Germany: Global Minds Initiative expands funding for international researchers

The German Research Foundation (DFG) is expanding funding for the Global Minds Initiative to provide opportunities for scientists from abroad. The funding is intended to attract highly qualified international researchers to expand the German scientific perspective, the DFG announced on 30/10/2025.

This new funding is for two different modules: the Professorship module and the Mercator Fellows Global module. The Professorship module provides funding of up to €3.5M to appoint an international researcher to a long-term professorship at a German university.

The Mercator Fellows Global module provides funding of up to €650,000 to integrate an international researcher as a long-term fellow at the applicant university, requiring the researcher to have at least one extended period of residence in Germany as part of the fellowship.

Both modules have a maximum funding duration of five years, and the call for applications runs until March 2026. Applicants can also apply for funds for doctoral candidates, direct project costs and instrumentation.

"By wanting to offer scientists from abroad…