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The Danish Research Landscape – An Analysis of Competitive Research Funding
Denmark now has its first comprehensive overview of how competitive research funding is distributed across funding bodies, grant types and research areas. For the first time, this information is combined with new insights into how researchers are distributed across research areas. The result is a new shared knowledge base on a key part of Danish research funding, which can help inform decisions about the future research landscape.
The analysis 'The Danish Research Landscape – An Analysis of Competitive Research Funding' maps how competitive research funding is distributed across funding bodies, grant types and research areas in Denmark.
Competitive research funding refers to funding awarded through an open application process, in which projects are assessed by independent experts based on criteria such as scientific quality, originality and potential, and where only the highest-rated projects receive funding. As a new element, the analysis combines this information with a mapping of the researcher population. This makes it possible to view research funding in relation to the research areas in which researchers are active, thereby providing an overall picture of a key part of Danish research funding.
The analysis was conducted by the Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy at Aarhus University, with funding from ten Danish public and private research funding bodies. It covers research grants awarded from 2018 to 2024 and includes more than 18,000 grants with a total value of more than DKK 83 billion.
DFF: An important shared knowledge base
Søren Serritzlew, Chair of the Board of the Independent Research Fund Denmark, welcomes the fact that the many funding bodies have joined forces to establish a shared knowledge base:
“Research funding plays a crucial role in the development of new knowledge and, consequently, in the development of our society. This is why Independent Research Fund Denmark initiated the analysis and a broad collaboration between the funding bodies. For the first time, the analysis provides us with an overall picture of how competitive research funding is distributed across the research landscape. This gives us a much stronger basis for making decisions about how best to support independent research in Denmark. This knowledge will also provide an important foundation as we develop Independent Research Fund Denmark’s forthcoming strategy.”
The funding bodies: An independent analysis focusing on competitive funding
The ten public and private research funding bodies have sought to create a better and more coherent picture of competitive research funding in Denmark.
Competitive research funding plays a central role in Danish research, but until now there has been no comprehensive overview of how this funding is distributed across funding bodies, grant types and research areas. The analysis was therefore conducted to establish a shared knowledge base on competitive research funding in Denmark and to provide new insights into how funding is distributed in relation to the researcher population across research areas.
The analysis was conducted by independent researchers at the Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy, Aarhus University.
The analysis provides new knowledge about the research funding landscape and establishes a basis for further dialogue, analysis and knowledge-building on research funding in Denmark.
Background to the analysis
Analysis conducted by: Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy, Aarhus University
The analysis was funded by: Independent Research Fund Denmark, Danish National Research Foundation, Innovation Fund Denmark, Augustinus Foundation, Carlsberg Foundation, LEO Foundation, Lundbeck Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, VELUX FONDEN and Villum Foundation.
For academic questions regarding the methodology, data and results of the analysis, please contact the Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy (CFA) at cfa@cfa.au.dk
For questions regarding the funding bodies’ joint initiative and the press release, please contact Independent Research Fund Denmark at dff@dff.dk
FACTS: About the analysis
- The analysis maps competitive research funding in Denmark during the period 2018–2024 and covers research grants awarded by public and private research funding bodies.
- The dataset comprises approximately 18,000 research grants with a total value of more than DKK 83 billion.
- The analysis provides an overview of how research funding is distributed across research areas, academic disciplines, funding bodies and grant types.
- The analysis also maps the researcher population across research areas and academic disciplines, making it possible to examine research funding in relation to the researcher population within each area.
- The analysis covers competitive research funding only. Basic funding for universities and university colleges, as well as other non-competitive research funding, is not included. Other types of funding, such as funding for innovation and product development targeted at companies, are also excluded