Virtual Institutes Networks with Universities
The Instrument
Helmholtz Virtual Institutes are cross-locational, cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional. They mainly aim to unite the competencies and resources of participating universities and Helmholtz Centres. Virtual Institutes generally involve three to four institutions, but can include fewer or more, depending on the task at hand. Since the third call for proposals, the programme has also made it possible to integrate foreign partners.
Helmholtz Virtual Institutes have their own executive and management structure and develop special measures to qualify their young researchers. Over a three-year period, Virtual Institutes receive up to a maximum of 300,000 euros per year from the Initiative and Networking Fund. These institutes can be used, for example, to prepare the way for larger collaborative networks such as the Helmholtz Alliances.
The Application Process
Applications for the creation of a Helmholtz Virtual Institute can only be submitted in response to a call for proposals by Helmholtz Association Head Office and must include at least one Helmholtz Centre. Approvals are based on a competitive process with external review. The fourth call for proposals for Virtual Institutes was successfully completed in 2007.
Helmholtz Virtual Institutes in Practice
Three calls for proposals have been completed so far, with grants worth a total of some 55 million euros being awarded to 87 Virtual Institutes in which almost 217 university partners from 55 German universities are actively involved.
Helmholtz Institute Jena
The proposed institute combines forces of the two Helmholtz centres DESY and GSI, leading institutions worldwide, with a very broad basis in laser and photonics research at Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU) to create a unique concentration of competence. The future Helmholtz centre FZD will be closely associated to most of the institute's research activities.
The institute's mission is excellence in fundamental and applied research based on accelerated particles, ultrahigh-power lasers, and x-ray science.
Helmholtz Institute Saarbrücken
The newly established Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) is based on the research in the fields of pharmaceutical sciences on campus of Saarland University and infection research at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig.
Activities and expertise of the groups in HIPS in combination with the activities and expertise of the HZI offer the opportunity of a complete coverage from drug discovery and development to clinical phase IIa studies.
