Researcher Project for Scientific Renewal (Thematic Call)

Funding is available for independent and critical research on the management and use of areas (land, freshwater, coast and ocean) in Norway. 

We are looking for innovative research that can expand and complement the knowledge base for policy and sustainable societal development. Research should contribute to new questions and perspectives, development scenarios and a basis for measures and solutions. The green transition and the development of new infrastructure and business activities increase the pressure on nature through, among other things, increased demand for land/area use, greater extraction of bioresources, plans for increased mineral extraction and more. For a just transition of society, new knowledge about the relationship between culture, society and nature is necessary. 

The theme covers all areas: land, freshwater, coast and ocean, including the polar regions (Arctic and Antarctica). 
 
You can apply for a maximum of NOK 10.5 million in funding per project. 

We are also announcing NOK 161 million for areas under pressure as a Collaborative Project to meet challenges in society and business. 

Delimitations 

Projects that are eligible for funding under this topic must fall within at least one of the following research topics: 

• Societal, cultural or institutional barriers and opportunities for more integrated management and use of land/areas and/or cultural environments 
• Options for action and choices in a situation of uncertainty and conflict about the knowledge base for the management and use of land/areas and natural resources 
• Consequences of power relations, different interests and values for the use and consumption of land/areas and natural resources 
• Reduced consumption of land/areas and natural resources for just transition in a generational, inequality or indigenous perspective 

You are welcome to combine several of the four research topics in the project. 

Relevance 

When we award a mark for the application's relevance, we will also consider the extent to which the project 

• Is about land/area use and management issues 
• emphasises challenges related to nature and/or climate 
• has cross-sectoral issues 
• is interdisciplinary at level 1 in UHR's division of subject areas (in Norwegian only)
• has concrete plans for dissemination and dialogue about findings and results throughout the project period 
• has relevance to Norwegian conditions 

Portfolio assessments 

• The portfolio board will prioritise funding projects that collectively cover the breadth of the four research topics. 
• The portfolio board will prioritise funding projects where perspectives from the humanities are central. 

Funding is available for research that can meet the knowledge needs identified in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report ( only in Norwegian). 

The projects must focus on Sámi issues and/or matters concerning the national minorities Forest Finns and Kvens/Norwegian Finns and/or the relationship between Sámi and the aforementioned national minorities and the majority society. 

Delimitations 

Projects eligible for funding must be based on the knowledge needs in the Commission's report and deal with at least one of the following four research areas: 

• health, education, welfare and living conditions 
• language, history, culture and cultural environment 
• climate and environmental challenges, consequences of energy transition and infrastructure, natural resource and land management 
• public administration and policy-making 

A project may combine several of the research areas. 

Relevance assessment 

When awarding a mark for the application's relevance, we will, in addition to the thematic points above, consider how well the application meets the following priorities: 

• has concrete plans for active dialogue and dissemination with and for involved communities and groups throughout the project period 
• has interdisciplinarity between two or more disciplines (cf. level 1 in the Norwegian Classification of Scientific Disciplines)  
• has a reference group with stakeholders from outside academia 
• has active research collaboration with at least one other researcher or research group in Norway and one researcher or research group abroad. The task of the partners in the project must be clearly specified in the application. 
• Applying for recruitment positions 

Portfolio assessment 

In the portfolio assessment, we will consider ensuring that the funded projects reflects the breadth of the research areas outlined in the call. Our aim is to include research related to Forest Finns and Kvens/Norwegian Finns in one or more of the projects funded. 

Other information 

The final application will be conducted by the Portfolio Board for Sámi Society and Culture, supplemented by members from the other funding portfolios. 

Relevance assessments, recommendations, and other administrative processing of applications will be carried out in collaboration between the portfolio administrations. 

Please note that we have several related calls that may also be relevant for researchers within the four research areas mentioned above. Below we mention four of these calls: 

• Applications that primarily concern vulnerable children and young people are referred to the call Collaborative Project to meet Societal and Industry-related Challenges and the topic "Inclusion of more children and young people in education, working life and society", under the thematic area Welfare and Education.  
• Applications that primarily concern vulnerable groups and health are referred to the call for Collaborative Project to meet Societal and Industry-related Challenges under the thematic area Health.  
• Applications relating to the energy transition in general are referred to the call for Collaborative Project to meet Societal and Industry-related Challenges under the thematic area Environment-friendly energy.  
• Applications that primarily concern areas under pressure are referred to "Areas under pressure" under the thematic area Cross-cutting topics. This topic can be found in both this call and the call Collaborative Project to meet Societal and Industry-related Challenges. 

