Call for the 2026-2027 Momentum Programme

Momentum is a career development programme for excellent early stage researchers at UiB. This is a call for applications to the 8th programme which will be run in 2026-2027. Up to 24 applicants will be accepted.   

Please read the call carefully before sending your application.

Seminar programme

The Momentum programme includes five seminars, planned to run between August 2026 and June 2027. Seminars are designed to:

1. Provide resources, training and advice to support participants’ strategic career planning and development toward research independence/leadership (commensurate with their discipline/career stage).
2. Support participants to be able to develop and deliver competitive applications to appropriate national and international funding instruments, anchored at their department. 
3. Facilitate the development of participants’ professional networks.
4. Promote the development of interdisciplinary connections and networks within UiB.

The seminars ae structured around the key categories career development and external funding, with the topics of the seminars being excellence, impact, research leadership and implementation, internationalization, and grant writing. Each seminar lasts for 2 days, located in the Bergen area.

Attendance at the seminars is compulsory. Exceptions will only be made for statutory leaves of absence or sickness.

Momentum stipend and mentoring

In addition to the seminar series, Momentum delegates receive a NOK 50 000 stipend to spend on career advancing activities like mentoring, networking, research stays, conferences, workshops, application development, field work, pilot data etc.

Mentoring

If the candidate wishes to engage a mentor, the faculty and/or department will assist with identifying and engaging a suitable mentor.

Who can apply?

Postdocs, researchers and associate professors employed at UiB can apply to Momentum. Candidates will be selected according to the following eligibility criteria:

• The candidates must be employed by UiB, normally in a minimum 80 % FTE position.
• Employees in fixed-term positions must have at least one year left on their contract at the start of the programme.
• It should be no more than nine (9) years since candidates have obtained their PhD.
• The programme holds a strong focus on strengthening the candidate’s ability to attract external funding and win research grants. Candidates should be motivated to apply for external funding, in agreement with their department/faculty.  

Application process

If you wish to apply, please submit the electronic application form. Please include the following documents*, which should be uploaded with your application:

• A cover letter explaining your motivation for applying to Momentum and your motivation to apply for external funding (maximum 2 pages).
• Your academic CV.
• A short letter of recommendation from your head of department (maximum 1 page).

The deadline for applications was 17:00 on the 20th of March 2026.

The application can be in English or any Scandinavian languages. If you have any questions regarding the application process or the seminar series, please contact Cecilie Nordbotten or Ingunn Voster at the Division of Research and Innovation.

_{*The documents may be in English or Norwegian/Scandinavian language}

Admission requirements

Momentum delegates are assessed and chosen by their respective faculties. The possibilities for openings in future positions within the competence field of the applicants may be considered.

Attendance at seminars is compulsory. Exceptions will only be made for statutory leaves of absence or sickness.

If you are admitted onto the programme, you will be asked to start working on your career development plan and to plan the use of your stipend (including mentor, if chosen) before the first seminar.