fundingWe promote research on digitalisation topics
We support academics engaged in research on digitalisation at different stages of their careers. Here you will find an overview of our funding programmes primarily aimed at researchers in Bavaria.
For ProjectsConsortium Projects
The issues and challenges around digital transformation affect various scientific disciplines. Therefore, we promote research projects of interdisciplinary teams by providing project funding, as a rule, over three years. This funding line is aimed at projects in the research areas of ‘Law and Ethics, ‘Economy and Labour’ and ‘Communication and Society’. The project participants work within their institution while regularly sharing their research activities and results at the bidt.
Who can apply?
Interdisciplinary teams (usually three people – one associated with a technological field, e.g. computer science, business informatics, electrical engineering or similar).
Requirement
Completed doctorate, employment at a Bavarian university, university of applied sciences or research institution
Funding
Project funding for personnel, material and infrastructure costs
Application deadline
The application and selection process is multi-stage. The deadline for submitting project outlines (first stage) with an initial project description covering a period of three years is 24 April 2026.
After admission to the second stage, the full application must be submitted by 31 August 2026.
For projectsResearch Focus Generative AI
The research focus “Humans and Generative AI: Trust in Co-Creation” brings together projects that deal with this topic from various disciplinary perspectives. A typical project runs for four years and involves one applicant and one research assistant. The bidt provides project funding for personnel, material and infrastructure costs. The project participants work at the location of their institution, but exchange information about their research activities and their results with the other projects in the research focus at regular intervals at the bidt.
Who is being funded?
Researchers in the area of Generative AI
Requirement
Completed doctorate, employment at a Bavarian university, university of applied sciences or research institution
Funding
Project funding for personnel, material and infrastructure costs
For Young Talents Graduate Center
The Graduate Center is aimed at doctoral researchers and postdocs whose research has a technical, economic or social focus relevant in the context of digitalisation. Doctoral researchers receive access to networking events, courses on current digitalisation-related topics, and an annual grant of 3,000 euros. Postdocs can apply for funding for a full-time, dedicated position.
Who can apply?
Doctoral researchers and postdocs at universities in Bavaria
Requirement
Special qualification, main areas of interest relevant to digitalisation
Funding
Networking and training
Scholarship (doctoral researchers)
Funding of a position (postdocs)
Application deadline
Postdocs: 31 December 2025
For Young Talents Digitalisation Labs
The digitalisation labs are a teaching format aimed at students in Bavaria. The application is to be submitted by the university. The goal of the programme is to promote interdisciplinary work and a fundamental understanding of central questions around digitalisation and its interactions with society. A bidt digitalisation lab consists of individual projects in which students develop answers to these questions. They are actively supervised by a project leader and one or two coaches. The digitalisation labs are primarily aimed at students in a Master’s degree programme or those in the last two semesters of an undergraduate degree programme.
Who can apply?
Universities in Bavaria
Requirement
Submission of a thematic proposal by the university
Funding
Qualification for students over four years
Do you have general questions about our funding programmes?
Dr. Andreas Wenninger
Research Coordinator “Communication and Society” and Research Project Leader, bidt
