Current calls and posts
You can receive help with the administrative and economical aspects of applications, grants, contracts and collaboration agreements as a researcher at the School of Communication and Culture.
News
New website makes it easier to comply with GDPR
On a new website, the Research Data Office will publish information about projects that are exempt from the information obligation, making it easier to comply with the GDPR requirements. This option is now supported by AU’s new website (for now - only in Danish), which will include information about projects exempt from the information obligation. Projects that may be covered by the exemption are projects that are collecting personal data indirectly – i.e. from registers, databases or other data sources – and where contacting all the data subjects would require a disproportionate effort.
Allocation of the Research Reserve for 2026
The agreement on the allocation of the Research Reserve for 2026–2029 has been finalised, including a funding plan for the period 2026–2029. Of particular relevance to CC, the following thematic funding areas can be highlighted: Responsibility for the Green Transition; Denmark’s Security: Critical Technologies and Defence Research; A Socially Cohesive Denmark; Independent Research Funding.
- Read the Agreements on Research and Innovation 2026–2029 (DK only).
- See Rector Brian Bech Nielsen’s statement on the new political agreements.
The Graduate School introduces four recruitment rounds for specific calls
If you, as a researcher, have received a grant that requires PhD fellowships to be advertised as open calls/in open competition, you now have the opportunity to announce the fellowships four times a year (instead of the previous twice a year).
The new deadlines:
| Draft for the call (form) incl. proof of funding: | 1 August 2025 | 1 December 2025 | 2 March 2026 | 29 June 2026 | 21 September 2026 |
| Announcement on the web: | 1 September 2025 | 11 December 2025 | 12 March 2026 | 9 July 2026 | 9 October 2026 |
| Application deadline: | 1 October 2025 | 1 January 2026 | 1 April 2026 | 15 August 2026 | 1 November 2026 |
| Earliest enrolment start: | 1 January 2026 | 1 April 2026 | 1 July 2026 | 1 November 2026 | 1 February 2027 |
Non-Danish candidates
When you choose an enrolment start date please be aware of the time between the offer is sent to the applicant and the expected enrolment start if the applicant comes from abroad. The offer is sent no later than a month before the enrolment start but the actual enrolment start date depends on how long it takes to process the residence and work permit for non-Danish candidates. They are not allowed to start until the permits are in place.
Summer holiday
If the PhD student is going to start during the summer (July/August) please make sure that there are people present at the department so that the PhD student is not left alone for 1-2 months after enrolment start.
- Note that this change is relevant to specific calls only. The open, faculty-financed calls and PhD fellowships will still be announced twice a year.
- Questions should be directed to Bettina Holmbo Achton from the Graduate School, Arts.
Changes to the ERC work programmes 2026 and 2027
We are awaiting a draft of the next ERC work program for 2026, which will contain some significant changes compared to last year’s work program. Changes both to the submission of applications and the evaluation of proposals will apply, see the news on ERC’s webpage.
There are delays in the preparation of the work program, which is why process plans for the Starting grant call and the Synergy grant call haven’t been announced yet. Detailed information about the StG and SyG grant will be available once the WP draft is received.
- Read more about the ERC calls.
Expected deadlines for the 2026 ERC work program:
| Call opens | Expected deadline | |
Starting Grant 2026 | 9 July 2025 | 14 October 2025 |
| Synergy Grant 2026 | 10 July 2025 | 5 November 2025 |
| Consolidator Grant 2026 | 25 September 2025 | 13 January 2026 |
| Advanced Grant 2026 | 28 May 2026 | 27 August 2026 |
Circle U.-mobility grant continues for 2025
With the Circle U. mobility grant for 2025 there is once again an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation within both education and research. The faculty management team has decided to continue the programme, so employees at Faculty of Arts can apply for grants for international trips. One can also apply for funding for a study trip for up to 50 students.
- Read more about Circle U. mobility grant. (DK only)
- For more information about the grant, refer to the Circle U. mobility grant 2024.
