Call for Proposals: Thematic Research “Well-Being and Learning” (Denmark)

• Learning and well-being in primary schools
• Stronger research environments for vocational education and work-related pedagogy and practice-based learning

Themes

• Learning and well-being in primary schools 
  • DKK 24.6 million has been allocated to Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) with the purpose of strengthening practice-oriented research and to provide new knowledge on learning and well-being in primary schools.
  • At the same time, the initiative should contribute to supporting a strengthened foundation of knowledge for the teacher education by fostering a closer connection between the research, the content of the teacher’s education, and primary school practice.
• Stronger research environments for vocational education and work-related pedagogy and practice-based learning 
  • DKK 19.7 million has been allocated to Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) with the purpose of strengthening and developing the quality and the attractiveness of vocational education, and gradually building stronger, practice-oriented research on vocational education.
  • Moreover, DKK 9.9 million has been allocated to Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) with the purpose of supporting research on work-related pedagogy and practice-based learning in, among other things, the preparatory basic education and training (FGU). The funds are allocated for the purpose of strengthening teachers’ knowledge of practice-based learning approaches and increase the use of pedagogies that can impact general education to students by engaging them in workshop- and production-oriented processes.

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.
  • 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.
  • DFF places emphasis on the project description accounting for the synergy between any sub-projects, the project’s management and organisational structure, as well as the plan for publishing of the results. The project description must include an account of the proposed content of all sub-projects, including PhD and postdoctoral projects.

For more information, visit DFF.