Science and research have always operated across borders, i.e. internationally. Traditionally, the internationalization of research has been characterized by a bottom-up process: Most scientists are connected with colleagues through conferences, and institutional networks promote further exchange. Due to the internationalization of research funding, the framework conditions in the competition for research-related funding have changed significantly in recent years:

• Nationally funded research programs are becoming more international (e.g., more international collaborations in approved SFBs).
• European research funding is gaining in importance

However, the internationalization of research programs is not only characterized by the increasing number of international collaborations; many projects are evaluated internationally.

This process of internationalization is accompanied by a process of Europeanization, which is more strongly influenced by political framework conditions. The latter primarily serves the development of a common European research and economic area and therefore represents an institutionalization of international cooperation in Europe and its cooperation partners.

With the proclamation of the European Research Area (ERA), a development was set in motion in which the internationalization of research funding is steadily increasing. This does not only concern the growth figures in the European research framework programs. The international component is also steadily increasing in national research funding, especially in the funding programs of the DFG and the BMBF. The establishment of the European Research Council with its coveted research awards has also led to excellent international funding opportunities in basic research.

The UDE is committed to European cooperation in the field of research and teaching and places a focus on internationalization in the European research and education area. The cooperative research activities of the UDE in international and European research programs are to be further strengthened. This concerns international graduate colleges and SFB/Transregios of the DFG. In addition, the UDE will increase its involvement in the new EU framework program Horizon 2020 in the funding lines "Scientific Excellence" and "Societal Challenges". The UDE's commitment to the European Research Area is underlined by its cooperation in this network, which brings together the strongest universities from the various European countries in the European Research Framework Program to date. The UDE expresses its high potential in its visible participation in European excellence programs and develops new international projects through targeted measures. Particularly in the area of young researchers, the aim is to attract young scientists as ERC grantholders for this purpose.

The profile foci of the UDE are increasingly engaged in the area of so-called "societal challenges" (health, energy, transport, resource efficiency, reflexive societies) and are thus expanding their international portfolio. The members of the UDE are supported in this by professional advice, support in the preparation of applications, and a comprehensive range of administrative project management services provided by the Science Support Centre and the third-party funding administration. The corresponding offers are regularly evaluated and continuously developed according to the needs of the researchers as well as adapted to new formal framework conditions of the funding programs.