Support for Open Science: Journal Finder
To support researchers in publishing Open Access, the Royal Library has established Journal Finder, which aims to make it easier and more straightforward to identify journals covered by national licensing agreements for Open Access publishing. Try the service, which is free, here: https://pro.kb.dk/en/open-science/journal-finder
- If you have any questions about Open Access, you are very welcome to contact AU Library's Open Access support: oa@kb.dk
Do you process personal data in your research?
When collecting personal data as a researcher, you generally need to inform the relevant people (data subjects) that you are processing their personal data. This is called the information duty. The purpose of the information duty is to secure transparency for the data subjects about how you will process their personal data.
AU’s templates for information duty, scientific research purposes and informed consent have just been updated. You can find them here:
- Scientific research purposes
- Information duty
- Do you have any questions? Then you can contact the data protection coordinator at Arts, Louise Buchhave (lobu@au.dk).
Social security at the School of Communication and Culture
It is important to factor in social security – understood as the right to benefits such as parental leave and sickness benefits – when appointing international researchers with external grants if they are living and working in countries other than Denmark (including part time), as there could be significant costs associated with such appointments. The school is unable to cover social security costs for employees involved in externally funded projects. In such cases, the costs must be covered by the project, so it is important to take this into account when applying for external funding. Arts HR (in collaboration with Arts Finance) has offered to assist in calculating the costs of social security. The research consultant is responsible for inquiring about and verifying whether social security considerations are relevant when approving budgets. If you have any doubts about social security, you can always contact the school’s research consultant.
Workshops, webinars and masterclasses
Webinar series about the Horizon Europe programmes
In December, the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science held a series of webinars of Horizon Europe's work programmes, as well as their content, budgets and experiences from previous participants from Denmark. The webinars are now available on YouTube. They are in English, and very relevant for any prospective applicants.
- Watch the webinar series on YouTube.
- Read more about the Webinar series: Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3.
- Read more about Horizon Europe.
Do you have an idea for a school workshop?
We would be happy to hear from you, if you have any ideas for research-related workshops to be held at the school. Simply reach out to the research consultant with suggestions and wishes in this regard.
Explorative lunch meetings at the Faculty of Arts
Are you interested in exploring cross-disciplinary themes or issues with researchers from other faculties at AU? Have you got a new, untested, crazy, experimental or inspiring idea for a new angle on research collaboration between ARTS and the other AU faculties (HEALTH, BSS, NAT and TECH)? An explorative lunch meeting at the Faculty of Arts might be exactly what you’re looking for. The Faculty of Arts is inviting its researchers (assistant professors, associate professors and professors) to propose a variety of cross-disciplinary themes which could be explored at a series of lunchtime meetings with a view to conducting a broad investigation of the cross-disciplinary potential in various new research ideas or fields. Proposals are welcome on an ongoing basis. You can read more about the procedure here.
Calls for applications
Overview of current calls
Deadline | Call |
| Running deadline | |
3 February 2026 |
|
| 28 February 2026 | |
| 1 March 2026 | |
| 3 March 2026 |
|
| 15 March 2026 | |
| 29 April 2026 |
|
| 12 May 2026 | |
| 1 July 2026 | |
| 3 November 2026 | |
| 15 April 2027 |
Overview of Innovation Fund Denmarks calls for 2026
Read more about the individual calls through the links in the titles below. Take into account that the following details may change, so stay up to date through the website and newsletters.
In some cases, the English websites have not been updated with current deadlines - if in doubt, cross-reference with the Danish sites, reach out to Innovation Fund Denmark via the contact information provided on the websites, or contact the research consultant.
- Innoexplorer
30 January (round 1), 23 April (round 2) and 26 August (round 3) - Innofounder
17 February 2026 (for the spring call, the autumn call has not been announced yet) - Industrial researcher
24 February 2026 for applications with private companies, beginning of September for applications with private companies and public organisations - Grand Solutions (see more in individual call posting below)
3 March 2026 at 12:00 and 10 September 2026 at 12:00 for those invited from phase 1 - Innobooster
12 March 2026 at 12:00 (round 1), 13 May 2026 at 12:00 (round 2), 6 August 2026 at 12:00 (round 3) and 15 October 2026 at 12:00 (round 4) - Innomissions
- According to agreements on research and innovation 2026-2029, Innovation Fund Denmark will be investing DKK 295.1 million in a strategic push for green research and innovation.
