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

• 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.

- Research Center for Clinical Treatment (FKB)

FKB is a national initiative with the goal of establishing clinical research environments which, through outstanding research, contribute to improving the treatment of Norwegian patients.Research organizations with access to patients in binding collaboration with relevant actors can apply. We aim to be able to allocate two to three new centers. To be able to apply, you must submit a mandatory sketch.

Deadlines:

• Mandatory sketch deadline: 6 January 2021. See sketch announcement.
• Application deadline: 12 May 2021. See main announcement.

Webinar for this call will be on 27. November 2020 at 09.00-10.00. Requirements and guidelines for the announcement will be reviewed and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions. The event is streamed and recordings become available.

- SFF V - Round 2

Results from SFF round 1 and invitation to send a full application to round 2 should normally be announced from 11 June 2021. Deadline round 2: 15 September 2021.

- 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

- Research projects within cancer research

Deadline (for both calls below): 1 June 2021, 13:00.

Each project leader can submit only one application, and must therefore choose which call fits the project best. Call text and applicant guidelines can be found at SøknadsWeb.

Read more about user involvement here (in Norwegian).

• Open Call and Pink Ribbon

Application for financing can be made for research projects within any and all research disciplines, both free research with cancer relevance (Open Call, 130 mill. NOK) and person-adapted breast cancer treatment (Pink Ribbon, 26,7 mill. NOK) The financing for Pink Ribbon comes from the Pink Ribbon Action in 2020, which is a joint initiative from the Norwegian Cancer Society and the Norwegian Breast Cancer Society.

• Krafttak mot Kreft 2021

The Norwegian Cancer Society announces 20 mill. NOK based on funding collected during the Push Against Cancer («Krafttak mot kreft») 2021, where the focus was cancer variants with a low survival rate. Application for financing through Push Against Cancer can be made for research projects within any discipline, focusing on lung, brain, pancreatic and oesophageal cancer.

- DAM Foundation: Research call 2021 - see here

If your research project is cancer-relevant, you can apply via the Norwegian Cancer Society, which mediates applications for funding from the DAM Foundation. The Norwegian Cancer Society invites collaboration with research communities to prepare applications that are in line with the priorities of the Dam Foundation and the Norwegian Cancer Society's focus areas.

Deadlines (Cancer Society): 1 February 2021 (phae 1 - "draft" application in Norwegian) / 26 May 2021 (phase 2 - full application) - See DAM Foundation heading below for final deadlines.

DAM foundation provides 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 equality for the disabled, preventive health work, rehabilitation, habilitation, care work and public health work.

Note: the applicant organizations have a deadline BEFORE the DAM Foundation's application deadlines.

- Research 2021

The application must be submitted in collaboration with a voluntary organization. One can apply for:

• Research relating to physical and mental health, coping and quality of life (with the exceptions described below)
• One of the following types of positions related to a Norwegian institution:
  • Doctoral Fellow (with an annual round sum of NOK 781,000, see appendix for more info)
  • Postdoctoral fellow for named researcher who has not previously held a postdoctoral position (with an annual round sum of NOK 922,000, see appendix for more info)
• Salary/funds for up to three full-time equivalents over a period of 4 years.

Deadlines (DAM): 15 February 2021 (phae 1 - "draft" application in Norwegian) / 10. June 2021 (phase 2 - full application) - See Cancer Society heading above for deadlines for organizations.

- Health

The Health program has two announcements each year, and is therefore divided into Health spring (call closed) and Health autumn.

Health autumn (DAM deadlines):

• Around 15 April: Announcement of funds
• June 2: The application form opens
• September 15: Application deadline
• December 15: Award (1 p.m.)
• Approximately 1 February: Payment of funds

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 2021 - call for proposals for grants beginning in 2022.

Results from the prequalification round (deadline: 8 March 2021) will be ready in the middle of June 2021. 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 on December 3rd 2021.

- 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

1) European Research Council (ERC) - Frontier research grants

- ERC 2021

• Advanced Grant - for researchers who have a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years.
  The Principal Investigators should be exceptional leaders in terms of originality and significance of their research contributions.Up to € 2.5 million for a period of 5 years. Deadline: 31 August 2021.

- ERC 2022 (tentative dates):

• Starting Grant: Opening 23 September 2021 / Deadline: 13 Januray 2022.
• Consolidator Grant: Opening 19 October 2021 / Deadline: 17 Mars 2022.
• Advanced Grant: Opening 20 January 2022 / Deadline: 28 Avril 2022.

2) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

- Postdoctoral Fellowships

Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) either can take place in Europe (i.e. in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country like Norway) or in a Third Country not associated to Horizon Europe (e.g. USA). 2 types of PF:

• European PF: Fellows (any nationality) either come to Europe from any country in the world or move within Europe for a project. The standard duration of these fellowships must be between 12 and 24 months.
• Global PF: European nationals or long-term residents who wish to engage in projects with organisations outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. These fellowships require an outgoing phase of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months in a non-associated Third Country, and a mandatory 12-month return phase to a host organisation based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Visit UiB information page here for more details.

The call for MSCA-PF 2021 will open on 22. June 2021.

OBS  - New deadline (tentative): 12 October 2021.

Support:

• If you are a UiB employee interested in the scheme, please take contact with your local research advisor for more information.
• If you are not employed at UiB and interested to develop a project with UiB as host institution, please take contact with the Local Contact Point.

