The German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) have agreed a framework for funding collaboration between German-based and UK-based humanities researchers. The agreement will be formally enshrined in a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed by both agencies in the Autumn of 2007. The aim will be to broaden and deepen the existing strong links between the German and UK research communities.

The agreement will allow project teams of German-based and UK-based researchers to be jointly funded. The framework will avoid double jeopardy by allowing researchers to submit a single integrated proposal to one funding agency which will lead on the application and peer review process. Detailed guidance will be published alongside the first call for applications in Spring 2008. The deadlines will be May and June 2008.

DFG and AHRC welcome, encourage and support applications that cut across their national boundaries and involve collaborative teams of UK- and German-based researchers. Integrated proposals are expected, which will follow the guidelines and application procedures of the lead agency. AHRC and DFG shall fund the British and German components of successful applications respectively, in accordance with their existing financial and monitoring requirements.

For further press information please contact Jake Gilmore, AHRC Communications Manager, j.gilmore@ahrc.ac.uk; tel: 0117 987 6773.

Arts and Humanities Research Council - Each year the AHRC provides approximately £90 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities, from archaeology and English literature to design and dance. In any one year, the AHRC makes approximately 700 research awards and around 1,500 postgraduate awards. Awards are made after a rigorous peer review process, to ensure that only applications of the highest quality are funded. Arts and humanities researchers constitute nearly a quarter of all research-active staff in the higher education sector. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK.

For more information on DFG please see their website