What is an Associated Partner?
Associated Partners are individuals, research groups and other organisational units that want to actively engage with NFDI4ING without becoming formal participants (DFG FAQ). Becoming an Associated Partner is deliberately simple and does not require an institution-wide commitment or a legally binding agreement. It is open to individual researchers, chairs, institutes, research groups, Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs), and other engineering-related initiatives. The programme provides a visible affiliation with NFDI4ING and, where needed, enables access to services and community activities that require an NFDI4ING association.

How can I become an Associated Partner?
To become an Associated Partner, complete and sign the FAIRness Commitment and Expression of Interest and submit it to NFDI4ING. We will check that your application is based in Germany and has a connection to engineering research. If these criteria are met, we will welcome you as an Associated Partner and add you to the NFDI4ING website.

What are the benefits?
As an Associated Partner, you can:

• use services that specifically require an association with NFDI4ING, such as applications for storage in Coscine or inclusion in the NFDI4ING Community AAI;
• participate in community activities where an NFDI4ING association is required;
• be listed on the NFDI4ING website, including your logo where applicable; and
• use the NFDI4ING logo to indicate your partnership.

Most NFDI4ING services and resources are openly available and do not require Associated Partner status.