BUNDESAMT FUER STRAHLENSCHUTZ

Their core work

The Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) is Germany's Federal Office for Radiation Protection, the national authority responsible for protecting people and the environment from ionising and non-ionising radiation. Their work spans radiation dosimetry, risk assessment, nuclear safety regulation, and medical radiation protection across therapy, nuclear medicine, and radiology. In H2020, they coordinated major European efforts to integrate radiation protection research and establish evidence-based exposure standards, while also contributing to nuclear education frameworks and medical radiation safety roadmaps.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

BfS's early H2020 involvement (2015-2016) centred on nuclear education infrastructure — professional training networks, ECVET mobility frameworks, and summer courses through ANNETTE, alongside launching the broad CONCERT joint programme. By 2020, their focus shifted decisively toward applied radiation protection: medical radiation safety (EURAMED rocc-n-roll) and evidence-based exposure standards with strong societal dimensions (RadoNorm). The evolution shows a move from education and capacity-building toward front-line scientific evidence production and public-facing radiation risk communication.

BfS is moving toward integrating societal and public communication dimensions into technical radiation protection research, making them an increasingly relevant partner for projects that bridge science and policy.

How they like to work

BfS operates as a consortium leader in large-scale European joint programmes — both their coordinated projects (CONCERT, RadoNorm) carry multi-million euro budgets and involve extensive partner networks. With 150 unique partners across 30 countries, they function as a major hub in European radiation protection research. Their balanced 50/50 split between coordinator and participant roles, combined with their national authority status, means they bring both scientific credibility and administrative capacity to any consortium.

BfS has built an exceptionally broad network of 150 unique consortium partners spanning 30 countries, driven largely by their coordination of two major European joint programmes. This reach is pan-European and reflects their role as a central node in the radiation protection research community.

What sets them apart

As Germany's national radiation protection authority, BfS occupies a rare position at the intersection of regulatory mandate, scientific research, and European policy coordination. Unlike university research groups, they bring regulatory authority and direct policy influence to their projects. Their ability to coordinate 150+ partners across 30 countries in joint programmes makes them one of the most connected organisations in European radiation protection — an essential partner for any consortium that needs credibility with both scientists and regulators.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RadoNorm
  Their largest project (EUR 3.2M as coordinator), combining technical dosimetry with societal aspects of radiation risk — represents their current strategic direction through 2025.
• CONCERT
  A European Joint Programme (EUR 2.9M as coordinator) that integrated radiation protection research across the continent, demonstrating BfS's capacity to lead large-scale cross-border scientific coordination.
• EURAMED rocc-n-roll
  Positions BfS in the medical radiation space with a strategic research agenda spanning radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, and radiology — a significant expansion beyond their traditional environmental/occupational focus.