Assuring excellence

Performing top-flight research in six fields and 28 programmes occasionally calls for prompt measures to assure excellence of research. The Initiative and Networking Fund also has resources available for this. This makes it possible to drive forward research projects with a promising future at just the right moment or to respond quickly when excellent scientists and researchers need to be recruited or retained. In order to promote women as well at this point, the Helmholtz Association uses funds from the Initiate and Networking Fund to support special professorships for excellent women scientists and researchers.

Assisted by quicker funding decisions, it is possible, for example, to substantially advance projects like supercomputing, hydrogen technologies, or hybrid power stations that make it possible to use renewable energies, as well as disaster mitigation projects for megacities. Such projects are generally selected on the recommendation of the Helmholtz Association's Senate and are additionally reviewed by an external panel. If a quicker decision is needed, smaller projects can be exempted from the need for a review.