Determinants of third-party funding applications in German academia

In recent decades, the importance of securing third-party funding has significantly increased. While much of the research focuses on changes in governance, this paper examines the issue from the individual perspective of professors and the organizational structures in German higher education. The key research question is: What motivational and organizational factors are linked to the number of third-party funding applications submitted by professors at German universities? Writing these applications entails additional work for professors. Using Self-Determination Theory, the study explores motivational factors, as well as organizational factors, such as the delegation of application work to their research teams. A survey conducted between March and May 2022 with German professors reveals key insights. Neither intrinsic motivation nor scientific reputation plays a significant role in driving professors to pursue third-party funding. Instead, external pressures, such as the necessity of funding for research, are the primary motivators. Additionally, while postdocs often assist in writing applications, it is the involvement of predocs that most strongly correlates with an increase in the number of applications submitted. Significant disciplinary differences in application submission rates are also observed.

近几十年来，获取第三方资助（third-party funding）的重要性显著提升。当前多数研究聚焦于治理结构的变革，而本研究从德国高等教育体系中教授的个体视角与组织结构维度切入该议题。核心研究问题为：德国大学教授提交的第三方资助申请数量，与哪些动机类及组织类因素存在关联？撰写此类申请会为教授带来额外工作负荷。本研究依托自我决定理论（Self-Determination Theory），探讨了动机类影响因素，以及诸如将申请工作委托给其研究团队等组织类因素。2022年3月至5月期间针对德国教授开展的调研揭示了关键结论：内在动机与学术声誉均未对教授寻求第三方资助产生显著驱动作用；相反，科研对资助的刚需等外部压力是主要激励因素。此外，尽管博士后常协助撰写申请，但博士生的参与与申请数量增长的相关性最为显著。研究同时观察到，不同学科间的申请提交率存在显著差异。