Research Funding from A to Z
Artificial Intelligence in Science
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers new opportunities for scientific research, ranging from literature reviews and data analysis to support for writing and programming tasks. Its use can make research processes more efficient and facilitate new discoveries. At the same time, the use of AI raises questions concerning research integrity, transparency, data protection, and reproducibility. Researchers therefore remain fully responsible for the quality, accuracy, and integrity of their work, even when AI systems are used as supportive tools. The responsible use of AI requires a critical evaluation of AI-generated outputs, transparent disclosure of the employed tools, and compliance with relevant legal and ethical requirements. The aim is to harness the full potential of AI for research and science while upholding the principles of good research practice.
The German Research Foundation (DFG) regularly publishes updated guidelines and practical guidance on the use of AI in research on its website. If you require further information or advice, please contact Dr. Janine Kesselheim or the Committee for Research Ethics and Research Security.
Career (early career phases)
Committee for Research Ethics and Research Security
On 20th February 1992, the Senate of the Trier University has decided to establish a Committee for Research Ethics and Research Security. The Committee assesses whether empirical research projects involving test persons respect their dignity and rights as well as the safety and rights of the researchers and the environment.
The Committee’s vote is a recommendation.
The Ethics Commission of the Chamber of Medicine of Rhineland-Palatinate is in charge of medical research projects.
Please direct your questions concerning the Committee for Research Ethics and Research Security and your application to Dr. Janine Kesselheim via ethikuni-trierde.
Conferences and workshops
If you are organising a workshop or a conference and wish to apply for funding, please contact Gisela Minn. For this purpose, the Trier University has an annual fund of 30,000 € from overhead allowances at its disposal. Applications may be submitted every 1st April and 1st October. For events organised by early-career researchers, an additional fund of 10,000 € per year can be accessed. Here you will find further information and instructions for the application.
The staff of Department I (Financial Department) will assist you with the preparation and organisation of your event as well as with administration issues.
Contracts
If you need general assistance with research-related contracts, please contact Regine Schmirander or Ingmar Kortgen. They will provide advice, verify contract drafts and provide you with templates.
Within the context of third-party funding, please contact Anna Dobrajc (Department I, Finances) for advice regarding contracts.
Costing and finance management
Department I (Financial Department) of the Trier University will assist you to prepare an exact calculation of costs for you project and make sure it meets all requirements. Please get in touch with the Financial Department’s staff early enough.
You will find a list of contact persons on the website of Department I (Financial Department)
Data management
Diversity / gender equality
Dual-Use
easy-Online
easy-Online is an application portal for federal project funding. If you have questions concerning the form system for proposals and project outlines, please contact the Research Support Office. Its staff will assist you with the submission of a project outline or a proposal.
ELFI - ELectronic Research Funding Information System
The ELFI-Datenbank is a database designed to help researchers find a suitable funding organisation for their projects. The database contains information on funding programmes, scholarships, travel subsidies, grants for material costs, and other types of third-party funding. The interface allows for specific, project-tailored enquiries.
Equal opportunities
Funders expect, in particular from cooperative research projects, to advance equal opportunities for men and women in research. They provide an additional budget for the career advancement of female researchers in male dominated disciplines. An additional budget may also be granted to support researchers with family care obligations. Grant proposals should include a gender equality plan.
Funding organisations increasingly commit themselves to promote diversity in research. Grant proposals, in particular for cooperative research projects, should include a diversity strategy.
The Research Support Office, in collaboration with the Equality Office and the Family Office, provides advice concerning gender equality and diversity strategies in grant applications. The staff also assists you with the implementation of the respective diversity measures in your project.
Within the framework of the federal funding programme "Professorinnenprogramm III" (Third Female Professors Programme), the Research Support Office organises talks and workshops for female early career researchers, researchers in leading positions and research managers, and coordinates the programme “Strong in Research! – Your Path to Leadership in Research: A Training Programme for Female Early-Career Researchers” specifically aimed for female postdoctoral researchers.
The University follows an equality plan (2022-2028) passed by the Senate on 9th February 2023.
Ethics Committee
European research funding
You will find information on the European research funding (news, funding programmes, application process, EU-funded projects at Trier University, expert activities for the EU as well as samples and templates) on the website of the EU Office Europäische Forschungsförderung.
Funding
The Trier University provides financial support for research projects. Internal funding is available for conference trips and scientific events. Researchers may also apply for publication grants or start-up grants for third-party funded projects. The internal funding opportunities are open to researchers at all stages of their career.
Grant applications
The Research Support Office announces open calls for
- start-up scholarships for PhD students
- writing-up scholarships for PhD students
- short-term scholarships for postdoc researchers
- conference and workshop funding
- start-up funding for research projects
Ombudspersons
The Trier University appoints three ombudspersons from all full professors. Any member of the Trier University who wants to report scientific misconduct or has been accused of it him/herself may contact them.
Open access publishing
Many research funding organisations expect project results to be made available with free and unlimited access. The Trier University supports researchers who want to make their first publication or the postprint available in open access. The publication of papers and articles in open access journals can be financed via the Publication Funds. On the website “Forschen & Publizieren”, you will find information on further funding possibilities for open access publications and the entire service provided by the Trier University Library to support publishing activities. The most important information is given in the following presentation.
