After a successful first funding phase (2012–2014), the Priority Programme 1646 has launched its second phase (2015–2017) this year: As part of the opening conference, seven new projects presented their research questions and hypotheses, while ongoing and extended projects gave summaries of their previous work as well as an outlook on further analyses for the next three years.

Over the course of the conference, the Research Data Center LIfBi held a NEPS data workshop aimed at advanced data users, referring to specific questions regarding NEPS data. An introductory NEPS user training for all those involved in new projects of the Priority Programme had already taken place on September 30, giving an overview of the NEPS and its data set.