External Funding Opportunities

- Research Stay Abroad - each funding source offers funding for research stays abroad for the candidates:

• The Faculty of Medicine - Postdoctoral fellows with UiB funding - granted for stays 3-12 months. Deadlines: 1. March and 1. October each year.
• Helse Vest - Granted for 6 or 12 months. Postdoctoral fellowship applicants are especially encouraged to apply for an overseas fellowship over the course of their fellowship period. Deadline: continuing.
• Research Council of Norway - Scholarship for research stays abroad for 3 -12 months for PhD candidates and Post Doctors in projects with funding from the Research Council.. Deadline: continuing.

- EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships - Research on the molecular mechanisms of life at all levels.

EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships support excellent postdoctoral researchers throughout Europe and the world for a period of up to two years. International mobility is a key requirement. The fellowship includes a salary or stipend, a relocation allowance and support for fellows with children. Awardees can attend an EMBO Laboratory Leadership course and become part of the global network of EMBO Fellows. 

Eligibility

• Applicants are eligible 0-2 years after obtained PhD. It is possible to start the application before the PhD is obtained.

• Extensions are possible due to career breaks as parental leave, military service/civil service or other extraordinary circumstances.

• Applicants must have at least one first (or joint first) author primary research paper accepted for publication or published in an international peer reviewed journal at the time the application is complete.

Mobility 

EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships are intended to promote international exchange. All applications must involve a change of country. More details at the EMBO website.

Funding and duration

The fellowship includes a salary or stipend, a relocation allowance and support for fellows with children. The fellowship does not cover bench fees, overheads, funds for consumables or any other financial benefits to the host supervisor or the receiving institute. The grant rate depends on the country being visited. More details on the EMBO website.

Fellowships are awarded for a period of 24 months although shorter durations can be requested. The minimum fellowship duration that can be requested is 12 months.

• Short-term Fellowships fund research exchanges of up to three months between laboratories in eligible countries.
• Long-term Fellowships are awarded for a period of up to two years and support post-doctoral research visits to laboratories throughout Europe and the world. Deadline: throughout the year.

For further information and application guidelines, please follow the link here. 

- PES2020 - Support to Norwegian Stakeholders Shaping the Content of Horizon Europe

This call is designed to facilitate cohesive Norwegian collaboration and increase the participation of Norwegian stakeholders in the effort to promote Norwegian interests in the process of shaping the content of Horizon Europe, the EU’s next research and innovation framework programme (2021–2027). NOK 100,000-500,000 for 12-24 months. Deadline: continuing.

What can you seek funding for?

• Payroll and indirect expenses: costs incurred by the Project Owner and other task-performing partners, budgeted in accordance with the Research Council’s standard guidelines.
• Direct costs related to:
  • travel and accommodation/board in connection with relevant meetings;
  • costs in connection with organising workshops, seminars, etc.
• Project activities/incurred costs from the application date onward may be included.

- Research Commercialisation from Publicly Funded Research - to contribute to increasing commercial exploitation of publicly-funded research in Norway. A unique grant application may only be submitted once.

1. Qualification Project (former Milestone Project) 

   The purpose of a qualification project is to undertake initial investigations into the commercial potential of research results that aim to clarify which course to pursue as regards the direction of research, technology development or strategic decisions. The results from a completed Qualification Project will often form the basis for decisions on the subsequent course of commercialisation, and the results can be used to support an application for commercialisation funding in the form of a  Proof-of-Concept.

   The funding must be used to clarify the commercial potential of promising research results. The anticipated long-term economic gains are increased value creation, sustainability, competition and increased ability to address major societal challenges. NOK 200 000-500 000 for 3-12 months. Deadline: open-ended.

2. Proof-of-Concept Project

   The purpose of a Proof-of-Concept Project is to reduce the project’s uncertainty relating to technology and the market. The goal is that when the Proof-Of-Concept Project is concluded, the most critical questions and uncertainties have been clarified, so that the next stage of the commercialisation process can begin.

