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The establishment of the Coordination Office at Heidelberg University marks the launch of the German Research Foundation’s (DFG) Infrastructure Priority Programme “Research Vessels”. The interdisciplinary network is headed by Prof. Dr Oliver Friedrich of the Institute of Earth Sciences at Heidelberg University. The program aims to bring together marine researchers, carry out expeditions, and develop innovative research approaches. The Coordination Office will initially receive approx. 680,000 euros in funding over a period of three years.
Press Release
Heidelberg, 2 April 2026
Heidelberg Geoscientist Coordinates Priority Programme on Research Vessels
DFG-funded network aims to drive new developments in marine research
The establishment of the Coordination Office at Heidelberg University marks the launch of the German Research Foundation’s (DFG) Infrastructure Priority Programme “Research Vessels”. The interdisciplinary network is headed by Prof. Dr Oliver Friedrich of the Institute of Earth Sciences at Heidelberg University. The program aims to bring together marine researchers, carry out expeditions, and develop innovative research approaches. The Coordination Office will initially receive approx. 680,000 euros in funding over a period of three years.
“The focus of our work is to bring together all relevant stakeholders in ship-based research in Germany,” emphasizes coordinator Oliver Friedrich. “And we want to prepare this key field of research for new challenges, such as those associated with advancing climate change, biodiversity loss, and shifts in global politics,” adds the geoscientist who conducts research at Heidelberg University on the reconstruction of climate and ecosystem dynamics in Earth's geological past. The Coordination Office’s responsibilities include coordinating cruise proposals, fostering scientific networking, and organizing and promoting the funded subprojects. In doing so, it serves as an interface between the participating researchers, the DFG, and the scientific community.
As part of the Research Vessels Priority Programme, nearly 20 subprojects have been approved so far. They address topics such as the ocean in a changing climate, oceanic interfaces, and marine ecosystems. The projects are based in the fields of Earth sciences, biology, oceanography, chemistry, and physics. Overall, 30 subprojects can be funded, up to 8.2 million euros per year are available for this purpose. With these funds, the DFG is supporting not only expeditions and the analysis of the data collected, but also scientific conferences, formats for supporting early-career researchers, and exchange between researchers. The Priority Programme is initially set to run until 2031.
As Prof. Friedrich explains, Germany has one of the world’s leading research vessel fleets. The seven large and medium-sized vessels, along with the numerous smaller ships, operate in all the world’s oceans and can accommodate a wide range of scientific equipment. They serve as platforms for highly specialized scientific missions, enable interdisciplinary teams to work together, and play a central role in training the next generation of researchers.
Contact:
Heidelberg University
Communications and Marketing
Press Office, phone +49 6221 54-2311
presse@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de
https://www.geow.uni-heidelberg.de/en/node/348 – Oliver Friedrich
http://portal-forschungsschiffe.de/en – German Research Vessels Portal
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