Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence

A programme initiated by the Max Planck Society (MPG), jointly managed with the National Science Centre in Poland (NCN), and mutually funded by the Polish Ministry of Education and Science and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Dioscuri is a programme devised by MPG to support the development of lighthouses of scientific excellence in Central and Eastern Europe by promoting outstanding researchers who want to conduct their research in this region. Following a bottom-up and sustainable approach, it strives to establish future-oriented research fields and international standards of scientific quality. Dioscuri serves to strengthen the European Research Area as a whole and to expand the foundations for long-term economic and social prosperity in Europe.

The joint calls by MPG and NCN are designed to establish Centres of Scientific Excellence at Polish Host Institutions. The work of the Centres will be accompanied by Partners from German universities or research institutions in order to strengthen scientific exchange between Poland and Germany. These Partners will promote the Centres’ structural development and integration in scientific networks. Each Dioscuri Centre (DC) may decide to expand this partnership tool and turn it into an Advisory Board.

DCs are expected to conduct top-class internationally competitive and innovative research. Each of them will be funded with up to € 300 000 p.a., initially for five years. This amount will be part of a larger package involving substantial additional funds, infrastructure, scientific equipment, and a long-term perspective for the principal investigators at the respective Host Institutions.

Each DC established through a call will be monitored and evaluated by the Dioscuri Scientific Committee, and will be awarded the title of:

Dioscuri Centre of Scientific Excellence

A programme initiated by the Max Planck Society, jointly managed with the National Science Centre in Poland, and mutually funded by the Polish Ministry of Education and Science and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Before a Dioscuri call announcement, National Science Centre will invite Polish research institutions to provide declarations of commitment as potential future Host Institutions in the framework of Dioscuri. A list of Polish research institutions that declare their expression of interest will be made available in the Dioscuri call announcements.

Procedure

Addressees of the call are researchers with a PhD degree obtained within a period not exceeding fifteen years prior to the submission of their application to Dioscuri.

Researchers shall submit proposals jointly with a Polish research institution (prospective Host Institution), provided that they were not employed at this institution over 2 years preceding the date of submitting the proposal. Each call awardee shall establish and head a Dioscuri Centre, in which he or she will conduct innovative research at the world’s top level.

Proposal’s evaluation process

Stage 1

Individual Expert's
assessment

1st Expert’s
meeting

Stage 2

External
reviewers

2nd Expert’s
meeting

Stage 3

Interview

Approving
the projects

Funding

Funding will be provided by the NCN from the resources contributed by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Polish Host Institution will receive up to € 300,000 annually to be spent exclusively on the Dioscuri Centre’s operations.

The funding period for each Dioscuri Centre comprises five years and may be extended for another five years (subject to mid-term evaluation and availability of funds).

The funding may be used to finance:

• salary of the Principal Investigator: € 100 000 per year,
• salaries of the DC research team and scholarships (according to NCN regulations),
• costs related to the research conducted at the DC (consumables, travel, publications, outreach activities etc.),
• costs of joint activities with the Partner from Germany.

The funding cannot be used for expenses relating to:

• infrastructure,
• scientific equipment,
• administration and overheads.

For more details please read Call announcement.

Related articles

• 10 Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence to be established in Poland - read on NCN's website
• Germany and Poland launch research 'twinning' effort - read on Nature's website