Call for grant applications: The Aarhus University Research Foundation invites interested researchers to apply for grants to be awarded the first half of 2012.

The foundation's objective is to support scientific and scholarly research at Aarhus University. The foundation awards grants on the basis of recommendations from Aarhus University. In the evaluation of applications and recommendations, emphasis is placed on academic excellence and on supporting initiatives with the potential to strengthen strategically important research efforts. Grants to cover overhead are not available.

 

• Application forms 1, 2 and 3 are available at https://mit.au.dk/index.cfm?sp=en in electronic form
• Terms and conditions for grants awarded by the Aarhus University Research Foundation 
  
• Guidelines for the administration of grants awarded by the Aarhus University Research Foundation

 

Application forms

Applicants must provide their CPR number when submitting a form. Applications will only be accepted from CPR numbers which are registered in AROS, Aarhus University's administrative IT system. Applicants who experience difficulties should contact AU Strategy at Aarhus University: Lise Poulsen, tel. 871 52137. E-mail: lp@adm.au.dk

Completed applications should be printed out, signed and sent to the Lise Poulsen, AU Strategy, Nordre Ringgade 1, 8000 Aarhus C, along with any documentation.

Application deadline

Applications must be received by AU Strategy, by Friday 3 February at noon. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the deadline is met. Late applications will not be considered, with the exception of applications for PhD courses at Sandbjerg Manor and for research retreats at Møllehuset, which will be considered on a running basis.

Applications for 3 (Internationalisation) must be submitted to the relevant graduate school by Thursday 26. January 2012.

Applicants can expect a decision in early May 2012.

The next call for grant applications to the Aarhus University Research Foundation will take place in July 2012. The deadline for this round of applications is early September 2012.

Projects and initiatives eligible for support:

1. PUBLICATIONS (electronic application form 1)

Grants are available to support major publications of scholarly works, monographs, anthologies, etc., which are particularly worthy of publication in book form.
Please do not submit manuscripts with your application.  If necessary, the evaluation committee will request manuscripts at a later date.

Applications are evaluated by a special publication committee appointed by Aarhus University. The committee's powers and responsibilities are described in a memo of 30 November 2011 (see www.au.dk/auf).

2. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE TRANSITION FROM PhD TO POSTDOC FOR TALENTED YOUNG RESEARCHERS (electronic application form 2)

 

Eligible applicants:

The principal supervisors of particularly outstanding doctoral students who are expected to submit their PhD theses on schedule (excluding periods of illness and/or leave) are eligible to apply. In addition to the application, the principal supervisor must submit a statement on the doctoral student's qualifications as well as a declaration of interest from the head of the student's department describing the postdoctoral project's significance for the institutional research culture in question. Grants are awarded conditionally; they are released when the PhD thesis has been submitted for assessment and the chairman of the assessment committee has provided written confirmation that the committee's preliminary recommendation will be positive.

 

Grants of up to four months' salary may be awarded. Under special circumstances, the support period may be extended to a maximum of six months.

 

Evaluation criteria:

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• The academic excellence of the proposed postdoctoral project
• The applicant's qualifications, including previous academic achievements
• The applicant's connection to an institutional research culture at Aarhus University and the extent of the possible contribution to its development.

 

The following documentation must be submitted along with the application:

• Statement from principal supervisor
• Declaration of interest from head of department
• Project description
• The doctoral student's CV

 

Project description:

Must not exceed 1500 words. The following points must be included:

• Goals and perspectives (thesis statement;  where relevant research hypotheses, projected results and their significance)
• Method
• The institutional research culture (the applicant's connection to an institutional research culture at AU and the framework for the project's development and completion)

3. FUNDING TO FURTHER THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF PHD EDUCATION AT AARHUS UNIVERSITY (electronic application form 3)

Projects and initiatives which are eligible for support:

A. Recruitment of talented foreign researchers to PhD programmes at Aarhus University

 

Purpose:

To increase the number of highly qualified foreign PhD students at Aarhus University. Grants to enable a potential foreign applicant to visit Aarhus University for one to three months are available.  The goal of the visit is to facilitate a thorough qualitative evaluation of the potential applicant to a PhD programme at Arhus University. Examples of relevant activities in which a foreign candidate might participate include courses, summer school, and workshops; laboratory work; or developing a PhD project in collaboration with his/her supervisor. The candidate is to be evaluated by his/her supervisor at the end of his/her stay. This evaluation may be included in the candidate's application for admission to a PhD programme at Aarhus University. Danish citizens are not eligible for this grant. Students with qualifying examinations from Danish institutions are not eligible.

Eligible applicants:

Heads of graduate schools are eligible to apply. Applications should be prepared on the basis of a recommendation from the candidate's potential principal supervisor. If more than one candidate is recommended, the head of the graduate school is responsible for ranking the candidates. The head of the graduate school is also responsible for the qualitative evaluation of the potential doctoral student.

