Proposing a research project

To apply for a research project at the FVB, members submit an initial project outline in the official format of the "topic proposal" and, in some cases, an additional pitch. Both must be turned in no later than three weeks before an Advisory Board meeting in order to be considered. If the research project is endorsed, the research application follows.

The FVB serves as a first recourse that decides whether research projects are carried out or not. How research projects are applied for at the FVB depends on the conditions of the applicants and follows a defined procedure. The subject focus of a research project should align with the thematic areas of the FVB. 

If two or more FVB members or institutes have already joined forces for research projects, they submit an initial project outline in the official format of the "topic proposal." This must be submitted no later than three weeks before an Advisory Board meeting, so that other members have access to the idea through the THEMIS database and discuss it in-depth on site. The meetings take place twice a year and can be viewed in the calendar. The FVB members mentioned in the topic proposal must participate in the Advisory Board meeting.

Vom Themenvorschlag bis zum Forschungsantrag bei der FVB

If a member has a topic idea but has not yet been able to attract other members to join the research project, in addition to the topic proposal, a pitch must be prepared and also submitted three weeks before the Advisory Board meeting. This includes a brief presentation outlining the topic as well as a poster at which members can exchange ideas during the pitch breaks at the Advisory Board meeting. The pitch aims to find other members as cooperation partners for the respective research project.

If the Advisory Board approves a topic proposal, and there are at least two members involved, the research application can be submitted, also with a deadline of three weeks before the next Advisory Board meeting, in the form of a short presentation on the research project. Any requested changes from the industrial partners may need to be considered and incorporated during the Advisory Board meeting. If both the FVB Advisory Board and the FVB Executive Board ultimately endorse the presentation of this research project, the next step is to apply for funding.

FVB-Forschungsprojekte zwischen zwei Mitgliedern und mehr

The FVB distinguishes between two different types of projects:

  • FVB consortium projects: Publicly funded projects (e.g. German Aerospace Center) – at least two FVB members must be involved.
  • FVB joint projects: Generally funded by the FVB (e.g. studies) – at least four FVB members must be involved.

The subject areas are defined in the FVB guidelines:

  • Methods and approaches
  • Safety and secures
  • Standards and specifications
  • Processes
  • Components and materials
  • System technology

Detailed specifications concerning Topic proposition and Pitch are available for download.

Do you have any further questions? Feel free to reach out!