Call Deadline: 14.08.2025 13:00 (CEST / Oslo time)
Available Budget: up to NOK 30 million
Maximum amount of funding that may be sought: NOK 2 million
Background
The aim of a Nordic initiative for research networks within natural science and related engineering fields is to promote research collaboration and support the establishment of new research networks in the natural sciences and engineering in the Nordic countries, which seek to explore novel research directions, build a strong Nordic platform at the cutting edge of emerging fields, or form new and potentially transformative links across what is usually considered distinct disciplines.
A number of researchers in the Nordic countries have previously benefited substantially from the earlier Nordic network programme (NorFa), which, for a relatively low total budget, sought to establish research networks among the Nordic countries within the natural sciences. The focus of these networks was primarily on exchanging ideas and stimulating collaboration between research groups working on similar problems across Nordic borders.
The networks’ means of reaching these goals typically consisted of combinations of topical meetings, longer-term student exchanges between the involved partner nodes, and short-term reciprocal visits of established researchers. A particular benefit of such networks included the network meetings in which several graduate students participated, gave talks, and interacted with each other and with established researchers in different career stages.
In addition to the positive effect of training young students and early-stage researchers in the Nordic countries, a future network would take the form of a joint platform for both younger and experienced researchers to formulate new common research directions and goals. This could eventually lead to larger-scale Nordic collaborative projects, such as the initiatives currently funded through NordForsk and, in a European context, secure a strong inter-Nordic component in forming consortia in connection with larger EU projects.
Aim of the call and thematic framework
By establishing a Nordic initiative for interdisciplinary research networks within natural science and engineering, the Joint Committee of the Natural Science Research Councils in the Nordic Countries (NOS-N) wishes to facilitate collaboration between scientists with clear potential for synergies within the Nordic countries and bolster the international competitiveness, innovative nature, and ground-breaking potential of Nordic research. Through an emphasis on early-stage researchers (2-7 years after completion of their PhD), NOS-N also wishes to encourage the next generation of Nordic researchers to create new or tighter links across national and discipline borders and build strong collegial networks with a decisive impact on future careers and research trajectories.
Network activities should include a strong component in the training of the next generation of researchers with interdisciplinary skills in natural sciences and related engineering topics in the Nordic countries. Hence, NOS-N encourages applicants to include summer schools and similar ones for PhD students and postdocs in the network.
Each network must have a single project owner, but applicants must account in the proposal for how participants from all of the involved disciplines will be substantially and preferably equally involved in the project. All participating researchers should thus take on responsibility for the scientific progress of the project.
To ensure the novelty of the network, the network’s researchers should not have existing active collaboration.
The application should contain a description of the interdisciplinary potential of combining the included fields.
Important: In order to see all information about the call, you need to read the full call text.
See also: How to apply
Contact list
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