Call for Proposals: Thematic Research “Climate” (Denmark)

Deadline: 30 May 2024

DFF will allocate funds for thematic research within the following themes under the heading of “Climate”:

Independent green research
Arctic research – Climate change and sustainable arctic communities

Themes

Independent Green Research
- DKK 134 million has been allocated to Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) with the purpose of supporting green, independent and curiosity-driven research. The prioritisation will promote the researchers’ own original ideas, which may contribute to the green transition.
- To allocate these funds, DFF’s Board of Directors has established an expert committee:
  - DFF’s Board of Directors may decide to allocate part of the announced funds to international research cooperation.
  - Furthermore, the prioritisation must work to support the career development of the growth layer in Danish research environments, e.g. early career researchers.
  - DFF emphasises that the call encompasses the possibility for research within and across all main research disciplines.
Arctic Research – Climate Change and Sustainable Arctic Communities
- DKK 45.3 million has been allocated to Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) with the purpose of strengthening arctic research, which may contribute to a sustainable development in the Arctic through a greater understanding of the climate changes and its impact on biodiversity, ecosystems, cultural heritage as well as living conditions in the Arctic.
- To allocate these funds, DFF’s Board of Directors has established an expert committee:
  - The overall theme encompasses, among other things, knowledge on challenges and solutions in regard to physicochemical conditions, climate feedback mechanisms, ecosystems and the living conditions of humans and animals. This also includes social and cultural changes in Arctic communities as a result of climate change.
  - DFF emphasises that the call encompasses the possibility for research within and across all main research disciplines, which may, in different ways, contribute to a sustainable development in the Arctic.

Funding Information

DFF-Research Project 1 (thematic)
- To advance the quality of Danish research, DFF offers funding for research projects within a budgetary framework of up to DKK 2,200,000, excluding overhead/administration expenses. The duration of a DFF Research Project1 (thematic) is typically 3 years, but it is possible to apply for a project of up to 4 years’ duration if the project includes one or more PhD student(s).
DFF-Research Project 2 (thematic)
- To advance the quality of, and develop collaboration within Danish research, DFF offers funding for research projects carried out by multiple researchers (e.g. postdoctoral candidates and PhD students) of up to 4.5 years in duration within a budgetary framework of between DKK 2,200,000 to DKK 4,300,000, excluding overhead/administration expenses.
Starting Dates for Projects
- The earliest possible starting date is 1 February 2025 and the latest possible starting date is 1 December 2025.
- DFF does not provide retroactive funding. You can therefore not apply for research funding for activities that have already begun by the time the fund makes its decision.

Eligibility Criteria

There must be a sufficiently balanced relationship between the roles of all listed project participants (scientific/academic staff, technical/administrative staff, and whether funded or not), and the concrete role of the participants must be accounted for and justified. If the application includes requests for funding for unnamed PhD students and/or unnamed postdocs, the application must include an account of the proposed recruitment process.
DFF-Research Project 1 (thematic)
- You must possess independent research experience typically corresponding to 3 years or more after having obtained a PhD degree (or similar qualifications). Your previous results will be assessed in relation to your career path and in relation to the scientific challenges of the project applied for. If you, as the applicant, are not an associate professor and have not been awarded a positive associate professor assessment (“lektorbedømmelse”) and the project involves the education of researchers, you must account for how the relevant supervision will be provided, and how the research student’s scientific association to the project will be ensured.
- For applications to Independent green research, DFF further underlines the requirement that the application form must account for how the project supports the career development of the growth layer in Danish research environments, e.g. early career researchers.
- DFF underlines that the project description must include an account of the proposed content of any sub-projects, including PhD and postdoctoral projects.
DFF-Research Project 2 (thematic)
- You must possess considerable, independent research experience at a high, international level. Furthermore, you must have obtained your PhD or achieved equivalent qualifications (e.g., a positive assistant professorship evaluation (adjunktbedømmelse), at least 8 years before the expiration of the application deadline. If you hold both a PhD degree and equivalent qualifications, the PhD age will be calculated based on the PhD degree.
- The exact date on which the PhD degree was awarded, as it appears from the signature on the PhD diploma, must be stated in the application form in e-grant.
- You can apply for funding for embedded PhD and postdoctoral scholarships, if these are well integrated into the project and fulfil a clear, independent function within the research project.