Project support for Vocational and Professional Education in Denmark

The purpose of this call is to contribute to strengthening interest in and the quality of teaching in vocational and professional education such as EUD/EUX, vocational academy education and professional bachelor education, so that pupils and students can pursue their profession within sustainability and health on a strong scientific and technological basis. The purpose is also to motivate more young people to choose a vocational or professional education within sustainability and health.

Applications can be made for projects that strengthen the quality of teaching within STEM-related subjects and develop competencies for vocational and professional education that support health and green transition.

Funding Information

• A total of up to DKK 22 million is available for project grants of DKK 100,000 – 6,600,000 for a duration of up to 6 years.

Eligible Activities

• For example, support can be applied for:
  • Development and implementation of methods, materials and resources for teaching
  • Development projects to improve the skills of teachers. Please note that support can only be applied for to participate in continuing education courses that have been developed in the applied development project.
  • Activities aimed at increasing the search for and completion of vocational or professional education, e.g. skills competitions, talent offers and activities targeted at specific groups of pupils and students.
  • The project’s activities must be directed at target groups in the Danish Kingdom.

Eligible Expenses

• Remuneration of employees or those associated with the project at all job levels, including project management, subject to the following:
  • Permanently employed researchers in permanent positions at universities and university colleges can apply for salary funds for research staff who are hired in connection with the project, but cannot apply for funds for their own salaries.
  • Permanently employed researchers in permanent positions at universities and university colleges can apply for funding for temporary cover for the time they spend on a development project if the project goes beyond their job description (e.g. development of teaching material for target groups outside the university/university college).
  • Salary funds for temporary cover or the release of teaching staff for development and/or participation in projects
  • Operating expenses in the form of direct costs for the development, implementation and operation of projects, including materials and equipment
  • Transportation expenses related to the project, e.g. in connection with conferences, workshop participation or knowledge sharing of project results
  • Professional dissemination/knowledge sharing in the form of conferences, books, articles and other dissemination with direct origin in the project
  • Evaluation and follow-up research in connection with development projects
  • External audit if the managing institution is not subject to ongoing public audit. Institutions that are not subject to audit by public authorities must conduct external audits
  • Administrative contribution (up to 5% of, and included in, the total budget of the application) to cover administrative expenses directly related to the anchoring of the applied project at the administering institution. Please note that all administering institutions can apply for administrative contributions, including Danish universities.
  • Net expenses for fund VAT (for municipalities and regions). It is the responsibility of the municipality and/or region to thoroughly investigate fund VAT conditions and related expenses in connection with an application. The Foundation cannot provide further advice in this regard.

Ineligible Expenses

• The Foundation does not provide support for:
  • Commercial purposes
  • Buildings
  • Overhead/indirect costs (e.g. rent, electricity, water and maintenance)
  • Double financing of projects:
  • If the applicant has received partial or full funding for the applied project from other sources, this must be included in the budget, as there must be no overlap in the budgets.
  • If an identical or overlapping project application has been submitted to grantors other than the Foundation, this must be stated in the application.
  • If the applicant receives funding for the project or parts of the project from other sources after submitting the application to the Foundation, the Foundation must be informed immediately.

Evaluation criteria

• The applications will be evaluated by the Foundation. Committee for Science Education and Communication based on the following criteria:
  • The project’s compliance with the purpose of the announcement
  • Qualifications and capacity of the applicant and the applicant institution
  • The professional quality of the project
  • Originality, relevance and importance of the proposed project, and how it builds on any existing knowledge and initiatives
  • The project’s plan, methodology and feasibility, including a plan for evaluation and knowledge sharing
  • Expected benefits for the target group and in the form of knowledge accumulation
  • Qualifications and capacity of any co-applicants/collaborators
  • Where relevant: anchoring, originality, scalability and opportunities for national dissemination
  • Where relevant: research level and research environment.

For more information, visit NNF.