   The funding must be used to reduce technological risks and increase the commercial application of results from publicly funded research projects. The anticipated long-term economic gains are increased value creation, sustainability, competition and increased ability to address major societal challenges. NOK 1 000 000-5 000 000 for 12-36 months. Deadline: open-ended.

- Doctoral Project in the Public Sector

The Public Sector Ph.D. Scheme (OFFPHD) is intended to expand research activities in public sector bodies, to increase researcher recruitment within the public sector and to promote greater collaboration between academia and the public sector.

Funding will be provided for at least 32 Public Sector Ph.D. projects. Of these, funding will be awarded to at least:

• 10 projects for teachers in schools.
• 3 projects of relevance to the Research Council’s Programme on Health, Care and Welfare Services Research (HELSEVEL).
• 3 projects of relevance to the Research Council’s Programme for Research and Innovation in the Educational Sector (FINNUT).
• Three projects of relevance to the Research Council’s IKTPLUSS Initiative for ICT and Digital Innovation.
• Three projects of relevance to the Research Council’s Research Programme on Welfare, Working Life and Migration (VAM).

There are no thematic restrictions for the remaining 13 projects.

Project duration: 3-4 years. See the call page for more information (the call for 2021 opens om 3. March). Deadline: Open-ended

- Support for events

Support for events is available to approved Norwegian research organisations, companies, public entities, non-governmental organisations and groups of such entities in order to better equip them to organise conferences, workshops and seminars. Funding may also be granted for international conferences when the Norwegian applicant is the main organiser.

The event must serve as a meeting place for disseminating research results, exchanging knowledge, expanding the knowledge-base and/or establishing new scientific collaboration. Funding is available for both physical and virtual events.

Health:

You can apply for support for events that promote health research and health innovation. Funding will contribute to building capacity and competence within the prioritised thematic areas as described in the Portfolio plan for Health. The aim of support for events is to stimulate meeting places between research and innovation environments and users. There is also need for events mainly focusing on users' involvement as a method and practice.

Requirements for the application:

• The event must be relevant for one or more prioritised areas as described in the Portfolio plan for Health (see Relevant plans below).
• The event must include relevant users and the importance and relevance of the event for the users/end users must be described in the application.
• You must indicate a tentative programme for the event in the project description.
• The event must take place in Norway.
• You can apply for a minimum of NOK 100 000 and a maximum of NOK 300 000. If you apply for a higher or lower amount of funding, the grant application will be rejected. 

Deadline: continuing.

- Stay abroad

Scholarship for research stays abroad for 3 -12 months for PhD candidates and Post Doctors in projects with funding from the Research Council. Deadline: continuing.

Joint Nordic calls for proposals

- Call for pre-proposals on Nordic University Cooperation - To strengthen international competitiveness and facilitate the development of excellent Nordic research environments.

The call is open to all themes and disciplines and is conducted in two phases: phase 1 - pre-proposals; phase 2 - approximately 20 applicants will be invited to submit full proposals, which will be assessed by an international expert panel and the Call Committee.

Activities that can be funded:

• mobility and networking activities
• guest researchers
• PhD students and post-docs
• workshops, seminars and conferences
• research training (e.g. intensive courses, field courses, summer schools and joint courses);
• communication and dissemination activities
• other activities that promote the cooperational framework and are necessary for implementation of the collaboration

Full call text. Maximum amount of funding that may be sought: MNOK 20 (MNOK 4 annually); each university consortium must provide resources equalling twice the amount of funding sought from NordForsk. Duration: 5 years (01.01.2024 – 31.12.2028). Deadline: 02. November 2022.

Kreftforeningens strategy 2020-2023 (PDF - Areas of focus on pages 9–11)

Calls

- Pioneer projects 2022

To fund projects for early-stage exploration of novel and innovative ideas and new solutions with potential for breaking new grounds in cancer research. This could be through answering a long-standing question or transforming the understanding of a topic in cancer, paving the way for an important improvement in preventing, diagnosing, treating or managing cancer, or the like.  

