Please be aware that funding for One Health Network Funds has not yet been granted. It will only be approved if the DAAD funding is secured by the end of this year. Note: Availability of funds still pending as we are waiting for the approval of next stage of OH-TARGET.

Within the OH-TARGET project, the CIH^LMU aims to strengthen its partners and alumni and to stimulate their collaboration for One Health related research and activities. Therefore, partners and alumni are invited to apply for the One Health Network Funds 2025/2026. In this call for proposals, applicants are encouraged to emphasize interdisciplinary One Health aspects crossing faculty boundaries and to further connect with other partnering institutions and alumni. The CIH^LMU is issuing this call in order to allow its partners and members to prepare in a timely fashion project ideas. Applicants, however, should expect the possibility that the CIH^LMU does not receive the necessary funding, which would lead to an overall cancellation of the call. A legal entitlement to funding does not arise from this call.

The One Health Network Funds will focus on research projects.

1. Eligibility Criteria

1.1 Applicants

All personnel at CIH^LMU and OH-TARGET partner institutions and CIH^LMU alumni are eligible as Prime Applicants.

The CIH^LMU and OH-TARGET partner institutions are:
• Jimma University (JU), Ethiopia
• University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana
• Mbeya Medical Research Centre (MMRC), Tanzania
• Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB), Bhutan
• Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), Nepal
• Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Bangladesh
• Universidad del Rosario (UR), Colombia
• Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Brazil
• Universidad Mayor, Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca (USFX), Bolivia
• Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC), Guatemala

Staff from other institutions and LMU personnel might be a partner in a project but cannot be the main applicant.

CIH^LMU alumni are graduates holding a CIH^LMU Master or PhD degree of the following study programs:

• PhD Medical Research – International Health (LMU)
• MSc in International Occupational Safety and Health (LMU)
• MSc in International Health (LMU)
• MSc Integrated Clinical and Community Mental Health (from Jimma University)
• MSc in Health Professional Education (from Jimma University)

In order to encourage international and interdisciplinary teams, we have set up a forum on the CIH^LMU Moodle called CIH^LMU Network Funds 2025-2026 in which all interested applicants can add their name, institution, field of expertise and contact details to network amongst each other and find suitable partners. Please contact us via cih@lrz.uni-muenchen.de if you do not have an account on the CIH^LMU Moodle. The use of this space is voluntary, and it is just to encourage and help potential applicants to network.

1.2. Maximum Number of Applications per Institution

The number of applications per institution is not limited.

1.3. Project Duration

Only activities taking place from 1st January 2025 until 31 July 2026 will be considered eligible. Therefore, it must be feasible to conduct the project within this time frame.

1.4. Minimum and Maximum Funding Available per Project

Any grant requested must fall between the minimum amount of 30.000,00 EUR and the maximum amount of 40.000,00 EUR for the entire funding period 2025/2026.

In the first funding year, 80% of the budget can be spent (up to 32.000,00 EUR) and 20% in the second year for dissemination activities (up to 8.000,00 EUR).
Funds must be administered and spent according to the DAAD regulations (see item 6. Funding). Therefore, each application has to be accompanied by a detailed budget plan according to these DAAD regulations. Please use the Budget Template – only this template will be accepted.

1.5. Prime Applicant and Responsibilities

Within the project application, the prime applicant and the responsibilities of the project staff must be clearly defined. Assigning specific names to specific roles in the application is highly recommended in order to be able to set up the contracts in the very beginning of the project. The prime applicant should be the responsible person for the overall coordination of the project activities, as well as for the budget plan and spending. If the project application is successful and the project receives the funds from CIH^LMU , the prime applicant will be the responsible person for complying with the regulations described in this call and in the cooperation agreement.

1.6. Language

Only proposals written in English are eligible.

1.7. Priority Topics

Project proposals have to be related to One Health and be interdisciplinary and international. For a better understanding of One Health within the OH-TARGET project, applicants are encouraged to visit the CIH^LMU website.

Each research project is expected to publish at least one article in an international journal and implement at least one activity to disseminate results to non-academic actors.

2. Timeline

3. Reporting

For all selected projects, two project reports are required:

1. A mid-term report before 1st December 2025, including a detailed overview of all expenses for the year 2025.
2. A final and comprehensive report to be submitted by 15th August 2026 including a detailed overview of all expenses for both years divided by year.

For both reports, a template will be provided by the CIH^LMU Office to the awarded applicants.

4. Structure of Proposals and Word Count

A maximum word count of 6 pages (approx. 2000 words) per proposal is permitted (Font: Arial ≥ 10). Longer proposals will be excluded from evaluation. Proposals must be submitted in English. Proposals missing any of the formal criteria will be excluded from evaluation.

The proposals need to be structured in the following way:

You can find the budget template in Document 2.

5. Selection Criteria

Only projects fulfilling the eligibility criteria and the formal requirements are eligible for review. Eligibility will be checked by the CIH^LMU Office in Munich.

5.1. Evaluation Process

Alumni and representatives of the partner universities will review the proposals in pairs, with one reviewer from the same region as the main applicant and one from another region. Likewise, reviewers will cover different disciplines. The review board, which will make the final decision, will consist of the leaders of the One Health competence centers, one alumni representative, and one member of the CIH^LMU board at LMU hospital, Munich, each having one vote. The CIH^LMU Munich Office will coordinate the selection process.

