topic Academia

Research at Universities of Applied Sciences

This programme is unique in the German research funding landscape. It focuses on promoting application-oriented research and needs-based training for young engineers. The budget appropriation for the programme has almost quadrupled from 10.5 million euros in 2005 to 40.7 million euros in 2012. A total of 110 universities of applied sciences profited from the programme between 2006 and 2011, with well over 800 research projects involving funding of 175 million euros in total.

The funding streams of the "Research at Universities of Applied Sciences" programme offer various funding opportunities: In addition to the "FHprofUnt" funding stream to encourage R&D cooperation between universities of applied sciences and companies, there is also the "IngenieurNachwuchs" (young engineers) funding stream, which supports the research-based and application-oriented training of engineers and the establishment of young teams of engineers with a focus on research at universities of applied sciences. The funding stream "Social Innovation for Quality of Life in Old Age" (SILQUA-FH) encourages universities of applied sciences to conduct application-oriented research projects in the fields of social work and the care and health sciences. "ProfilNT" is encouraging stronger participation by universities of applied sciences in the BMBF's specialist programmes - particularly in the areas of "Innovation through New Technologies", "Innovation through the Life Sciences" and "Climate, Environment, Energy".

In recent years, the universities of applied sciences have been able to enhance their strengths in conducting application-based research, in transferring knowledge and technology to companies, and in providing young people with research-based skills. BMBF funding has played a key role in this success. BMBF-Förderung für Fachhochschulen.