CIBSS is a Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2189) funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and faculty-bridging Central Research Institute of the University of Freiburg.

A Cluster of Excellence is a consortium (group of researchers) performing excellent, internationally competitive research projects on a specific topic at a German university. Proposals for Cluster of Excellence funding were evaluated in a competitive, two-stage process involving leading national and international scientists and the state and federal ministers responsible for research. Fifty-seven Clusters of Excellence, including CIBSS, were selected by the Excellence Commission on September 27, 2018 and commenced funding on January 1, 2019. The annual budget of the entire Clusters of Excellence Funding line is €385 million.

CIBSS is funded by the DFG within the framework of the Excellence Strategy of the German State and Federal Governments. CIBSS was founded in 2019, and receives funding for seven years (until end of 2025). The funding supports fundamental research on biological communication from the molecular to organismal scale, including

• individual and joint research projects in over 65 groups in Freiburg
• new professorships
• large-scale instrumentation
• support and training programmes for Early Career Researchers
• research-oriented teaching of university students
• science communication and public outreach

The Excellence Strategy in Germany

The Excellence Strategy (‘ExStra’) is a funding programme of the German State and Federal governments that is developed and implemented by the DFG. The aim of the Excellence Strategy is to strengthen Germany’s position as an outstanding place for research in the long term and further improve its international competitiveness. The two funding lines within the Excellence Strategy are the Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence. Funding within the Excellence Strategy support excellent research, collaboration and sharpening of research profiles of German universities. The Excellence Strategy is the successor of the Excellence Initiative.

More Information: www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/excellence_strategy/index.html

_{Header image: © Mathilde Bessert-Nettelbeck / University of Freiburg}