Previous tenders
Previous calls
- 2026
There are four funding lines in the 2026 Call:
The funding line cooperation projects supports joint third-party funding efforts by researchers from the Medical School OWL, the university clinics of the university hospital OWL, and other faculties of Bielefeld University with a maximum of €150,000 per application for up to 24 months. The application deadline is July 15, 2026. Click here to download the complete application documents.
The funding line HDZ-cooperation projects supports third-party funding efforts between the HDZ, Bielefeld University (Medical School OWL and other Bielefeld University faculties), and the university clinics of the university hospital OWL, with a maximum of €150,000 per application for up to 24 months. The application deadline is July 15, 2026. Click here to download the complete application documents.
The funding line profile projects supports profile-building research projects and/or scientific networks to prepare applications for joint externally funded projects with the potential to develop competitive unique selling points. Funding is available for up to 24 months. The maximum funding amount is €250,000 per application, divided into an administrative module and a project module. The submission deadline is July 15, 2026. Click here to download the complete application documents.
The medicine-internal funding line pilot projects supports innovative pilot projects in preparation for third-party grant applications. This program is aimed at postdoctoral researchers in early career stages (up to 10 years post-PhD; declared family leave, impairments, and burdens will be appropriately considered) and supports scientific independence and the development of the own research profile. Both individual and collaborative projects by researchers from the Medical School OWL, university clinics of the University Hospital OWL, and cooperating clinics of the Heart and Diabetes Center OWL (HDZ) will be funded with a maximum of €25,000 per application for up to 12 months. The application deadline is May 20, 2026. Click here to download the complete application documents.
- 2024
There were four funding lines in the 2024 Call:
In the funding line cooperation projects, joint third-party funding efforts by researchers from the Medical School OWL, the university clinics of the university hospital OWL and the other faculties of Bielefeld University were funded with a maximum of €150,000 per application over up to 24 months. Eight projects were selected (see current projects).
In the funding line HDZ-cooperation projects, third-party funding efforts of the heart and diabetes center Bad Oeynhausen with Bielefeld University (Medical School OWL and the other faculties of Bielefeld University) and the university clinics of the university hospital OWL were funded with a maximum of €150,000 per application over up to 24 months. 10 projects were selected (see ongoing projects).
In the funding line profile projects, cooperation projects with the aim of strengthening collaborative capabilities and developing unique selling points through the preparation of third-party funded projects were funded with a maximum of €250,000 per application over up to 36 months. Three projects were selected (see current projects).
In the medicine-internal funding line pilot projects, innovative pilot projects for the preparation of third-party funding applications were funded. The funding line was aimed at postdoctoral researchers in the early stages of their career (up to 10 years after completing their doctorate, with appropriate consideration given to family time, impairments and stress) and supported scientific independence and developing the own research profile. Both individual and cooperative projects by researchers from the Medical School OWL, university clinics of the university hospital OWL and cooperating clinics of the heart and diabetes center Bad Oeynhausen (HDZ) were funded with a maximum of €25,000 per application over up to 12 months. Eight projects were selected (see ongoing projects).
- 2021
For the 2021 call, the rectorate and the Medical School OWL provided a total of up to €1,35 million to fund research cooperations between doctoral researchers at Bielefeld University and the univeristy hospital OWL (UK OWL) as well as physicians working in outpatient medicine in OWL.
There were two funding lines:
Funding line 1: Funding for cooperation projects between the clinical and non-clinical areas or within the clinical area. At least one cooperation partner had to belong to the clinical area (UK OWL and/or outpatient area in OWL). The other cooperation partners could also belong to the clinical area (UK OWL and/or outpatient area in OWL) and/or the non-clinical area (all faculties of Bielefeld University). At least two different institutions (university, hospital organisation, practice) had to be involved. A maximum total of € 900,000 was available for funding line 1.
Funding line 2: Funding for cooperation projects between the clinical and non-clinical areas. This funding line was aimed exclusively at postdoctoral researchers in the qualification phase (e.g. postdocs, junior research group leaders, assistant, specialist and senior physicians) and was intended to support early scientific independence and developing the own research profile. At least one applicant had to belong to the clinical area (UK OWL and/or outpatient area in OWL) and at least one to the non-clinical area (all faculties of Bielefeld University). A maximum total of €450,000 was available for funding line 2.
Doctoral researchers at Bielefeld University, doctoral staff at the UK OWL (Klinikum Bielefeld, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, Klinikum Lippe) and all doctors in private practice in OWL with a doctorate could apply for up to €150,000 per application over 6 to 36 months for their research project in the constellation permitted under the funding line.
An information and networking event on the 2nd funding round of the Medical Research Start-Up Fund took place on September 29, 2021 (event programme). Here you can find the short profiles of the participants with information on research interests and cooperation opportunities.
On September 24, 2021, a workshop for "Early Career Scientists" took place for the 2nd funding round of the Medical Research Start-Up Fund (workshop programme).
A total of eight projects were selected for funding in the 2021 call (see completed projects).
- 2020
The Medical Research Start-Up Fund was set up in 2020 for a limited period of 3 years with a total funding volume of €1.5 million (€500,000 per year) spread over two application rounds.
Teams of doctoral researchers from Bielefeld University, doctoral staff from the university hospital OWL (Klinikum Bielefeld, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, Klinikum Lippe) and doctors in private practice in OWL were able to apply for up to €150,000 per application over 6 to 36 months for their research project. At least one person from the clinical sector (UK OWL or private practice) and one person from Bielefeld University (all faculties) had to be involved per application team.
The kick-off event of the Medical Research Start-Up Fund took place on December 17, 2019. Here you can find the short profiles of the participants with information on research interests and cooperation opportunities.
A total of six projects were selected for funding in the 2020 call (see completed projects).