Please contact us if you have any questions about which call you should apply for. 

Under this topic, we cover research on topics in the field of foreign affairs and development research related to countries in Asia. Both foreign and security policy issues and topics related to societal and economic challenges are relevant. See relevant research areas in the document Asia in a Time of Change. NOK 20 million of the announced funding has been set aside for bilateral research collaboration with Indian partners. These proposals should have a particular focus on priority areas described in the Government's strategy and action plan for cooperation with India, Norway-India 2030.  

Delimitations 

Funding for the call comes from the Development assistance budget, and the projects must therefore comply with the OECD's requirements for projects in developing countries. Your goal must be to promote economic development or welfare in one or more of the countries that are ODA approved.   

Projects aimed at research collaboration with India must include Indian partners who are also research organisations. 

Relevance 

When we award a mark for the application's relevance, we will assess how well the application meets the delimitations of the topic and how well the points below have been met and described. 

In projects aimed at Norwegian-Indian cooperation, the division of roles and tasks between the Norwegian and Indian partners is clearly described. 

It is clearly described how the project is relevant to and contributes to promoting economic development and solving development challenges in countries on the OECD DAC list. Examples of factors that can be used to describe the possible effect of the project in accordance with this point are: goal achievement , sustainability, productivity and impact. 

Portfolio assessments 

In our portfolio assessment, we will take into account that there are 

1. a good balance between the portfolio's various thematic areas 
2. a good balance in the portfolio with regard to gender and institution 
3. several projects where humanistic perspectives are included in the research 

Funding is available for projects that will increase basic knowledge about space and the Earth, and for the development of a new generation of space scientists. 

The portfolio board wishes to support at least 3 applications within the available framework of funding for the call, given sufficient quality. 

Delimitations 

Funding is available to maximise the research utilisation of Norwegian participation in the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Incoherent SCATter (EISCAT), the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) and the EU Space Programme (in particular Copernicus). Projects must also fall under at least one of the following three areas: 

• Sun-Earth physics with an emphasis on understanding fundamental processes in the Sun and its atmosphere and how solar wind and solar activity affect the Earth's upper atmosphere and the global environment 
• The structure and evolution of the universe, including planetology, with an emphasis on the understanding of fundamental astrophysical processes 
• Earth observation from satellites, including method development for the use of information collected by satellites, with emphasis on climate monitoring, resource mapping, pollution from petroleum activities, monitoring, operational support and management of the polar regions 

Priorities 

Priority will be given to applications that include recruitment positions (doctoral and/or postdoctoral positions). 

Portfolio assessments 

1. Provided that the quality is sufficiently good, the portfolio board will prioritise supporting at least one application that addresses the area of "the structure and evolution of the universe, including planetology, with an emphasis on the understanding of fundamental astrophysical processes". 
2. Provided that the quality is sufficiently good, the portfolio board will prioritise applications within the following topics: 
   • Sun-Earth physics with an emphasis on understanding fundamental processes in the Sun and its atmosphere and how solar wind and solar activity affect the Earth's upper atmosphere and the global environment 
   • The structure and evolution of the universe, including planetology, with an emphasis on the understanding of fundamental astrophysical processes 

Changes in climate and natural conditions affect Norway and the polar regions to a considerable extent, and the risk of major societal effects increases. This is about both large-scale change processes as well as local changes and individual events. We need new knowledge about the risks posed by anthropogenic pressures on climate and nature, and the consequences they may entail for nature and society. The research will also contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of risk, so that society can prevent, limit and adapt to changes in climate and nature.    The topic covers climate and nature risks related to land, freshwater, coast and sea.   You can apply for up to NOK 12 million. 

Delimitations 

Applications must fall under at least one of the following research areas: 

• Cumulative pressures on ecosystems and ecosystem services. Consequences of several pressures and change processes for nature's basic functions and resilience. Including cumulative effects and any tipping points.  
• Land meets coast meets sea. Pressures that contribute to, or may contribute to, ecosystem changes in the transition between land and sea and the risks and consequences that the various pressures may have, e.g. pollution, environmental toxins, plastics, alien species, flooding, runoff, acidification, higher temperatures and sea level rise.
• Risk understanding and solutions. Better and more comprehensive knowledge of societal risk based on processes, pressures and the state of climate and nature, as a starting point for measures, instruments and solutions for sustainable management of nature.

 The project can combine several of the three research areas. The applications must be relevant to Norwegian conditions and/or the polar regions. 

