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This call is announced in the context of the Federal Government’s Strategy for the Internationalisation of Science and Research and the Programme “Strengthening Germany in the European Research and Education Area”: Guideline for the Promotion of Research and Development Projects between Germany and the Western Balkans (WEB2025), Federal Gazette of 20.03.2025
The announcement is attached in German, please consult this version with your partners.
The purpose of the funding directive is to offer universities, non-university research institutions and companies in the commercial sector (especially small and medium-sized enterprises – SMEs) the opportunity to implement joint projects with partners from Germany and the Western Balkans in accordance with their scientific strengths and problem-solving competence.
The grants are granted by way of project funding as a non-repayable grant and usually with up to 300,000 euros per network and usually for a duration of up to 36 months.
The project outline must be submitted by a German applicant or association together with at least one cooperation partner from a Western Balkan state. There is no intention to support multilateral projects (e.g. with partners from several Western Balkan countries). Projects should document the potential for long-term and sustainable cooperation with the respective Western Balkan state.
Eligible applicants are universities, non-university research institutions and other institutions that provide research contributions, companies in the commercial sector and, in particular, SMEs. Funding goes to an institution serving the non-economic activity of the recipient of the grant in Germany (first grant recipient) who also receives any funds to be forwarded to the final grant recipient in the Western Balkans (final beneficiaries).
Please note, that only German project partners are allowed to submit applications. In case of any questions, please contact your German project partner who can check with the responsible call administrators.
Projects in the three cross-sectional areas of Digital Transformation, Green Deal and Healthy Societies are funded. These issues are in line with the strategic priorities of the “Smart Specialisation Strategies” as well as the national research strategies of the Western Balkan countries themselves and are the central themes of the European Commission in the introduction of the Western Balkans to the European Union. These themes can also be found in the thematic areas of the Research and Innovation Strategy for the Future and in the thematic priorities of the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon Europe. Topics in the humanities and social sciences (keyword “social innovation”) are also eligible for funding.
“BMBF early career groups” are working groups, each consisting of researchers from Germany and researchers from the Western Balkan countries where the part of the working group in the Western Balkans is led by a young scientist from the Western Balkans. The central involvement of other young scientists on the German and Western Balkans side is recommended.
Funding will be given to measures that have a great potential for application, strengthening the cooperation between science and business, and involve measures for the commercialisation of research results. Means to demonstrate innovation potential include studies to prove feasibility, market analyses, preparation of business plans, further development of research results in the direction of application, involvement of “innovation coaches”, early alliances with users, for example companies, in particular with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), etc. Grant recipients are required to plan and present suitable measures for science communication in connection with their research process and research results.
The application process is designed in two stages. Forms for funding applications, guidelines, leaflets, notes and ancillary provisions can be accessed on the eays Förderportal, “easy-Online” serves as the electronic application system for the preparation of project outlines and formal funding applications.
In the first stage of the procedure, project outlines (max. 10 pages) have to be submitted via the easy-Online tool before 11 June 2025 (in the case of submitting an English project outline, a one-page German summary has to be included). The outline needs to include several content aspects as well as a letter of intent of the foreign institution(s), bibliography lists and CVs. In the second stage of the procedure, the authors of positively evaluated project outlines are asked to submit a formal funding application including more detailed descriptions and a description of the project in German.
For more information: https://foerderportal.bund.de/easyonline/reflink.jsf?m=IB-EUROPA&b=WBC25FUEZ4&t=SKI
and the attached “Bekanntmachung” below.