The Rhine-Main universities are working together to enhance their research profiles and develop joint projects and research networks. Their broad spectrum of disciplines allows them to investigate future key questions.

At the same time, they are developing research foci of high international visibility. They are creating networks across disciplines and are shaping the Rhine-Main area as a globally attractive and competitive academic region.

In addition to numerous highly visible institutions that conduct third-party funded collaborative research, including more than two dozen DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centers and Transregios, each of which significantly involves two or all three of RMU's universities, as well as vital subject- and topic-driven networks, this scientific area is also represented by the projects with which the RMU member universities participate in the competition of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments.

RMU Initiative Funding for Research

With the Initiative Funding for Research, the RMU promotes joint research projects.The RMU Initiative Funding for Research consists of three funding lines, which support preparations of far advanced large, strategically relevant RMU collaborative projects, projects that aim at long-term sustainable cooperation focused on joint collaborative projects and now also specifically support scientists in the early career phases:

The funding line "Start-up funding for joint RMU projects" supports proposals for large, strategically relevant collaborative research projects that are at an advanced stage already and will be ready for proposal submission within one year with funding of up to 50,000 euros.
The funding line "Promoting RMU networking in innovative projects" offers start-up funding for networking activities for new, innovative RMU collaboration projects of 20,000 to 40,000 euros per year for a maximum of two years.
The funding line "Early Career Researchers (ECRs)" supports networking between scientists in the early career phase with up to a maximum of 30,000 euros per project over a maximum project duration of two years. Applications can be submitted on two deadlines per year, 15.03. and 15.09., at koordination@rhein-main-unis.de.