The project will establish a reference group with relevant users. In the application, you must justify the composition of the reference group, its connection to the project implementation and how it will contribute to the achievement of the project's objectives, particularly with regard to having the results put to use. 

Relevance 

The application's relevance mark will be assessed on the basis of: 

• how well it hits one or more of the research areas listed above
•  relevance to Norwegian conditions or the polar regions 

We are also announcing up to NOK 50 million for climate and nature risk – effects, consequences and solutions for society, as a large-scale, interdisciplinary Researcher Project.

Good animal health and welfare is a cornerstone for optimal and ethical production of food and absolutely necessary to take care of the animals' intrinsic value. Both the seafood sector and livestock production have challenges with animal health and welfare. There is a great need for knowledge about how different factors, alone or in combination, affect animal health and welfare. This includes, but is not limited to, new and existing diseases and parasites, immunology and the spread of infection, genetics, environment, technology and operating methods, feed and nutrition, animal behaviour and ethical animal husbandry, fishing and killing. 

Delimitations 

Funding is available for projects that strengthen knowledge about animal health and welfare. The projects will contribute to increased knowledge about how different factors affect animal health or welfare. The topic includes research in all disciplines and areas aimed at improving the health or welfare of terrestrial production animals, aquaculture animals (both freshwater and saltwater) and/or during fishing and hunting. 

The research must be relevant to aquaculture, fishing or livestock husbandry that provide a basis for value creation in Norway. Pets, competition animals and hobby-based animal husbandry, and wild, terrestrial animals, are not covered by this topic.

We expect projects that are relevant to the topic "Sustainable feed" to apply there. The Research Council has the right to move applications to the topic Sustainable feed if we believe the application is more relevant there. 

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food are allocating funding for this topic. The allocation of projects must reflect the funds allocated by the respective ministries. 

Relevance 

Priority will be given to applications that meet the theme of the topic. 

The active participation of at least one international partner in the project, who has costs and involvement in at least one work package, will also count positively. 

Portfolio assessments 

The portfolio board takes into account the following factors when allocating funds: 

• the marks awarded in the assessment of the applications 
• a good thematic distribution of projects within the industries in the portfolio 

In practice, this means that the portfolio board can allocate funds to projects of poorer quality, rather than projects of better quality, in order to achieve the goal of a good distribution of projects in the portfolio or to use up the available funds.

The Portfolio Board for Food and Bioresources wants to invest in research that supports the social mission of sustainable feed for livestock and farmed fish. The report from the design phase of the social mission pointed to several barriers to new feed raw materials being further developed on a commercial scale or being put into use. Among these are obstacles in the food safety regulations for the use of some new, sustainable feed raw materials. For some of these raw materials, it is likely that new knowledge will be able to show that the feed raw materials are safe, and thus contribute to changes in the regulations and enable their use in feed in the relatively short term. There is also a need for basic research to support further development in the production and application of sustainable feed raw materials.   

Delimitations 

Projects must fall under one of the following research areas: 

1. Research that contributes to the development and/or application of sustainable feed raw materials. This includes (not limited to) production, harvesting and use of biological raw materials, processing into raw materials that are planned to be included in feed, technical/physical quality of feed production, nutritional suitability and/or effect on health and welfare. Projects that primarily focus on the production or harvesting of a biological raw material or feed raw material should include studies of its use in feed and nutritional suitability. The research area is open to issues in the natural sciences, social sciences and/or cross-cutting issues that include the humanities. Where relevant, the project should highlight possible dilemmas in using biological feed raw materials while maintaining biodiversity and safeguarding the climate. 
2. Research to close knowledge gaps that currently cause barriers in the food safety regulations for the use of a feed raw material and where it can be substantiated that new knowledge can remove the barriers. The application must describe in the relevance appendix both points a and b: 

a) why a lack of knowledge is currently a barrier in the regulations  

b) make it probable that new knowledge will be able to remove this barrier in the relatively short term. 

The application must describe in the relevance appendix which of the two areas it primarily targets. 

We encourage cross-sectoral projects. 

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Education and Research are allocating funding for this call. The allocation of projects must reflect the funds allocated by the respective ministries. 

Relevance 

Priority will be given to applications that meet at least one of the thematic areas set out in the call. 

Portfolio assessments 

The portfolio board takes into account the following factors when allocating funds: 

• the marks awarded in the assessment of the applications 
• a good thematic distribution of projects in the portfolio 

In practice, this means that the portfolio board can allocate funds to projects of poorer quality, rather than projects of better quality, in order to achieve the goal of a good distribution of projects in the portfolio or to use up the available funds. 

