Research

The postdoctoral phase is a crucial period for developing an independent research profile, building collaborations, and preparing the next career steps. Within the Berlin University Alliance (BUA), the four partner institutions work together to create conditions in which postdoctoral researchers can pursue projects and access high-quality support across institutional boundaries.

Research Funding and Support

Securing third-party research funding is a key step toward academic independence, and all four BUA partner institutions provide dedicated services to help postdoctoral researchers navigate this process. While the structures differ between universities, the support offered follows a common goal: helping researchers identify suitable programs, develop competitive proposals, and manage funded projects effectively.

Freie Universität Berlin

At Freie Universität Berlin, the Research Funding Service is the central hub for all matters related to third-party funding. As Claudia Niggebrügge, Head of the Department Research Funding, explains, postdoctoral researchers reach out with very different levels of experience: Some already have a clear project idea or draft proposal, while others are still figuring out where to begin.

The service supports researchers at all stages of the process. Postdocs receive guidance on identifying relevant funding programs and understanding eligibility windows. Researchers preparing a full proposal can obtain detailed feedback on structure, coherence and argumentation, as well as support with budget planning, personnel questions, and administrative procedures.

Securing funding is not only about financing a project. As Niggebrügge emphasizes, it also strengthens academic independence, increases visibility, and builds essential skills in project management, collaboration, and long-term strategic planning.

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

At Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Research Service Centre (Servicezentrum Forschung, SZF) provides structured support for postdoctoral researchers at different career stages. As Valerie Popp from the Division Research Funding notes, external funding is a central element for demonstrating scientific independence and developing a strong academic profile.

Postdocs preparing a full proposal receive feedback on structure and argumentation, as well as support with budgeting and institutional procedures. In addition, the SZF offers access to comprehensive funding databases and information platforms. Together with the Humboldt Graduate School, the SZF also contributes to transferable skills development through workshops on proposal writing, good scientific practice, and internationalization. Guidance on scientific prizes and awards further supports postdocs in strengthening their academic visibility.

Technische Universität Berlin

At Technische Universität Berlin, the Research Funding Service offers support for national and international funding programs, including DFG, BMBF, EU framework programs, and foundation funding. Postdocs receive advice on identifying suitable funding lines, eligibility criteria, and proposal development, with additional feedback on work packages, narrative structure, and budget planning

For European funding, specialized support is available through the EU Research Funding Office, which supports ERC proposals, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships, and Horizon Europe projects.

In addition, TU Berlin offers a structured training program in project and research management through the Center for Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation (ZEWK), helping postdocs build essential skills for planning and implementing externally funded projects.

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

At Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, funding support reflects the institution’s strong biomedical and translational orientation. The Research Grants Office advises researchers throughout the entire application process, from identifying suitable programs to shaping project ideas and preparing full proposals. Postdocs receive guidance on methodological clarity, study design, and scientific argumentation, as well as budgeting and administrative requirements.

Complementing this, the External Funding Support service assists with the administrative management of funded projects after approval. This includes setting up project accounts, ensuring compliance with funder regulations, monitoring budgets, drawing down funds, preparing financial reports, and supporting audits.

Research Quality, Integrity & Open Research Practices

High-quality research depends not only on strong ideas and sound methods, but also on transparency, responsible conduct, and fair assessment. For the Berlin University Alliance, the four partner institutions work together to strengthen the value, integrity, and credibility of research across all disciplines.

1. Center for Open and Responsible Research (CORe)

The Center for Open and Responsible Research (CORe) is the central BUA unit dedicated to strengthening research quality and promoting responsible, reproducible and transparent scientific practices. CORe develops training formats, guidance materials, and support structures that help researchers integrate open and responsible research principles into their daily work.

For postdocs, CORe offers support in several key areas:

Open access publishing and data sharing
Preregistration and research documentation
Responsible research design and reporting
Good scientific practice and integrity-related questions

Workshops, consultations, and online materials provide practical guidance for implementing these practices in individual projects. CORe also works closely with research data management teams and open-access services at the four partner universities, giving postdocs a BUA-wide perspective on policies and support options.

To support responsible and high-quality research, the BUA also provides a selection of guidelines, good-practice examples, and training resources. For an up-to-date overview of further courses and training opportunities, check the BUA’s official training catalogue.

2. Open Science and Transparency

Open science strengthens transparency, reproducibility, and collaboration, which are core elements of high-quality research. Within the Berlin University Alliance, open science is supported not only through institutional policies but also through a growing community of researchers who exchange knowledge, share experiences, and promote more open research practices. Postdocs can benefit from several resources and community formats.

Open Science Mailing List and Meet-ups

The BUA maintains an open science mailing list that keeps researchers informed about workshops, calls, events, and new developments. In addition, regular meet-ups offer a space for informal exchange, where researchers can discuss practical challenges, learn from peers, and explore how open and transparent workflows can be adapted to different disciplines.