Funding is available for:
Applications for funds to cover the following costs will be considered:

• An introductory grant for the foreign candidate (DKK 10,000 per month)
• Travel expenses (DKK 15,000 maximum)
• Expenses related to courses, workshops, laboratory work, etc. (DKK 20,000 maximum)

Maximum total funding available per candidate: DKK 65,000 

Evaluation criteria:
Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• The foreign candidate's qualifications in relation to the research field of the section to which he/she is considering applying
• The ability of the institutional research culture to host the candidate's visit successfully
• Additional documentation of the foreign candidate's qualifications (where applicable)
  
  

The following documentation must be submitted along with the application:

• The foreign candidate's CV
• Arguments from both principal supervisor and the head of the graduate school in question in support of the candidate's stay, including any strategic considerations related to the recruitment of doctoral students from specific universities, countries or regions
• Documentation of PhD scholarships the foreign student would be able to apply for

B. Funding for a term of research at Aarhus University for doctoral students enrolled at a foreign university

 

Purpose:

To increase the number of highly qualified foreign PhD students at Aarhus University, thereby contributing to the internationalisation of doctoral education at the university, by establishing three to six-month research collaborations with foreign doctoral students. During their term of study at AU, foreign PhD students may (for example) participate in research activities, PhD courses, summer schools and workshops: perform laboratory work and/or work on their PhD theses, in order to complete a limited portion of their doctoral work at AU. Doctoral students with Danish citizenship are not eligible.

Eligible applicants:

The application is to be submitted by the head of the graduate school in question. 

Funding is available for:

• Fellowships (DKK 5,000 - 10,000 per month)
• Travel expenses (DKK 15,000 maximum)
•  Expenses related to courses, workshops, laboratory work, etc. (DKK 20,000 maximum)

 Maximum total funding available per candidate: DKK 65,000

Evaluation criteria:

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• The foreign student's specific individual qualifications
• The foreign candidate's qualifications in relation to the research field of the section at which he/she would continue his/her studies
• The ability of the institutional research culture to host the candidate's term of study successfully
• The extent to which the foreign student's presence would strengthen the institutional collaboration between the foreign student's home university and Aarhus University

The following documentation must be submitted along with the application:

 

• The foreign student's CV
• The head of the graduate school's arguments in support of the candidate's term of study at AU, including any strategic considerations related to the recruitment of doctoral students from specific universities, countries or regions

C. Study abroad for Aarhus University PhD students

 

Purpose:

To fund a term of study abroad for PhD students from Aarhus University of between three and twelve consecutive months.  During this period, the PhD student may (for example) participate in research activities, PhD courses, summer schools and workshops: perform laboratory work and/or work on his/her PhD thesis. An additional goal is to support terms of study abroad which contribute to strengthening the institutional collaboration between the foreign university and Aarhus University

Eligible applicants:

The application is to be submitted by the head of the graduate school in question.

Funding is available for:

 

 

• Relocation expenses (3-6 month stay: DKK 5,000; 6-9 month stay: DKK 10,000; up to 12 months: DKK 15,000; amount increases to DKK 20,000 for stays of between 3 and 12 months when student  is accompanied by spouse/partner and children (where applicable)
• Travel expenses (DKK 15,000 maximum). The travel expenses of accompanying spouses/partners and children are also covered; however, the family's total relocation expenses may not exceed the amounts specified above. Insurance for accompanying family members must be taken out and paid for by the grant recipient
• Expenses related to courses, workshops, laboratory work, etc. (DKK 20,000 maximum)

Maximum total funding available per candidate: DKK 55,000

Evaluation criteria:

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• The doctoral student's specific individual qualifications
• The purpose of the doctoral student's term of study at the foreign university/institution
• Strategic considerations related to specific universities, countries or regions with relevance for the selection of doctoral students
• The extent to which the term of study abroad would strengthen the institutional collaboration between the host university and Aarhus University
• The quality of the host institution

 

The following documentation must be submitted along with the application:

 

• The doctoral student's CV
• The doctoral student's reasons for wanting to study  at the foreign university/institution in question
• A statement from both the supervisor and the Head of the Graduate School about the relevance of studying at the foreign university/institution in question
• An invitation to the doctoral student from the host institution
  
  

4. PhD courses at Sandbjerg Manor

No application form required - applications can be submitted at any time.

Grants for holding PhD courses at Sandbjerg Manor are available. This form of support is intended to strengthen PhD education at Aarhus University. Grants for expenses (food, lodging, etc.) of up to DKK 700 per participant per day are available.  Applicants should include a recommendation from the faculty in question.

5. Research retreat at Møllehuset, Sandbjerg Manor

Applications can be submitted for grants to stay at Møllehuset, Sandbjerg with a view to giving researchers the opportunity to work with topics related to their area or to find the peace and quiet needed to carry out academic work. Normally grants can be made to cover visits lasting between two weeks and two months. Terms of research at Møllehuset can be applied for at any time and are granted on a running basis by the chairman of the foundation.

Application forms is available on the university’s homepage

www.au.dk/auff/moellehuset

You can also ask for an application form from the Aarhus University Research Foundation Office, Finlandsgade 14, 8200  Aarhus N, tel. (+45) 871 53372.

Application forms must be submitted to the Aarhus University Research Foundation Office, Finlandsgade 14, 8200 Aarhus C.