The AUFF Board has now arrived at a decision regarding next year’s grant budget. In general, the Board has decided that the AUFF Recruiting Grant will continue. This is done to strengthen the strategic recruitment of Danish and international research talents as well as the growth segment and the strong research ideas.
AUFF NOVA will also continue in 2023, and the grant will target existing AU employees, who can apply for DKK 500,000 for minor projects, though the Foundation will also distribute a few grants of up to DKK 2 million.
As a new addition to the AUFF grant portfolio, and to be described in more detail below, the Foundation will in 2023 support research-related events in “Hejmdal”.
Request to make AUFF grants visible to researchers
The Foundation still wishes to render its financial instruments visible to as many AU researchers as possible and would therefore like to encourage AU platforms to help do so in relevant sites that can make the instruments visible to the staff, possibly adding a link to the Foundation’s website. In addition, the Foundation encourages individual researchers to tell others about the Foundation’s contributions to science.
The 2023 financial instruments are as follows:
AUFF Recruiting Grant
Researchers can apply for an AUFF Recruiting Grant in ongoing negotiations, where an offer of start funding will be vital to the successful recruitment of a particularly attractive candidate. Applications are processed as quickly as possible upon receipt, and the deadline for reply is agreed upon with the given head of department. This means that there will be no ordinary application rounds in 2023. The aim of the instrument is recruitment of assistant professors, associate professors and professors. Applications must be submitted by the head of department upon recommendation from the dean. The 2023 budget is DKK 40 million.
AUFF NOVA
AUFF NOVA will be prioritised in 2023 with a budget of DKK 40 million. The continuing goal of AUFF NOVA is to stimulate the launch of bold and innovative research projects, which are of a high quality and at the same time are likely to have difficulties obtaining funding from other sources. The hypothesis or problem may break with existing assumptions and/or call for new methods. If the project contains cross-disciplinary elements or synergies within the research group(s), this should be made clear in the application. A total call with guidelines will be published in the first half year of 2023.
Flexible PhD Courses
This instrument is targeted at flexible PhD courses, including 3+5, 4+4 and the research year etc. The total framework in 2023 will be DKK 15 million, which via an adjustable grant will be distributed equally between the five faculties.
Publication Support
Publication support continues to be targeted at international publications, and there will be an application pool in 2023 of DKK 2.5 million and direct support for the Aarhus University Press for the strategic development of projects. Priority will be given to support for ground-breaking publications, with special focus on highly respected international publication channels, preferably large foreign publishers. Also, support may still be given to high-quality publications published by Danish publishers. Calls are expected to have deadlines in February and September.
International Mobility
in 2023, DKK 5 million will be allocated to mobility. This is a pool for international activities, including both inbound visiting researchers and outbound mobility for the University's researchers. A call with terms and guidelines will be published in the spring of 2023.
Support for Holding PhD Courses, Research Group Meetings, Workshops and Summer Camps at Sandbjerg Estate
Applications can still be submitted on an ongoing basis. The purpose is to provide grants for payment of PhD course attendance, research group meetings, workshops and summer camps at Sandbjerg Estate, so that the course attendees’ own payment is reduced. The total budget is DKK 2.5 million.
Research stays in ”Møllehuset” and the apartment in Husumgade
Researchers can still on an ongoing basis apply for scholarship stays in “Møllehuset” at Sandbjerg Estate or in the Foundation’s apartment in Husumgade in Copenhagen.
Research-related events in ”Hejmdal”
”Hejmdal” is the building previously known as the “Cancer Patients’ House” (“Kræftpatienternes Hus”) at the end of Peter Sabroes Gade and the University City. It has recently undergone extensive renovation and conversion into a meeting and conference centre. The AUFF concern wishes to make the facilities available to Aarhus University as well as to residents of the University City and other FEAS properties for meetings, conferences, receptions, events etc. “Hejmdal” is an “all-inclusive” conference centre, where all practical tasks are undertaken by the Foundation’s subsidiary FEAS, including booking, preparation, setting-up, catering and cleaning. Scientific staff at Aarhus University may apply for support of DKK 10,000 per event, where the grant shall cover renting of the centre.
Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies
Finally, the Foundation will continue to support the running of the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies.
If you have any questions regarding the above, you are welcome to contact the AUFF team at +45 7023 7988 or by email: auff@auff.dk.