The library staff will help you with any questions concerning open access publishing (openaccessuni-trier). You may also contact Dr. Evgenia Grishina.
Overhead allowance
Please make yourself familiar with the regulations concerning overhead allowances: Regeln zu Overhead-Einnahmen aus Drittmittelprojekten.
Project notification / Coordination third-party funding
Before you start your research project, you need to undertake several administrative steps. The University Financial Department as well as the Personnel Department will assist you with these measures.
Project notification: Please submit the form “Drittmittelanzeige / Antrag auf Einrichtung eines Projektkontos” together with the required documents (proposal, funding confirmation) to the University Financial Department.
Setting-up a project cost centre and calls for funds: The University Financial Department will set up a project cost centre in order to manage your third-party funding. The staff will develop a timetable with you to call for funds according to the needs of your project.
You will find further information on the website of the Financial Department.
Publication grants
Possibilities to receive financial support for publishing from University funds are limited.
You will find information on funding opportunities for open access publications here: Open Access Publikationen. As part of Funding for Scientific Events, the University offers a subsidy of up to 1.500 € per proposal for open access publishing of conference papers.
Third party funding organisations provide funds for the publication of project results.
The “Funding Programme "Infrastructures for Scholarly Publishing”” by the German Research Foundation (DFG) aims to support scholarly publishing as part of the digital turn and wants to shape this process in a manner which is in line with the needs of research.
The Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort (VG WORT) offers subsidies for outstanding scientific publications that could not appear without financial aid due to their highly specialised focus and limited run.
The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation for Humanities Geschwister Boehringer Ingelheim - Stiftung für Geisteswissenschaften offers subsidies for outstanding scientific publications exclusively for those humanities that are associated with the German culture.
The FONTE Stiftung offers further funding opportunities for early career researchers in humanities.
Research data management
Funding programmes of the European Union, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and of the DFG follow certain data policies. Researchers applying for these programmes are required to present a concept for quality-controlled and sustainable data management. This data management plan must contain precise statements on how research data shall be collected, analysed and evaluated, made available, and stored throughout the entire life span of the project. The Service Centre eSciences provides support for developing a concept and preparing a data management plan. To this end, Trier University is has developed an internal research data policy.
Research Ethics
Research integrity
In February 2024, the Senate of the Trier University passed a new Statute for safeguarding good research practice and the procedure for dealing with allegations of scientific misconduct. The new charter follows the Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Pratice issued by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) in 2019 and replaces the university’s guidelines from 2016.
You will find more information concerning the standards of good scientific practice and their application on the DFG Research Integrity portal. Further assistance is provided by the Curriculum for good scientific practice courses (2019).
EU-funded research projects need to follow the European Code of Conduct, recognised by the European Commission as the primary standard for upholding research integrity.
Research with business partners / Contract review
Ms Anna Dobrajc will provide advice concerning research projects with commercial enterprises and specific contracts.
Research Security
Research security relates to the responsible conduct of scientific research and its potential impacts on society, the environment, and security. Knowledge and new technologies drive scientific progress, but they also constitute a serious threat when misused for harmful purposes. This so-called dual-use dilemma affects a wide range of research areas, from natural sciences and information technology to social sciences and humanities. Research security therefore aims to identify and assess potential risks at an early stage and to minimize them through appropriate measures, without restricting academic freedom more than is absolutely necessary. In this context, both Trier University and individual researchers bear responsibility for complying with legal requirements while also reflecting on the ethical implications of their work - particularly with regard to human dignity, health, freedom, security, the environment, and societal well-being.
The Senate’s Commission on Research Ethics and Research Security addresses such security-relevant research questions and projects and provides advice and guidance to applicants and other interested parties.
Scholarships
The University offers short-term scholarships for postdoc qualification projects. Call openings are announced by the Research Support Office. The aim of the scholarship is to allow researchers to prepare a project proposal for an external funding institution.
Science Communication
Most funding institutions already expect concepts for the communication of scientific research to the non-academic public to be included in project proposals. Since December 2024, Trier University has implemented its own central point of contact for science communication within the Team Kommunikation and Marketing.
For all questions concerning science communication, as well as guidance for including this topic into your funding proposals, please contact Dr. Simon Thijs.
Science portal Rhineland-Palatinate
see SciPort RLP
SciPort – Science portal Rhineland-Palatinate
SciPort Rhineland-Palatinate is a research database of the federal state. Researchers at all universities and universities of applied sciences are encouraged to register their research projects in the database and thus make them available for the public. In order to become listed in the database, you need to register. After the registration, a SciPort administrator will activate your account. Institutes that wish to assign their own administrators need to contact the SciPort administrators.
Security-Relevant Research
Support for early career researchers
Researchers in early stages of their career can benefit from a wide range of support. The university’s Graduate Centre GUT coordinates the consulting and support measures offered by different units of the Trier University and other institutions.
The Research Support Office (Forschungsreferat) regularly announces funding opportunities, in particular for project funding, start-up and completion grants, subsidies for conference visits or scientific events. Its staff will assist you during the application process. In cooperation with the Graduate Centre, the Research Support Office also offers workshops on funding opportunities and individual consultation for researchers who plan to develop research projects after their PhD.
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