Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence: A funding program initiated by the Max Planck Society to support scientific excellence in Central and Eastern Europe

Speakers: Dr .Steffi Heinecke, Dioscuri Centres of Excellence, Division for International Relations, Max Planck Society, Munich & Hana Hušková, Community Manager at the NGO Czexpats in Science

Topic: Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence: A funding program initiated by the Max Planck Society to support scientific excellence in Central and Eastern Europe

The person-centered Dioscuri Programme aims to establish internationally competitive research groups at Central and Eastern European scientific institutions with the support of partners from Germany (located at any German university or other research institution). Initiated by the Max Planck Society and funded by the German Federal government as well as the government of the respective host country, the program is open to applicants from all scientific and national backgrounds who would like to establish and lead a highly visible research group in this region. Dioscuri Centres are currently being established at Czech and Polish research institutions that are capable of providing adequate infrastructure and that offer an environment for cutting-edge research. Each Centre is funded with up to € 300,000 per annum for an initial five years and can be extended for a further five years after successful evaluation by external experts. 

The first call for Dioscuri Centres (DCs) in the Czech Republic has recently been published (https://www.mpg.de/18506651/dioscuri-programme-launch-of-first-call-for-proposals-in-the-czech-republic) and is open for applications till 25 July 2022; the fifth call for DCs in Poland will follow in 2023. During this ‘lunch-time session’, program coordinator Dr. Steffi Heinecke (MPG) will present the idea and design of Dioscuri and provide detailed information on the current call for Czech DCs and the upcoming call for DCs in Poland.

In addition, Hana Hušková, Community Manager at the NGO Czexpats in Science (http://czexpats.org/en/) will inform you about the initiative Czexpats in Science, which strives to connect Czech scientists abroad with scientists and institutions in the Czech Republic, foster long term partnerships and the exchange of information, aiming to support world class science in the Czech Republic

More: www.mpg.de/dioscuri. You can send your questions ahead of the event to Dr. Oksana Seumenicht (oksana.seumenicht@mdc-berlin.de). The presentation will be recorded and made available on our web-page.

Please note that the forum will be held in English.