Funding is available for projects that combine enabling technologies in a novel way that can lead to radically innovative technologies with solutions that can be applied and contribute to more sustainable social development. Up to 15 projects will be funded. 

Delimitations 

Your project must combine at least two different enabling technologies in an innovative way. By enabling technologies, we mean information and communication technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, microtechnology and advanced materials, and quantum technology. In the application, you must describe how the combination of technologies in the project is new, and why the combination is necessary to solve the challenge in the project. 

The project must be carried out in accordance with the principles of responsible research and innovation. The peer reviewers will assess the quality of the project's plans for the approach. The guidance page on responsible research and innovation provides specific advice on how this approach can be incorporated into the application and adapted to the project's methods, activities and resources. The application must describe how the project will be implemented in order to contribute to responsible solutions in research and to challenges in society.  

The project may well have a high risk of not fully succeeding with its radical goals, as long as the academic novelty is high and the technology to be developed has great potential. In the application, you must describe how you will manage various risk elements associated with the implementation of the project. 

The projects that receive funding from us must be willing to participate in networks and learning arenas across the projects. 

Applications that do not fall within these limitations may be rejected without peer review. 

Relevance 

In the relevance appendix, you must describe in more detail how the project is relevant to this topic based on the following points: 

• The project combines technology from at least two of the enabling technologies mentioned in the thematic delimitations. This point is weighted heaviest. 

Collaboration beyond one's own professional environment fosters innovation and provides fertile ground for seeing new opportunities.  To encourage broader collaboration, the following will be considered: 

• The project involves collaboration between several research organizations.  
• The project involves international collaboration 

The administration will make an assessment and give a relevance grade based on the relevance attachment and the project description. 

Portfolio assessments 

The Portfolio Board for Enabling Technologies makes the final decision on which applicants will be awarded funding. The applications are ranked according to the average mark for the five assessment criteria. The applications with the highest overall average mark will receive funding. Among the equally ranked applications, priority will be given to applications with the highest mark on the criterion 'Research quality – potential for advancing the research frontier'. Priority will then be given to applications with a female project manager over applications with a male project manager. If it is still not possible to distinguish between two or more applications, priority will be given to applications that will make a significant contribution to the green transition. 

Funding is available for research projects that develop technology in nanotechnology, microtechnology and advanced materials. The research results must be able to be put to use, contribute to a more sustainable development of society and provide opportunities for commercialisation. Up to seven projects will be funded. 

Delimitations 

Projects related to battery technology fall outside the scope of this topic. 

The project must be carried out in accordance with the principles of responsible research and innovation.  The referees will assess the quality of the plans for the approach. The advisory website "Responsible Research and Innovation" provides advice on how this approach can be incorporated into an application and adapted to the methods, activities and resources in the project.   

Relevance 

When we award a mark for the application's relevance, we will also consider the extent to which the project 

• develops technologies that fall under this year's call. This point is weighted heaviest. 

Expertise in the technology areas will be strengthened if you make use of established research infrastructures in nanotechnology, microtechnology and advanced materials. Therefore, we will prioritise applications that show that: 

• The project must make use of relevant national (cf. Norwegian roadmap for research infrastructure) and/or relevant international research infrastructure in key parts of the research. In the relevance appendix, you must describe which equipment will be used for which part of the planned research, how many person-months will be used for the work and costs for renting/depreciation.  

The administration will make an assessment and give a relevance grade based on the appendix and the project description. 

Portfolio assessments 

The portfolio board will place the following emphasis on the award of projects: 

• Average grade for the five assessment criteria. 
• Among the equally ranked applications, priority will be given to applications with the highest mark on the criterion 'Research quality – potential for advancing the research frontier'. If it is still not possible to distinguish between two or more applications, priority will be given to applications that will make a significant contribution to the green transition. 

Funding is available for research that increases our ability to maintain an economically and socially sustainable welfare society. 

The thematic framework of the call is based on the Government’s Long-term plan for research and higher education 2023-2032, economic and social sustainability objectives, and the thematic priority “Trust and community”. Please note that the proposal’s objectives must be within this call text’s thematic delimitations.

Click this link for a webinar with more information about these funds (the video is in Norwegian).  

Delimitations 

The projects are to develop knowledge on understanding and addressing the major societal challenges (and opportunities) facing the Norwegian welfare society in terms of economic and social sustainability. The goal is high-quality research that will enhance the knowledge base for policy and societal development in this area. 

