Funding starts after the submission of the finalized financial plan.

Example:

• Planning phase (unfunded):  Up to six months
  After financial plan was handed in:
• Project implementation (funded): 12 months or longer (depending on the duration of  the planning phase)

Due to the relatively small amount available for the cluster, the Cologne International Forum fellowship cannot be the sole funding of the project and should rather supplement a new or an existent research project for which other financial means have already been allocated. The fellowship is meant to encourage and support international collaborations.

 
Application:

Applications must be submitted by 31 August 2025:  Application Form

Applications are open to postdoc researchers at the University of Cologne with research topics/proposals with an overarching character (e.g. bridging disciplines, working within a geographical region) which would be decisively enhanced or expanded by international partners and bi- or multilateral cooperation. 

The application should include detailed information on the research project (timeframe, financing, people/institutions involved, topic) and an explanation of how the cluster additionally drives the research forward and serves the internationalization of the research project.

Applications will be reviewed by the academic board of the Cologne International Forum. The selected cluster will be announced in November 2024.
 

Selection Criteria:

• academic significance of the proposal (e.g. academic relevance, innovation and originality; special interdisciplinary orientation, if applicable)
• strategic relevance of the research theme (e.g. In what way does the planned cluster contribute to the image of the University of Cologne or the faculty? Relevance to higher education policy and/or on a macrosocial level.)
• added value of the internationalization measures (e.g. In what way does the research proposal profit from the measures?; academic necessity of the measures)
• innovative character of these measures (e.g. originality of content; special formats of cooperation; constructive inclusion of teaching and junior academic development)
• contribution to sustainable international relationships (e.g. development of more sustained international relationships; institutionalization approaches; likelihood of follow-on projects or continued cooperation; interdisciplinary expansion)
• financial feasibility (e.g. What other financial sources are available for the overall project?)
   

Implementation:

After the funding is awarded, the director of the cluster has to complete the detailed planning within six months. This includes the planning of three to five individual measures (sub-projects), which should be realized within a period of one year after the end of the planning period.¹  

Up to € 25,000 can be spent per individual measure or sub-project—within the framework of the total sum and depending on the total number of projects. 

During the project term, at least three events must be held at the Cologne International Forum. At these events, the project is presented, with substantial preliminary results, to the university and a wider external public.

A short report and a cost breakdown must be submitted for each measure once the funds have been spent.

Format and eligibility of measures:
The director is free to decide the format the individual measures will take, although usual budgetary rules must be respected.

The measures should clearly drive internationalization and be assignable to one or more of the following categories:

• international institutional cooperation (e.g. with an international research institute or professorship)
• international cooperation with colleagues (with individual researchers from overseas HEI/research institutes)
• interdisciplinary international collaboration
• collaboration with a project-related geographical link
• comparative or methodological complementary cooperation. 

If the Cologne International Forum cluster becomes part of a project that has already received or currently is receiving funding, the application needs to show that funds are neither spent for the same causes nor to fill funding gaps; they should be used explicitly for yet unplanned measures, which enrich the project through their international character.

The sub-projects should be output-oriented and are to be concluded with a specifically defined and documented result (e.g. workshop/conference, publication, working paper, expert report, recorded lecture or lecture series, web archive/OER). They can stand alone or be a cumulative part of final results.

Eligible measures can be, for example:

• Research stay in Cologne (max. 3 months at € 3,000 each)
• Non-residential (not specific to a location) research grants (max. 3 months at € 3,000 each)
• Awarding writing grants
• Clearly defined research commissions for field research, literature report, comparative studies, source/archive appraisal etc.
• Hybrid cooperation
• Workshops (on-site/hybrid/digital)
• Conference organisation
• Mutual teaching projects (e.g. hybrid seminars/lecture series/tandem teaching)
• Individual lectures or lecture series
• Commissioning expert reports
• Mobility/travel funds (up to 40% of the project funds also for travel and short stays by UoC project personnel)
• Fees (for international authors/conference participants/speakers)
• Undergraduate/research assistant to support project (max. 4 months per sub-project)
• Necessary costs related to the project (e.g. printing costs, software, hardware, special technology. Standard products such as laptops, tablets, webcams etc. only in justified exceptional cases)
• …and many more….

Budgetary limitations and requirements are to be respected. Please refer to the guidelines.
 

Timeline:

31 August 2025	Deadline for applications
15 November 2025	Nomination of the director
31 May 2026	Completion of detailed planning2
1 June 2026 - 31 May 2027	Project period (incl. events at Cologne International Forum)
30 November 2027	Submission of short reports/cost breakdown

 

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1) An earlier start of the measures may be negotiable. An extension is not foreseen. Funds not spent within this period are forfeited in favor of other Cologne International Forum projects.

2) An early project start is possible if the detailed planning is finished before this date.