Joint projects rely on the collaboration of a number of research groups. The need for these larger projects arises either from the necessity to include experts from different fields, or from the sheer amount of work necessary to solve a specific scientific problem.
Typical examples for joint projects are Collaborative Research Centres (SFB) as funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). At the Department of Computer Science the Collaborative Research Centre 531 „Design and Management of Complex Technical Systems with Methods of Computational Intelligence“, was established, which is a framework for co-operative research between working groups from computer science, electrical engineering, IT-technology, mechanical engineering, and bio- and chemical engineering.
Furthermore, computer scientists from the Department participate in Collaborative Research Centres No. 475, 559, and 708, where the central management lies with other departments and faculties of the University of Dortmund.
Last but not least, working groups of the Department of Computer Science participate in a great number of national and international research projects. This work is described on the web pages of the respective chairs.