- 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 22. June 2021.

Deadline (tentative): 16. November 2021.

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.

¤ Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) / Coordination and Support Actions (CSA)

The work programme 2021-2022 gives an introduction to the Cluster, and all of the current and forthcoming funding calls that will be published. Calls for research planned in 2021-2022 on six topics:

• disease preventionth
• links between environment and health
• digital tools for health
• tackling various diseases
• strengthening healthcare systems
• supporting Europe’s health-related industries

In 2021, there is one call planned for each of the six topics.

Visit the Research Council web page on International funding.

- Pre-announcement: Calls for NOK 2 billion through the EEA funds - Interested in research collaboration with Poland, Romania, the Baltic States, the Czech Republic or Portugal? Estimates indicate that about 200 research projects with Norwegian partners may be supported. A typical research project with EEA funding has a duration of around 3 years, a budget of about NOK 10 million and is managed by a research institution in the recipient country. It must also have at least one Norwegian partner. More nformation on the calls and priorities in the various programs can be found on the Research Council's website on EEA funding.

- ERA PerMed

- 4th Joint Transnational Call for collaborative innovative research projects in personalized medicine

ERA PerMed is an ERA-NET Cofund, supported by 32 partners from 23 countries and cofunded by the European Commission. It aims to align regional and national research strategies and funding activities and foster cooperation between the various contributors in personalized medicine. The overarching goal is to improve disease prevention and disease management, based on broader and more efficiently characterised and defined patient stratification, diagnostics and tailored treatment/prevention protocols for both patients and individuals at risk of disease. 

• Call text (Pdf)

Deadline for pre-proposals: 4 March 2021 (17:00 CET) / Deadline for invited full-proposals: 17 June 2021 (17:00 CET)

- Call for Linking pre-diagnosis disturbances of physiological systems to neurodegenerative diseases

This transnational call invites proposals for ambitious, innovative, multinational and multidisciplinary collaborative research projects with a view to promoting research aimed at the detection, measurement and understanding of early disease indicators related to neurodegenerative diseases, with potential for the development of new diagnostics or interventions.

• Call text
• Pre-proposal template

 Deadline pre-proposal submission: 2 March 2021, 15:00 CET / Deadline full proposal: 29 June 2021,15:00 CET

- Peder Sather Grant Program 2021-2022

The Peder Sather Center for Advanced Study supports projects carried out by researchers at UC Berkeley (California) in collaboration with researchers from eight Norwegian universities. The Center offers . Funds are made available for 2 academic years. 

Grants of between $10K and $25K to support activities such as:

• workshops,
• mini-conferences,
• virtual intellectual exchanges,
• undertaking of exploratory and pilot studies,
• activities such as PhD student exchanges,
• longer-term stays for Principal Investigators,
• collection and analysis of data,
• other core research activities.

Eligible collaborating applicants from both UC Berkeley and Norwegian consortium institutions must be in contact with one another prior to applying for funds, and have a letter of collaboration commitment signed by both parties.

There must be at least one Principal Investigator from UC Berkeley and one from a Norwegian consortium institution.

Principal Investigators from UC Berkeley must be ladder-rank faculty (i.e. hold Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor titles); no substitutions may be made.

Principal Investigators from Norwegian consortium institutions must hold the position of either postdoktor (on the condition that the individual is able to document consistent employment at the consortium institution for the duration of the project), førsteamanuensis or professor (i.e. hold positions equivalent to Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor titles in the US).

For more details: Grant Application Guidelines

New deadline: 1. June 2021.

The fund’s purpose is to support medical basic research within biochemistry, physiology, and pathology. Cancer-related projects are prioritized. The fund aims to distribute three grants of NOK 200.000 to innovative projects in 2021.

Grants are awarded to qualified scientists who are licensed Medical Doctors. Individuals may apply, but applications on behalf of institutes or research groups are preferred. Grants are awarded to cover running expenses and purchases of smaller scientific equipment

Applications must be submitted electronically via the fund’s website. For questions, please contact UNIFOR unifor@unifor.no. The fund’s complete call for applications and application form will be announced on May 1. Deadline: 15. June 2021.

- NORPART - Norwegian Partnership Programme for Global Academic Cooperation 2022 - 2026

Diku is pleased to issue this call for applications for funding of projects between higher education institutions in Norway and selected partner countries in the Global South through academic cooperation and mutual student mobility, under the Norwegian Partner­ship Programme for Global Academic Cooperation (NORPART). 

For more information, please see the NORPART Call for applications 2021 and the NORPART homepage where you will find the list of eligible partner countries and partnerships with selected institutions in South Africa. If you need further information about this call, please contact the NORPART-team at Diku: norpart@diku.no. This call for applications is open to project partnerships up to or 5 years. (project period: 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2026) and up to NOK 6 million/project.

A webinar for applicants will be held online Wednesday 17 March 2021. Please follow this link for registration and more information about the webinar.

Applications are submitted electronically through Diku's online application and reporting system Espresso.

Deadline: 27. May 2021, 12:00 CEST.

Erasmus+

KA-2 cooperation

• Innovasjonsallianser
  Deadline: 7. September 2021

- 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.

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 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 

- 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.

- 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.

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

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

- NFR