Independent Research Fund Denmark announces a call for proposals for three thematic funds under the headline “Children and youth”

Independent Research Fund Denmark publishes the thematic research calls under the headline “Children and youth” as a consequence of the political agreements of 28 February 2023 on the distribution of the research reserve in 2023.

The agreement states that Independent Research Fund Denmark is responsible for allocating funds for thematic research within the following themes under the headline “Children and youth”:

• Strengthened research on vulnerable children and youth
• Learning and well-being in elementary schools
• Stronger research environments for vocational education

Call for proposals - Children and youth 2023

DKK 35 million for Strengthened research on vulnerable children and youth

The first of the three thematic calls aims at strengthening research on vulnerability among children and youth, so that an effort may be initiated to support capacity building and strengthened coordination of research in the area, including, among other things, practice-oriented research and qualitative as well as quantitative research.

The research can have both a basic- and an application-oriented aim in the short or long term and can, among other things, take place in collaboration with relevant education programmes.

The Board of Independent Research Fund Denmark wishes to emphasise that “vulnerable children and youth” is not firmly defined and that the field of research can be described and approached differently within different areas of research and science.

DKK 25 million for learning and well-being in elementary schools

The second of the three thematic call aims at strengthening practice-oriented research and to provide new knowledge on learning and well-being in elementary schools.

The initiative aims at supporting a strengthened foundation of knowledge for the teacher education by fostering a closer connection between the research, the content of teacher-education, and elementary school practice.

The research can have both a basic- and an application-oriented aim.

DKK 20 million for stronger research environments for vocational education

The last of the three thematic calls aims at strengthening and developing the quality and the attractiveness of vocational education, and to secure capacity building of research in vocational education, including practice-oriented research.

The research must, among other things, support the vocational educations’ quality, attraction level, and retention ability. The research can, among other things, take place in collaboration with relevant education programmes and with potential changes in mind – and hereby support schools and businesses in providing the best possible education for apprentices.

New themes, familiar funding instruments

The calls will be within the budgetary framework and requirements of DFF Research Project1 (thematic) and DFF Research Project2 (thematic), which are familiar funding instruments within Independent Research Fund Denmark.

Please note that the amount limits have been adjusted so that up to DKK 2.2 million (excluding overhead) can be applied for under DFF-Research Project1 (thematic) and between DKK 2,2 and 4,3 million (excluding overhead) under DFF-Research Project2 (thematic).

Furthermore, please be advised that it applies to all three themes that DFF-Research Project2 is only funded in special cases where it has been convincingly argued that the objective cannot be reached through a DFF-Research Project1.

Application forms in e-grant are available now. Applications must be uploaded in the application system www.e-grant.dk no later than Thursday 15 June 2023 at 12:00 (noon).

Further information

Team Leader Lisbeth Eilersgaard Christensen, tel. +45 72 31 84 17, email: lec@ufm.dk

Special Adviser Tobias Kjeldgaard, tel. +45 72 31 78 11, email: tkj@ufm.dk

Special Adviser Karen Marie Bjørnstrup Vølund, tel. +45 72 31 89 31, email: kmbv@ufm.dk

May 04, 2023