Although the projects should be grounded in relevant scientific knowledge. they should also be truly novel, through e.g., unorthodox thinking, a new and unique approach, a highly novel and original hypothesis, challenging existing research and/or using a non-standard methodology. The idea should be unlikely to be fit for conventional research programmes due to its high-risk nature.  

Proposals could be from all disciplines and cancer-related topics, as well as Project Managers from all career stages are . Multidisciplinary and unconventional approaches are welcome, and one does not need to have supporting data to back your idea.

See information on previous awards, including a UiB project: Extra bets on resilient cancer pioneers - Kreftforeningen

Project duration: 1 to 2 years / Funding scale: 1 to 2 MNOK (total amount of call: 10 MNOK).

Deadline: 15. September 2022.

- Kongresstøtte - Tannlege Olaf Aase og frues legat

Apply through the Application Web. Deadline: Continuous.

- Nordic Cancer Union Research Grant

The Nordic Cancer Union (NCU) provides funding to support and stimulate collaborative cancer research within the Nordic countries. The applying researcher’s and collaborators involved in the project must be working in at least three, and preferably several different Nordic countries. The research project must be cancer relevant and uniquely suited to be carried out within the Nordic countries, and the effect of collaboration should be synergistic.

Guidelines (PDF file) for NCU Research Grant Applications and Allocations 2022.

Apply here. Deadline: 1. September 2022, 4 pm (EET).

- Research

To provide support for health research aimed at target groups in Norway that contribute to promoting living conditions, physical and mental health, coping, quality of life or social participation. This includes work for increased participation and gender equality for the disabled, preventive health work, rehabilitation, habilitation, care work and public health work. Call guidelines.

The Trond Mohn Foundation gives grants towards research and research supporting activities at the University of Bergen (UiB) and Haukeland University Hospital (HUS), and other Norwegian research institutions who cooperate with institutions in Bergen. The foundation also gives grants to support translational research at UiB and HUS.

- Starting Grant Programme 2022 - call for proposals for grants beginning in 2023.

Results from the prequalification round (deadline: 8 March 2022) will be ready in the middle of June 2022. The deadline for proposals to the final round will be medio August and the interview day for the finalists will be announced later. Results from the final round will be announced o December 2022.

- Financial support for applicants from the Research Council of Norway - You can apply for financial support to find partners, networks and relevant calls for proposals, as well as for help to prepare a grant proposal

- Funding & tender opportunities

1) European Research Council (ERC)

ERC homepage

ERC Calls 2023 (tentative deadline dates):

• Starting Grant: 25. October 2022  ->  See ´Courses´ at the end of this page!
• Consolidator Grant: 2. February 2023
• Advanced Grant: 23. May 2023
• Proof of concept: 24. January + 20. April + 14. September 2023
• Synergy Grant: 8. November 2022

Starting Grant: For talented early-career scientists of any nationality with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD, who have already produced excellent supervised work, is ready to work independently and shows potential to be a research leader with a scientific track record showing great promise. Up to 1,5€ million, 5 years.

Consolidator Grant: For researchers of any nationality with 7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD, who want to consolidate your independence by establishing a research team and continuing to develop a success career in Europe. You can also apply if you have recently created an independent, excellent research team and want to strengthen it. Up to 2€ million, 5 years.

Advanced Grant: For established and active researchers who want long-term funding to pursue a ground-breaking, high-risk project and have a recognised track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years which identifies them as leaders in their respective field of research. Up to 2,5€ million, 5 years.

Proof of concept: For ERC grant holders to explore the commercial or societal potential innovation of their ERC frontier research project. Lump sum of 150.000€.

Synergy Grant: To address ambitious research questions that can only be answered by the coordinated work of a small group of 2-4 principal Investigators. Up to 10€ million for 6 years.

2) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

•  MSCA Postdocoral fellowships

Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) will be provided to excellent researchers, undertaking international mobility either to or between EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, as well as to non-associated Third Countries. Applications will be made jointly by the researcher together with a beneficiary in the academic or non-academic sector.

Deadline (tentative): 14. September 2022.

• Doctoral Networks

Doctoral Networks (DN) are not purely research projects but network schemes that measure both scientific quality, innovative ways of educating and training PhD students for future and enhanced career perspectives in both the academic and non-academic sectors through international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. DN equip researchers with the right combination of research-related and transferable competences combined with an innovation-oriented mind-set.

The call for MSCA-DN 2021 will open on 12. May 2022. Deadline (tentative): 15. November 2022. Results: April 2023.

3) Health cluster calls

The Health Cluster of Horizon Europe aims at promotion of health and well-being of the Europeans as one of the central objectives of the European Union`s policies and programmes. Efforts will be devoted to develop an economy that works for people by supporting Member States in making innovative high-quality health technologies and health care both available and affordable for citizens as well as to rendering health care systems more accessible and sustainable, including through the digital transformation of health and care.

Missions in Horizon Europe - Conquering cancer

EU Missions are a new way to bring concrete solutions to some of our greatest challenges. They have ambitious goals and will deliver concrete results by 2030. The EU mission on cancer and the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan are political and strategic commitments to turn the tide against cancer. 

The EU has published an updated work programme and additional calls related to the mission of conquering cancer. It includes:

• to be updated!

Deadline: ...

Links to the work programme and the EU strategy on Cancer are provided below 

• Work programme with updated topics 
• A cancer plan for Europe
• Cancer Mission implementation plan

The Horizon Europe Mission Cancer has shared draft topic ideas for the next round of call for proposals for research and innovation projects. The next deadline is September 2022, but subject to change.

EU Missions are a new way to bring concrete solutions to some of our greatest challenges. They have ambitious goals and will deliver concrete results by 2030. The EU mission on cancer and the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan are political and strategic commitments to turn the tide against cancer. 

Proposed Topics for Call 2022 (Prospective calls)

• HORIZON-MISS-2022-CANCER-01-01: Improving and upscaling primary prevention of cancer through implementation research (RIA; indicative budget €50 million; indicative project size: €3-8 million);
• HORIZON-MISS-2022-CANCER-01-02: Pragmatic clinical trials to optimise treatment for patients (RIA; indicative budget €60 million; indicative project size: €4-6 million);
• HORIZON-MISS-2022-CANCER-01-03: Strengthen Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures (CSA; indicative budget €3 million);
• HORIZON-MISS-2022-CANCER-01-04: Towards the creation of a European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (CSA; indicative budget €3 million);
• HORIZON-MISS-2022-CANCER-01-05: Creation of national Mission Hubs supporting the Mission on Cancer (CSA; indicative budget €3 million).

Additional information

Please find below a link to the work programme as well as additional information related to the Mission on Cancer and the WP2022 topics. 

• Proposed topics 2022
• Cancer Mission implementation plan
• A cancer plan for Europe

The EU4Health Programme supports building a European Health Union. The programme will provide funding to eligible entities from Member States, associated third countries, international organisations, NGOs and the private sector in the form of grants or procurement of specific services. NGOs will be able to apply through an open call for operating grants, as well as for action grants on various topics. The European Commission and the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) will manage the programme.

See additional information on the Norwegian Directorate of Health´s webpage; see also here. 

The Kavli Trust Programme on Health Research has announced a call targeting evidence gaps in child and adolescent mental health. The research projects should be collaborative and target one or more of the selected evidence gaps. Prospective applicants should consult the list of evidence gaps as described by the Kavli Trust. 

Eligibility

The host institution has to be a university, academic institution or research institution or institute in Norway, Sweden, Finland, or the United Kingdom. The research project must commit to user involvement by including two named user representatives as members of the research group.

