Background
Procedural Changes 2024
Several procedural changes became necessary after the launch of the DFG Infrastructure Priority Programme SPP 2520 “Research Vessels” as a single funding instrument for expeditions on all German research vessels. The aim was also to improve the handling of cruises relating to projects funded through other programmes. The changes took effect on 1 October 2024 with the publication of the updated instructions ((Download)).
The process followed by the Review Panel German Research Vessels (GPF) now distinguishes between regular cruise proposals and grant proposals submitted under SPP 2520. While regular cruise proposals may continue to be submitted throughout the year, SPP 2520 grant proposals (in conjunction with a corresponding core cruise proposal) may only be submitted in the second half of the year following publication of the respective call.
The GPF serves as the review panel for both regular cruise proposals and proposals submitted under SPP 2520. The latter are reviewed only at the GPF’s annual spring meeting, whereas Regular Cruise Proposals are reviewed at both the spring and autumn meetings. For each meeting, a dedicated panel is constituted based on the proposals received; it consists of the GPF members mandated for the current term (standing members) together with additional specialised experts. Once it has reviewed the funding and cruise proposals, the panel arrives at a jointly endorsed recommendation regarding funding and inclusion in the cruise scheduling process. External written reviews are now obtained only in exceptional cases.
While the GPF Office previously had to be notified in advance of cruises planned under coordinated programmes subject to a separate review and receiving funding elsewhere, this no longer applies. In the case of cruises linked to projects that have already been through the scientific review process (under both individual grants programmes and coordinated programmes), applicants must now mark them as such on submission and provide the additional documents specified in the instructions to demonstrate the extent to which the cruise was already taken into account in the prior review. The GPF examines these documents and reserves the right to carry out its own scientific review if it considers that the prior review did not sufficiently address the planned cruise. In this category of cruise proposals, the GPF normally only evaluates the requested working days at sea based on the work programme set out in the proposal.
Evaluation 2021
When the joint review process was introduced in 2018, it was agreed that the participating institutions would evaluate the process after three years. To this end, focus group interviews were conducted with users, reviewers, panel members and operators in spring 2021. Based on the experience gained to date and the findings obtained from these interviews, the participating institutions arrived at the following decisions:
The core elements of the process (review, review panel, the separation of scientific review from logistical planning, and administration by a GPF Office) have proved effective and efficient, ensuring transparent decisions based on uniform standards. The process will therefore be continued on a permanent basis.
Potential for optimisation was identified in certain areas, e.g. the website and the information it provides, the submission system, the detailed requirements set out in the instructions and the review criteria, and the coordination between the review panel and operators when prioritising cruises. These suggestions were taken up wherever possible and the documents were revised accordingly. The website (German Research Vessels Portal) was relaunched in 2025 and is being continuously expanded.
The composition of the panel was adjusted from the second mandate period onwards (2022–2025): the aim here has been to increase internationalisation, raise the proportion of female researchers, improve representation of the biological sciences, and ensure a more balanced workload among panel members.
Regular cruise proposals may be submitted throughout the year without fixed deadlines. Recommended lead times are indicated on the portal (see (interner Link)).
The scientific (interner Link) has been simplified. The separate scientific report and its evaluation by the GPF have been discontinued. Instead, the results are to be presented at the next possible (interner Link) two years after completion of the cruise. Here, an extended abstract is to be submitted that includes details of publications and presentations arising from the project.
Introduction of the Process
The GPF process was introduced in 2017. A joint review panel was established for all cruise proposals on all German research vessels, thereby implementing a recommendation put forward by the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat, WR). The GPF process replaced the four separate processes that existed previously, namely the review processes conducted by the DFG Senate Commission on Oceanography, the review committee “Marine Research with RV SONNE”, the AWI User Advisory Board for POLARSTERN and the Steering Group for Medium-Sized Vessels (MGS).