5.1.1. Criteria of Scientific and Technical Quality

• Scientific excellence
• Relevance of the project to One Health
• Interdisciplinarity of the project
• Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals
• Inclusion at least one other faculties/disciplines besides human health as research partner
• Feasibility of project within the time frame
• Description of suitable tools and methods
• Potential to strengthen South-South partnerships
• Number of partner institutions and alumni involved (minimum requirement: 2 from two different countries)
• Potential of the project to generate relevant evidence and scientific output

5.1.2. Management and Budget Criteria

• Number of faculties/disciplines involved
• Clarity on roles and responsibilities of members and institutions, clear cut management structure
• Compliance with the DAAD funding criteria

The range of awardable grades for each item is as follows:

3: excellent 2: average 1: below average 0: not available

An average score will be calculated.

5.2. Notification to the Selected Projects

Selected projects will be announced on 1st December 2024.

5.3. Cooperation Agreement/Contract

Following the selection of projects to be funded, the beneficiaries will be requested to sign a Cooperation Agreement. The Funding Agreement describes the CIH^LMU /DAAD main terms and requirements of the funding, identifies the contact person, details of the reporting requirements, duties and responsibilities. In addition, the cooperation agreement clarifies the financial conditions for each project.

6. Funding

According to the DAAD regulations, the following criteria apply:

6.1. Project-Specific Staff

Project specific staff might be employed via a service agreement with CIH^LMU . The role of each project member must be clearly described. No funds for staff directly employed at the partner institutions are available.

Remuneration needs to be adapted to local customary remuneration.

6.2. Remuneration for External Experts

External experts (e.g., for events, conferences, workshops etc.) might be remunerated for their contribution via a service agreement or speaker’s contract with CIH^LMU only (max. of 250€/day). External experts exclude any personnel from the applying institution and any alumni that might be part of the project staff.

Remuneration needs to be adapted to local customary remuneration.

6.3. Consumables/Equipment

• Consumables: e.g. test tubes, paper, etc.
• Assets: e.g. computers, data carriers, licenses and software. Small equipment can be purchased as part of the network work to better equip the partner universities abroad. The prerequisite for this is that subsequent expenditure can be demonstrably borne by them.
• Printing/Publications/Advertising and Public Relations: e.g. flyers, brochures, posters; in the online area (development, establishment and maintenance of communication and learning platforms, internet presences, e-journals, online libraries, scientific publications).
• External Services: e.g. catering, coach travel, repair services, IT services, professional and cultural supporting program for events
• Others: e.g. expenses for entrance tickets for excursions, museum visits, payment of participation fees for conferences, contribution to insurance, visa fees, necessary vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis, fees for money transfers abroad.

6.4. Travel and Accommodation Expenses

6.4.1. Travel Expenses

Expenses for personnel of the grant recipient for travel/flights can be applied for and claimed in accordance with the Bavarian State Law on Travel Remuneration (BRKG/LRKG); only 2nd class rail travel and economy class air travel is funded. Expenses for project personnel of the foreign partner university for travel and flights can be claimed in accordance with the principles of economic efficiency and economy.

6.4.2. Accommodation Expenses

Expenses for personnel of the grant recipient for the stay (accommodation and meals) can be applied for and claimed in accordance with BRKG/LRKG. Expenses for project staff of the foreign partner university for accommodation (overnight stay and meals) can be claimed in accordance with the principles of economic efficiency and economy.

6.5. Non-Eligible Costs

• Any other costs not mentioned in 6.1 to 6.4 are not eligible
• Alcohol
• Gifts
• Tips
• Cancellation fees (e.g. accommodation, flights etc.)

6.6. Payment and Funds’ Transfer Regulations

If the Prime Applicant is staff member of a CIH^LMU OH-TARGET partner institution, there is a possibility of forwarding the project funds to the institution to be administered locally. The forwarding of grants is only possible if the partner site has a financial department with the capacity to manage these funds and after all parties have signed the cooperation and forwarding grant agreement provided by CIH^LMU .

In all other cases without a grant forwarding agreement, the payment possibilities are the following:

• For personnel costs: All contracts for project specific staff and speakers will be made directly by CIH^LMU to the specific person via bank transfer.

• For all consumables and travel/accommodation expenses, there are two options:

  • The prime applicant/project staff advances the payments and asks CIH^LMU for reimbursement. The regulations for reimbursements will be specified in the Cooperation Agreement and in the DAAD Funding Regulations.
  • Direct payment via the CIH^LMU Office in Munich upon receiving a valid invoice and all necessary payment details

7. Submission

Please submit your complete project proposal in pdf no later than 31st October 2024 via email to: cih.networkfunds@lrz.uni-muenchen.de

8. Contact

For questions concerning the submission and evaluation procedure, please contact: cih.networkfunds@lrz.uni-muenchen.de

9. Supporting Documents

Document 1: One Health Network Funds - Call for Proposals 2025/2026
Document 2: One Health Network Funds - Budget Template 2025/2026
Document 3: DAAD Exceed Funding Framework 2025-2029
Document 4: DAAD Exceed Guidelines for Impact-oriented Project Planning and Monitoring