Funding

Applicants may apply for projects between NOK 3 - 10 million. Funding from the Kavli Trust cannot be used to cover overhead. A considerable in-kind contribution is also expected. Project duration may be up to six years. 

Two-step application process

The application process will take place in two stages. Deadlines: Pre-proposal: 15 March 2022 / Full proposal: 31 August 2022

Visit the Research Council web page on International funding.

See all calls on the EEA-Grants homepage. Please note that proposals must be submitted to the respective funding agencies of the beneficiary countries.

Calls from Kvinnehelsefondet og Fondet for barn og unge for 2023-2025:

The projects must be in line with the foundation´s strategy, "Women's health from cradle to grave 2018-24" and within 6 prioritized research fields:

• Sexual and reproductive health
• Cancer affecting women
• Muscular and skeletal disorders, long-term pain and fatigue conditions
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Mental Health
• Children and young people N.K.S.

Financial support PhD and postdoctoral projects for up to three years. Ph.D. applications can be applied for without a known candidate. Postdoctoral applications must have a known candidate. Read the call page for more detailed informations. Applications have to be sent to forskning@sanitetskvinnene.no.

Deadline: 26. September 2022.

Erasmus+

- Project establishment support (PES) for the development of applications for centralized information in Erasmus +

Call for proposals for project establishment support (PES) is now open. Funds can be applied for for meeting activities, free purchases and external consulting services, and the applicant can either be a coordinator or a partner in the final Erasmus application. HK-dir processes received applications continuously. Costs can be covered from the time the application for PES is sent to HK-dir. See here for more information about the measure. The application is submitted via Espresso. If any of you are considering applying for PES funding, feel free to contact us for guidance in the application process: Kristin Kristin Torp Skogedal (Institutional Erasmus Coordinator International Center. Phone: +47 55 58 90 26; uib.no/erasmus / uib.no/education)

For more information on external funding opportunities, visit the call page / Research and innovation´s page or contact the research advisors at Helse Bergen: forskning@helse-bergen.no

- Travel Grant

Granted for 6 or 12 months. Postdoctoral fellowship applicants are especially encouraged to apply for an overseas fellowship over the course of their fellowship period. Deadline: continuing.

- The Local Contact Points (LCP) for Research Project Support at UiB webpage provides an overview of the research advisors at the central administration responsible for the different funding programs/schemes. Feel free to contact them or your faculty advisors (MEDforsk@uib.no).

1) SPIRE

The Strategic Program for Research Cooperation (SPIRE) aims to support the University of Bergen's strategy and action plan for internationalization 2016-2022.

Who can apply: Scientific staff in first positions (must be employed at a minimum of 50% at UiB), researchers and postdoctoral fellows (must have 100% employment) at UiB.

SPIRE funds can be applied for from the following 2 categories:

1. International research collaboration - seed funding for the initiation and development of new, long-term international research collaborations as the basis for project applications.Note that the funds are limited to seed funding towards the Research Council and other external sources of funding (ex. Nordforsk), but not to Horizon 2020 / Horizon Europe. One can apply for up to NOK 100.000,- ()

2. Visiting research funds - to cover expenses (travel, accommodation, boarding, transport) by inviting a foreign guest researcher for a stay of 1-6 months. There are no restrictions on land and partners but visiting researchers must at least be at the post-doctoral level. A maximum of NOK 15,000 can be awarded in support per month per application. In addition, support can be applied for to cover the guest researcher's travel expenses. Note that SPIRE funds cannot be paid directly as a salary / scholarship to the guest researcher.

• Use the standard standard SPIRE application template to apply for funds.
• 2020 SPIRE funds can be used during the period: 01.01.2020 - 31.12.2020.

Deadline: 1 December.

2) Positioning funding (POS)

Note: Deadline for using Positioning funding granted in 2020 is December 10, 2020. Unused POS-funds cannot be used the following year.

