English translation: research unit/centre, main research area, research focus
Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:
Forschungsschwerpunkt ()
English translation:
research unit/centre, main research area, research focus
Explanation: Interdisziplinärer Forschungsschwerpunkt
Risiko und Nachhaltige Technikentwicklung
ZIRN ist ein Schwerpunkt innerhalb des Internationalen Zentrums für Kultur- und Technikforschung (IZKT) an der Universität Stuttgart. Unsere Ziele sind es, die Bedingungen, Voraussetzungen und Folgen nachhaltiger Technikentwicklung sowie die Risiken und Chancen dieser Entwicklungen in Wechselwirkung von Politik, Wirtschaft und Zivilgesellschaft (Governance) systematisch zu erforschen. Die zentrale Aufgabe des Forschungsschwerpunktes besteht in der Anregung, Koordination und Durchführung von Forschungsvorhaben zu folgenden Themenbereichen:
Interdisciplinary Research Unit on Risk Governance
and Sustainable Technology Development
Ortwin Renn serves as full professor and Chair of Environmental Sociology and Technology Assessment at Stuttgart University (Germany). He directs the Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Risk Governance and Sustainable Technology Development (ZIRN) at Stuttgart University and the non-profit company DIALOGIK, a research institute for the investigation of communication and participation processes in environmental policy making.
Thanks! This definitely seems to be what is meant here, although it is obviously rather context-sensitive and does indeed even demand a different translation in the two different contexts I have before me. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Having pointed to the fact that the (organisational) contexts differ here, I don't agree with using the same term for both (see my suggestion). Yes, FSP 'Geschichte' in the given link refers to a fixed organisational 'unit' (better than 'group'; not a 'centre'). But 'Interkultur' clearly doesn't as it comprises diverse activities (Projektgruppen, internationale Forschungskooperationen, Graduiertenkolleg) which are mainly integrated by the reseach topic. The point is, there's no need provided by the context (like with 'Geschichte') to refer to a logically 'narrower' organisational term here. But if you still want to, the nearest would be 'research program' (problem is, why didn't they use 'Forschungsprogramm' then?).
Yes - the first link strongly indicates a type of organization; the second, which is where your passage is taken from, would indicate the same thing. Therefore, in this case at least, research program/group/center etc., but not area or field
or, as the link address implies, a "Projektbereich"
I followed your links and found the following description:
„KlimaKultur
KlimaKultur ist ein transdisziplinärer Forschungsschwerpunkt am Kulturwissenschaftlichen Institut Essen (KWI), dem Forschungskolleg der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, der Technischen Universität Dortmund und der Universität Duisburg-Essen.***Der im Jahr 2008 eingerichtete Forschungsschwerpunkt ist das erste größere kulturwissenschaftliche Forschungsprojekt*** zum Thema des Klimawandels und beschreitet neue Wege der Analyse tiefgreifender sozialer Veränderungsprozesse.“
Could be either main research area/field or unit/center, but Germans also often use Forschungschwerpunkt to designate a unit or center within a research organization. Also the use of the word erganzen seems to indicate a unit, group, or center. Still, more context would be helpful...
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +8