Open Science Fellowships

The CORe also supports researchers through Open Science Fellowships and the Open Science Ambassadors Program, which provide time, mentoring, and structural support for projects that advance transparent, reproducible, or participatory research practices.

Berlin Science Survey

The Berlin Science Survey is a monitoring instrument for understanding how researchers engage with open science, collaboration, and research quality. Through its research and monitoring activities, CORe helps identify structural needs, monitor progress, and inform policy development, including contributions to the Berlin Science Survey.

3. Research Integrity

Upholding research integrity is a core commitment of the Berlin University Alliance. All four partner institutions follow the guidelines of good scientific practice set by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and offer dedicated structures to support researchers in resolving concerns, addressing conflicts, and ensuring responsible conduct.

BUA Online Module on Good Scientific Practice
The BUA provides an online module on Good Scientific Practice, introducing key principles such as documentation, data handling, authorship, and dealing with conflicts. It is widely used as an entry-level or refresher resource for postdoctoral researchers.

Ombudspersons and Integrity Advisors
Each institution maintains independent ombudspersons who offer confidential, impartial advice in cases of suspected misconduct, authorship disputes, or conflict within research teams. These services are confidential contact points that help clarify procedures and direct researchers to appropriate support structures.

Guidelines and Standards

The BUA also provides a curated selection of guidelines, good practice examples, and training resources that support responsible and high-quality research, offering researchers quick access to good-practice examples and training materials related to research quality and integrity.

4. Bee-NeT_-Berlin-Network-for-Early-Career-Researchers-on-Research-Quality

Reforming Research Assessment: CoARA

The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) is an international initiative that promotes fairer and more holistic approaches to evaluating research and researchers. Instead of relying heavily on journal metrics, CoARA encourages institutions to recognize a broader spectrum of contributions, including open science practices, mentoring, collaboration, teaching, and societal engagement.

The BUA is a signatory to the CoARA Agreement and has developed a joint Action Plan to implement these principles. The plan includes piloting narrative CVs, recognising a wider range of research contributions, reducing reliance on journal-based metrics, and providing training for reviewers and committees. As these reforms progress, postdoctoral researchers will benefit from more transparent, balanced, and diverse evaluation practices across the Alliance.

Sharing Resources

Access to research infrastructures is essential for developing ambitious projects and conducting high-quality scientific work. Within the Berlin University Alliance, several shared platforms and initiatives allow researchers to use equipment, collections, data services, and publication infrastructures across institutional boundaries.

Alliance Center Electron Microscopy (ACEM)

The Alliance Center Electron Microscopy (ACEM) is a virtual, interdisciplinary center that brings together electron microscopy expertise from all four BUA institutions. It supports researchers who rely on electron microscopy for their projects and strengthens collaboration in the life sciences, natural sciences, and materials sciences.

For postdocs, two offers are particularly relevant: Early-career researchers can apply for seed funding of up to €10,000 to conduct electron microscopy measurements that support the development of future third-party funding applications. In addition, ACEM hosts an annual BUA Core Facility Day, where core facilities from across the BUA are presented. The event offers opportunities to discover available infrastructures, meet facility experts, and explore potential collaborations.

Berlin Universities Publishing (BerlinUP)

BerlinUP is a scholar-led, non-commercial open-access publishing initiative of the BUA. It provides services for publishing monographs, edited volumes, and other scholarly works in an open-access formats. In addition to publishing services, BerlinUP offers independent guidance on open-access strategies and copyright issues, helping postdocs increase the visibility and reach of their research.

Collaboratively Advancing Research Data Support (CARDS)

The project Collaboratively Advancing Research Data Support (CARDS) strengthens research data management (RDM) across all BUA institutions. It develops shared tools, services, and training opportunities to support FAIR and responsible handling of research data.

For postdocs, Subproject 3: RDM competence building is especially relevant. It offers training formats, practical guidance, and resources for planning, documenting, and managing research data. General information is available on the CARDS website, specific training opportunities are published under Research Data Management.

Digital Network for University Collections

The digital portal connects academic collections across the BUA institutions on a single digital platform. It increases visibility, improves accessibility, and enables researchers to use collection materials for interdisciplinary research, teaching, provenance studies, and public engagement activities.

OpenIRIS

OpenIRIS is a shared booking and management platform that allows researchers to reserve scientific instruments across BUA partner institutions, including large-scale or specialized equipment. For postdocs, it provides a practical overview of available devices and simplifies access to equipment that may not be available within their own department or laboratory.

The following links provide direct access to advisory services, guidelines, and support structures available across the four BUA partner institutions. They offer orientation on funding, publications, data management, research integrity, and ethical questions. The list focuses on interdisciplinary resources that are most relevant for postdoctoral researchers.

Please note:At Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, there is no central ethics commission. Instead, ethical review procedures are organized at the level of the individual faculties, where researchers can find the appropriate committees for discipline-specific questions.