Positioning funding is divided into 3 categories:

a. Positioning funding for researchers - who are positioning themselves towards a Horizon Europe application:

• Building relationships with leading European environments (networking) whose purpose is to identify potential partners for future H2020/HEurope projects.
• Participation in arenas that contribute towards influencing the European research and innovation agenda (strategic work).
• Short-term positioning to build new partnerships/join existing consortiums.

b. Grants to fund strategic academic measures - at Faculty level:

• Participation in European strategy networks and forums.
• Interdisciplinary events in Bergen, with participation from the EU Commission or other relevant EU organizations.
• Study trips and delegation trips to Brussels.

c. Competence development funding for researchers and the EU administrative support staff - at the Faculties.

This includes participation at H2020/HEurope seminars, workshops and conferences both nationally and internationally. The course program for the competence activity for which funding is sought must be submitted with the application.

Deadline: 1 December. 

3) ERASMUS+ Employee Mobility

All employees at UiB (including technical, administrative, scientific staff and research fellows) can apply for a scholarship for mobility to an institution, organization or university in Europe to receive training, new knowledge and new experiences through exchanges, in addition to increasing international cooperation between UiB and European institutions in EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. Visit ERASMUS+ Employee Mobility web page for more details. Deadlines: 20. August and 20. January 

4) Stays abroad for employees at the Faculty

The Faculty of Medicine offers grants for research stays abroad for scientific staff in permanent positions, postdoctoral fellows with UiB-funding and PhD-candidates with UiB-funding. Deadlines: 1. March and 1. October each year.

- EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Fellowships - Research on the molecular mechanisms of life at all levels.

• Short-term Fellowships fund research exchanges of up to 3 months between laboratories in eligible countries.
• Long-term Fellowships are awarded for a period of up to 2 years and support post-doctoral research visits to laboratories throughout Europe and the world. Deadline: throughout the year.

- Meltzer Foundation Research Funds - to promote the academic activities of the University of Bergen (and others) and to support especially gifted students.

• Project Grants for students and PhD. Deadline: 1 December.
• Travel grants. Deadline: 1 December.

All applications to the Meltzer Research Fund must be sent via UiB`s electronic application system: https://fond.app.uib.no/.

- UiB - PhD-candidates and Post-docs funded by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, can apply for travel grants limited to 25.000 nok.There are now new guidelines for these stipends. Please read them in this PDF. Deadline: 1 March and 1 October.

- Research Council of Norway - offers for a scholarship for research stays abroad applies to PhD candidates and Post Doctors in projects with full or partial funding for the Research Council for a minimum of 24 months. The research stays abroad may last for a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 12 months. Deadline: continuing.

- Helse Vest - granted for 6 or 12 months. Postdoctoral fellowship applicants are especially encouraged to apply for an overseas fellowship over the course of their fellowship period. Deadline: continuing.

- ERASMUS+ staff mobility * - subsidising mobility of up to 2 months, for UiB staff including PhD-candidates and post docs, to attend courses or individual laboratory visits. Also have a look at the list of organized staff mobility weeks. Deadline: 20 August and 20 January.

* See also the Diku tab above for Project establishment support (PES)

- Travelgrants for students and researchers in Arqus

• Reserach stays (individually - PDF
• Research stays (research groups)- PDF
• Pre/Post-doc mentoring -PDF

Questions can be directed to senior advisor Rosa Nogueira. Deadline: 31 October 2020.

Monrad-Krohn's endowment to promote neurological research grants an award every year for outstanding neuroscientific research preferably within clinical neurology. Professors of Neurology at universities in Nordic Region can nominate candidates for the award prize. For further information, please see the foundation's website. Deadline: 15. January 2022.

Please visit our web page dedicated to Innovation relevant funding possibilities.

...

- NFR

- Online course: How to write a competitive proposal for the ERC Starting Grant - 14-15.06.2022