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What is the project "Creative Space" about?

Photo: Colourbox.de

The project Creative Space aims to establish an open place for exchange and the resulting creative research initiatives at Philipps-Universität Marburg through new formats of networking beyond established institutional structures. As a spatial and organisational centre, it is intended to bundle the diverse impulses at the university and support young researchers in particular in initiating and implementing their innovative and interdisciplinary projects as well as in communicating the results to science and society.

Specifically, the project offers a venue for creative collaboration as well as funding opportunities for Phd candidates and postdocs at Philipps-Universität Marburg who can apply for funding of  (interdisciplinary) initiatives and invitations of guest researchers.

Creative Collaboration at the Creative Space

View of the creative space
Photo: Aaron Beller

The Creative Space

The rooms of the Creative Space are located on the 1st floor at Bahnhofstr. 7. Since November 2023, the first room of the Creative Space, "Club Behring", is available  for joint project development and for workshops, smaller conferences, lectures, panel discussions, networking events, etc.

Funding opportunities in the Creative Space project

Phd candidates and postdocs at Philipps-Universität Marburg can receive funding for (interdisciplinary) initiatives and invitations of guest researchers.

Applications can be submitted at any time, there are no deadlines. The application must be submitted by phd candidates and/or postdocs. It must be ensured that the applicants are significantly involved in the proposed initiative. For the application, at least three applicants are required who name one person as the main contact person. In order to promote interdisciplinarity, several subject areas or cultures should be involved.

(Interdisciplinary) Initiatives

A maximum of 5000 € per application can be applied for initiatives of early stage researchers. Regarding the funding the relevant guidelines of the university must be observed, e.g. with regard to travel expenses etc. If an event is planned, it should preferably be held in the rooms of the Creative Space. If this is not possible due to scheduling difficulties or the size of the event, events in other rooms can also be funded, i.e. in principle, the organisation of digital events or events outside of Marburg (retreats) is also eligible for funding.

Eligible for funding are initiatives that are relevant to science or science policy and/or whose results are aimed at science communication or transfer.

It is required for funding approval is that there is a concrete output at the end, such as the implementation of an innovative event format, a joint publication, a project proposal, etc.

Please note that catering costs are not eligible for funding.

Details for funding of (interdisciplinary) initiatives:

  • Application

    The application must be submitted by phd candidates and/or postdocs. It must be ensured that the applicants are significantly involved in the proposed initiative. For the application, at least three applicants are required who name one person as the main contact person. In order to promote interdisciplinarity, several departments should be involved. In order to ensure the funding of innovative projects, the topic must be new for the selected constellation of participants. This means that the individual researchers may have expertise in the chosen topic area, but they should not work on the same topic together either in a centre at UMR or in an ongoing collaborative project. Each initiative can be funded once; however, follow-up applications, e.g. for the publication of the results of a workshop or similar, are permitted.

    Applications must be submitted using the application form, which lists the main contact person, the applicants and their respective departments, a brief description of the undertaking, a cost breakdown, a timeline and, if applicable, other participants.

    The application is submitted by email to creative-space@uni-marburg.de, the dean's office of the main contact person is to be set in CC. 

  • Submission deadlines

    Applications can be submitted at any time, there are no deadlines for submission. The deadline for the latest application for funding is 30.06.2025.

  • Approval criteria

    Funding is approved on the basis of the information provided in the application form. The funding is awarded if the formal criteria described above are fulfilled and if the proposed project is convincing in terms of quality, creativity and innovative potential.

    The formal review will take place within two weeks of submission of the application. If necessary, the application will be returned to you for revision.

    The decision on approval is made on a quarterly basis. The approval or rejection will therefore be made no later than ten weeks after submission of the application. You will receive the approval by email; at the same time, the dean's office and the economic administration of the main contact person will be notified.

  • Allocation of funds

    If the application is approved, the funds are allocated to a specially established cost centre ("Kostenstelle").
    The funds are managed by the economic administration of the main applicant.

    If the funds are not spent in the approved amount, they must be booked back. A subsequent increase in funds is only possible in justified exceptional cases.

    Funds that are not used after approval expire after 12 months at the latest (or by 30.06.2025 if approval was given after 01.07.2024).

  • Specifications on the chosen date and duration of events

    There are no requirements regarding the date or, for example, the duration of an event. However, funds that are not used after the grant expire after 12 months at the latest (or by 30.06.2025 if the grant was made after 01.07.2024).