We are seeking projects that address knowledge needs related to economic and social security, societal participation and belonging, trust and legitimacy, and the provision of effective and efficient welfare services. We are also looking for insights into the cultural dimensions of these research areas. 

The projects must offer new perspectives, pose new questions and generate new knowledge within this broad area, focusing on one or more of the three topics listed below. 

• Legitimacy of, trust in, or support for the institutions of the welfare society, for example in relation to fundamental norms and values in the welfare state. 
• Societal participation and belonging for individuals and groups: Inclusion and exclusion in working life and society, social divisions or forms of social and economic inequality. 
• The efficiency, organisation, management or administration of welfare services, specifically welfare services and benefits related to economic and social security, or work inclusion. 

This topic is open to proposals from all scientific disciplines. Research on legal, economic and other types of regulation and governance is relevant within all three topics, as are historical, normative, and cultural studies. 

The research must relate to conditions in or with relevance to Norway. Research where Norwegian conditions are part of international comparative studies is also welcome. 

Education and health are factors that can be important to several of the topics above. However, we will not prioritize projects that are primarily focused on education or health and care. These topics have separate call texts – cf. other topics under Welfare and education in this call, and the thematic area Health in the call for collaborative projects. We also draw attention to the topic of research for better inclusion of children and young adults in the call for collaborative projects. 

Relevance 

If the proposal is relevant to one or more of the three topics above, we will give positive consideration if the following is included 

• collaboration with researchers and research communities abroad. You must describe the partners' role and contribution to the project. 
• collaboration with other researchers and research communities in Norway. You must describe the partners' role and contribution to the project. 
• interdisciplinary collaboration (between disciplines at level 1 of the Norwegian Classification of Scientific Disciplines (hkdir.no) (the document is in Norwegian).   

When we decide on a mark for the proposal’s relevance, we assess how well the above points are met. 

Portfolio assessments 

1. Provided that the quality and relevance of the proposals are high enough, the portfolio board will strive to increase cultural, normative and historical perspectives in welfare research. 
2. Provided that the quality and relevance are high enough, the portfolio board will strive to allocate funding to projects that collectively cover the thematic breadth of the call. 
3. The portfolio board will strive to fund projects that add new perspectives and topics to the Research Council's welfare portfolio. 

Funding is available for research for and about the education sector. We fund projects relating to teaching and learning, the content and forms of assessment of education, professional education, educational technology, the governance and organisation of the education sector, and the role of the education system for the individual and in society and working life. The call is open for projects on all levels of the education system, from kindergarten to higher education and skills in working life. Projects that look at transitions between levels are also relevant. Part of the funds have been set aside for research on and for higher vocational education and/or vocational training. 

The aim is to generate high-quality research that is of particular interest to actors and stakeholders related to policy-making, administration and fields of practice in education, learning and competence development. The projects are intended to contribute to knowledge-based development. We encourage projects that are interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary when this serves the purpose. 

Delimitations  

The thematic priorities for research for and about education are divided into four broadly defined thematic areas. The thematic areas are interrelated and are not mutually exclusive, so that issues may intervene across these. Projects must be relevant to at least one of the following four areas: 

• Teaching and learning. Learning and education is a continuous and lifelong process that takes place in many social arenas. We need knowledge about how different children, young people and adults learn and develop in different contexts in the face of the future and new challenges.  
• Competence development. In order to have a stronger working life orientation and a continuously updated knowledge base, the aim is that the training programmes strive to link research, education and professional practice. There is a need for research for evidence-based practice and the development of tools, systems or models that can promote quality in practice throughout the education system, from kindergarten to higher education and working life.  
• Governance, management and organisation. Good management and well-functioning organisation are crucial for high quality in education and training programmes. In order to develop a future-oriented and flexible education system, we need more knowledge about how governance and management at and between different levels contribute to the development work.  
• The importance of education for the individual and for society and working life. Access to and facilitation of participation for all in the education system and in working life is of great importance for the individual's opportunities for a good life. There is a need for gender and/or diversity perspectives in research, including indigenous and minority perspectives.  

Relevance 

If the applications are relevant to the points above, priority will be given to projects that have: 

• active collaboration with at least one other national research institution 
• active collaboration with at least one research organisation abroad 

Portfolio Assessments

• At least two projects for research on higher vocational education and/or vocational education and training. 
• The thematic area Governance, management and organisation may be prioritised in the allocation process.  
• The portfolio board wants a balanced project portfolio with regard to the gender of the project managers.