Call for HEiKA project proposals

Aim

HEiKA funding aims at furthering the collaborative partnership between KIT and Heidelberg University by exploring complementary competences and specific strengths of both partner institutions to enhance competitiveness in selected fields.

Target Group

All members of KIT and Heidelberg University are invited to submit project proposals. Applications must be submitted jointly by at least one scientist (holding a doctorate degree) from each partner institution. Young scientists are particularly encouraged to submit project proposals.
Including an external partner into a HEiKA project proposal is possible in well-founded cases. Funding of external partners via HEiKA is not possible.

Funding

Start-up funds for joint scientific projects of up to EUR 80,000 per project are granted. The project duration is usually a maximum of 12 months (01.01. - 31.12.2024). In justified cases, the 12-month project duration can be extended by up to 6 months with no further funding.
Requests for this must be made informally, but no later than 2 months before the end of the original project term, to the HEiKA office.

Applying young scientists (max. 6 years after PhD - plus parental leave if applicable) are offered to request funding for up to 18 months (01.01.2024 - max. 30.06.2025). Please note: The above-mentioned period of 6 years after your PhD must not be completed during the run-time of the HEiKA project (a potential prolongation included).

Funds must be used in accordance with the state funds guidelines. Recourses can be requested for personnel including student assistance (excluding the applicant's own positions), consumables, travel cost, support for project-related events, equipment and investments.

Application Deadline & Submission

Applications must be submitted by August 28, 2023 (deadline) by email to info@heika-research.de. Please submit applications as a Word and PDF document using our HEiKA proposal form (published for download below)!

Proposals from junior scientists must also include a personal statement that describes the contribution of the proposed project to the further development and sharpening of the applicant's own research profile. This statement (max. one page) must be submitted together with the application.

Selection procedure

The funding decision will be made at a HEiKA selection meeting by the Extended Board of Directors on October 17, 2023. The teams of the applications that were rated best after a pre-selection will be invited to Karlsruhe for a discussion of their project proposal. 
Please save this date in your calendar!
Applicants selected to discuss their projects will receive an invitation approximately one week before the selection session; the final funding decision will be announced approximately one week after the selection meeting.

Excluded from Selection

Applications submitted after the deadline or not in the required form (Word and PDF document according to template) will be automatically excluded from the selection process.
Also, ineligible are applications that have already been submitted to other funding bodies.