  • Application form

    Please use only the application form. If additional information is required, you can add it in the email with which you submit the application. Please sign the application form digitally, submit it by email to creative-space@uni-marburg.de and put the dean's office of the main contact person in CC. Please do not attach any unsolicited publications, literature lists or detailed project descriptions.

Invitations of guest researchers

The Creative Space project provides funding for inviting academic guests (postdocs) with diverse expertise to stay at Philipps-Universität Marburg for various lengths of time in order to create windows of opportunity for academic dialogue, exchange, new impulses and mutual enrichment.

The guest invitations serve to promote international exchange, the planning of long-term research projects, the preparation of joint project proposals or publications, the joint implementation of workshops, etc.

A maximum of 5000 € per guest invitation can be applied for.

It is required for funding approval that there is a concrete output at the end, such as the implementation of an innovative event format, a joint publication, a project proposal etc. It is important that your application explains why the presence of the guest researcher at the Philipps-Universität Marburg is necessary and which innovative potential the cooperation features.

Please note that catering costs are not eligible for funding.

Details for funding of invitations of guest researchers:

  • Application

    Postdocs and phd candidates of the Philipps-Universität Marburg are eligible to apply. At least three applicants are required who nominate one person as the main contact person. In order to promote interdisciplinarity, several departments should be involved. A maximum of 5000 € per guest invitation can be applied for. The guest invitation should be based on an innovative approach, i.e. the constellation of participants should be new. The individual researchers may have already cooperated, but they should not be working together on an ongoing project.

    Applications must be submitted using the application form, which lists the guest and their home institution, the main contact person, the applicants with their respective departments and, if applicable, other participants, a brief description of the joint undertaking, a cost breakdown and a time schedule.

    Applications can be made for the assumption of travel costs as well as accommodation costs and daily allowances. The university's guidelines on travel expenses must be observed. The assumption of material costs or, for example, application fees for visas is not possible. Additionally, a guest workspace in the rooms of the Creative Space at Bahnhofstr. 7 can be applied for. The application is submitted by email to creative-space@uni-marburg.de, the dean's office of the main contact person is to be set in CC.

  • Submission deadlines

    Applications can be submitted at any time, there are no deadlines. The deadline for the latest application is 30.06.2025.

  • Approval criteria

    Funding is approved on the basis of the information provided in the application form. Funding is granted if the formal criteria are met and if the proposed project is convincing in terms of quality, creativity and innovative potential.

    The formal review will take place within two weeks of submission of the application. If necessary, the application will be returned to you for revision.

    The decision on approval is made on a quarterly basis. The approval or rejection will therefore be made no later than ten weeks after submission of the application. You will receive the approval by email; at the same time, the dean's office and the economic administration of the main contact person will be notified.

  • Allocation of funds

    If the application is approved, the funds are allocated to a specially established cost centre ("Kostenstelle").
    The funds are managed by the economic administration of the main applicant.

    If the funds are not spent in the approved amount, they must be booked back. A subsequent increase in funds is only possible in justified exceptional cases.

    Funds that are not used after approval expire after 12 months at the latest (or by 30.06.2025 if approval was given after 01.07.2024).

  • Specifications on the chosen date and duration of events

    There are no requirements regarding the duration or period of the guest invitation, but the application must state the reasons for the duration of the stay.

    Funds that are not drawn down after approval expire after 12 months at the latest (or by 30.06.2025 if the approval was made after 01.07.2024).

  • Accomodation of guest researchers

    For the accommodation of the guest researchers, the guest houses of the Philipps-Universität Marburg are to be requested first. Only if accommodation there is not possible the costs for a hotel in Marburg can be covered. Please refer to the information provided by Philipps-Universität Marburg on the framework agreements with hotels in Marburg. Please note: As a rule, costs exceeding € 80.00 gross without breakfast will not be covered.

  • Workspace for guest researchers

    Please clarify before the application whether a guest workspace is available in your institute or department for the guest researcher. Subject to free capacities, you can apply for a guest workspace in the rooms of the Creative Space at Bahnhofstr. 7.

  • Application form

    Please use only the application form. If additional information is required, you can add it in the email with which you submit the application. Please sign the application form digitally, submit it by email to creative-space@uni-marburg.de and put the dean's office of the main contact person in CC. Please do not attach any unsolicited publications, literature lists or detailed project descriptions.