CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2025

A New Max Planck School in Artificial Intelligence

June 27, 2025

The Max Planck Schools bring together leading scientists from German universities and research organizations in a joint graduate program. Ambitious and promising PhD candidates engage in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, guided by outstanding scientists and supported by world-class research infrastructure and innovative teaching formats. Currently, there are three Max Planck Schools: The Max Planck School of Cognition, the Max Planck School Matter to Life and the Max Planck School of Photonics.

The Max Planck Schools concentrate Germany’s scientific excellence in future-oriented fields, training the next generation of researchers to make meaningful contributions to society. By transcending institutional, regional and disciplinary boundaries, they also aim to enhance Germany’s position in global science.

A New Max Planck School in Artificial Intelligence

To harness the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Max Planck Schools seek to establish a dedicated Max Planck School in AI. The aim is to develop novel AI models, methods and tools within a core scientific discipline outside of Computer Science while fostering strong synergies with the three existing Max Planck Schools. The new School will admit up to 25 doctoral candidates each year with additional funds for research, networking and administrative staff.

Submission of a Short Concept Proposal

Consortia are invited to submit a short concept proposal (max. 5 pages) outlining their vision for the new Max Planck School.
The proposal should

Define the School’s thematic focus and describe its realization with the partner institutions;
Sketch the vision of how AI will drive innovation within the chosen research field;
Explain how inter-organizational collaboration will create a hub of excellence;
Outline an innovative teaching model, including potential plans for a dedicated Master’s program, and describe how leading scientists from German institutions will be integrated;
Point out new contributions to the structure and development of the German science system (if applicable);
Include a letter of intent from at least three key partner institutions and the proposed spokespersons of the School.

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be assessed based on

Scientific Excellence: Participation of Germany’s leading researchers and institutions, ability to attract top-tier doctoral candidates, and potential for high-risk, high-reward research at the frontiers of scientific disciplines;
Academic and Organizational Framework: A realistic plan for distributed teaching and research, leveraging innovative remote instruction methods and the Schools’ well-established E-learning formats;
Commitment and Vision: Demonstrated enthusiasm and long-term commitment to the Max Planck Schools, a compelling vision for the School’s long-term success;
Disciplinary Focus: Aligned with the interdisciplinary character of the Max Planck Schools, successful proposals put a clear emphasis on developing novel AI methods for disciplines outside Computer Science, as opposed to mainly advancing AI methods within Computer Science or applying existing AI techniques to other research fields.

Process and Timeline

When preparing the submission, please follow the Concept Proposal guidelines – including a cover-page template and content to be addressed.

After reviewing submissions, selected consortia will be invited by October 1, 2025 to develop and submit a full proposal, due by November 10, 2025. The final selection will be announced in December 2025.

The selection committee comprises the Max Planck Schools’ Steering Committee and up to four external AI Experts. Impartiality will be ensured through exclusion and replacement, if needed.

We look forward to receiving innovative and ambitious proposals that push the boundaries of AI research and doctoral training.