The Board of the Foundation has decided on the 2025 budget for financial instruments. AUFF NOVA and AUFF Recruiting Grants will continue in 2025.
The Board has decided to support its subsidiary FEAS Erhverv’s strategic development of the University City for implementation of Aarhus University’s Campus 3.0 plan. This means that the Foundation – as a group – will be investing substantially more funds in campus development over the coming years. On that background the Foundation has decided to reduce the grant level to 100 mio. kr. for 2025 onwards with an expectation about an increased grant level after a series of years when the further investments in campus development are implemented.
This also means that the Foundation – in consultation with Aarhus University – has prioritised items on the budget. The budget for Recruiting Grants and International Mobility has been reduced, while support for Flexible PhD Programmes (awarded directly to the faculties) has been phased out.
The Foundation will continue to provide overhead on the instruments AUFF NOVA and International Mobility at a fixed rate of 20 per cent, which will be added to the actual project costs.
In 2025, the Foundation’s financial instruments are:
AUFF NOVA
AUFF NOVA has been prioritised with a budget of DKK 48 million in 2025. AUFF NOVA is for permanent academic staff at AU, who can apply for project funding of up to DKK 2.5 million. AUFF NOVA aims to stimulate the initiation of bold and innovative research projects of a high quality, which can have difficulties obtaining funding elsewhere.
Overhead is provided at a fixed rate of 20 per cent, which will be added to the actual project costs.
As in 2024, AUFF NOVA will once again consist of two types of grants: minor grants of DKK 600,000 for small-scale projects and a smaller number of major grants of up to DKK 2.5 million. Please note that the Foundation will give priority to small-scale projects.
A call for applications and guidelines will be announced in 2025.
AUFF Recruiting Grants
The Foundation considers applications for AUFF Recruiting Grants on an ongoing basis. An AUFF Recruiting Grant can be a tool 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 relevant head of department.
The target group of AUFF Recruiting Grants includes assistant professors, associate professors and professors. Applications must be submitted by the head of department upon recommendation from the dean.
The budget for 2025 is DKK 20 million. The Foundation will not be providing overhead on this financial instrument.
A call for applications and guidelines will be announced in early 2025.
Publication support
In 2025, the budget for Publication Support is DKK 2.5 million. Priority is given to ground-breaking publications with a special focus on highly rated international publication channels, preferably large foreign publishers. Support can still be provided for high-quality publications published by Danish publishers. An announcement with deadlines is expected in February and September. The Foundation will not be providing overhead on this financial instrument.
International mobility
In 2025, the budget for International Mobility is DKK 4.5 million. This instrument is for international activities, including both incoming visiting researchers and outgoing mobility for AU researchers. Overhead will be provided. A fixed rate of 20 per cent can be added to the applied costs associated with the stay.
A call for applications and guidelines will be published in early 2025.
The Foundation considers applications on an ongoing basis. The objective is to provide subsidies for PhD courses, research group meetings, workshops, winter and summer camps at Sandbjerg Gods, reducing the participants' own payments. In 2025, the total budget is DKK 2.5 million. In order to promote stays outside the peak season, grant sizes will depend on the time of year of the stay. For peak-season stays – April, May, June, July, August and September – the Foundation provides support of DKK 400 per course day per person. During the off-season, the Foundation provides support of DKK 800 per course day per person.
Research Stays in Møllehuset and Husumgade
Researchers can still apply for scholarship stays at Møllehuset at Sandbjerg Gods and in the foundation’s flat in Husumgade in Copenhagen on an ongoing basis.
Research-related Events in Hejmdal
Hejmdal is the former Cancer Patients’ House at the end of Peter Sabroes Gade and the University City. The AUFF group wishes to make facilities for meetings, conferences, receptions, events etc. available to Aarhus University, the University City as well as FEAS’ other tenants for a fee. Hejmdal is an ‘all-inclusive’ meeting venue, where everything is handled through the Foundation's subsidiary FEAS, including booking, preparation, setup, catering and cleaning. Academic staff at Aarhus University can apply for a grant of DKK 10,000 per event at Hejmdal.
Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies
Finally, the Foundation continues to support the running of the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies.
Please direct questions regarding the above to the Foundation staff at +45 7023 7988 or via email to auff@auff.dk.