AUFF Sandbjerg Estate
In October AUFF still had 400.000 DKK left from the 2025 funds for academic events at Sandbjerg Estate, which is why we are once again extending an invitation to apply for this funding. The funds can be used in both 2025 and 2026.
AIAS Artist-in-Residence Tandem Fellowship
Deadline: 3 February 2026 at 12:00 (noon)
Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS) is pleased to announce one available tandem fellowship for a joint collaborative application from an Artist-in-Residence in collaboration with an Aarhus University-based researcher. The fellowship encourages research projects at the intersection of artistic and academic practices, enhancing innovative thinking and creative exchange between the arts and sciences. AIAS provides a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment, where researchers from diverse fields interact, share expertise and inspire each other.
- Read more about the call, fellowship and application process.
- Got questions? Contact Programme Manager Helle Villekold at helle@aias.au.dk.
AIAS Science Diplomacy Fellowships
Deadline: 3 February 2026 at 12.00 (noon)
Interdisciplinary research collaboration and innovative ideas are prerequisites for tackling joint societal challenges. Science diplomacy, operating at the intersections of scientific collaboration, foreign policy and changing global world orders, increasingly emphasizes not only expert-driven science, but also broader societal engagement in research. With the Science Diplomacy fellowships, AIAS seeks to strengthen research-based understanding of the interdisciplinary role of science diplomacy across fields.
- Read more about the call, fellowships and application process.
- Got questions? Contact Programme Manager Helle Villekold at helle@aias.au.dk.
VELUX FOUNDATION Core Groups 2026
Notification deadline: 22 October 2025
Deadline: 3 February 2026 at 14:00
The purpose of the Core Group Programme is to support independent, original basic research at an excellent level within the humanities and closely related fields of social sciences (anthropology, political science, sociology and psychology). With this programme, we wish to strengthen the growth layer of research (emerging research groups with budding ideas) to enhance the future of humanities and social science.
See the schools internal process.
Circle U. Postdoc Mobility Programme
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Would you like to extend your international network and meet your potential next research group at another Circle U. university? Then apply for a mobility fellowship through the Circle U. Postdoc Mobility Programme.
Carlsberg Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Centres
Deadline: 1 March 2026 at 16:00
The Carlsberg Foundation is celebrating its 150th anniversary and are offering DKK 150 million for up to four Interdisciplinary Research Centres to promote interdisciplinarity in Danish basic research.
A team of two or three Principal Investigators (PIs) may apply. The PI team must consist of associate professors, senior researchers or professors. At least two of the three main research domains supported by the Carlsberg Foundation: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, should be represented in the PI team.
- Read the full call.
- Sparring session: To help AU-based researchers team up with each other or external partners, and provide feedback on potential research programmes with relevance for the call, there will be a sparring session on 16 December 2025. Read more about the session under the Workshops, Webinars and Masterclasses tab.
The Carlsberg Foundation: Science Communication and Carlsberg Mindelegat
Deadline: 1 March 2026
Would you like to help make science relevant and engaging for a broad audience, and thereby contribute to a more informed, critical, and involved public? You now have the opportunity to apply for funding for outreach activities through the Carlsberg Foundation’s Science Communication programme and the Carlsberg Mindelegat.
The Science Communication programme targets professional communicators with documented experience in carrying out large-scale outreach initiatives, while the Carlsberg Mindelegat is aimed at researchers who wish to communicate their own work to a wide public.
Innovation Fund Denmark: Grand Solutions Programme 2026
RSO support deadline: 12 January 2026
Deadline phase 1 (letter of interest): 3 March 2026 at 12:00 noon
Deadline phase 2 (full application): 10 September 2026 at 12:00 noon
The Innovation Fund Denmark just announced their calls for the Grand Solutions Programme 2026 and the central Research Support Office offers support for the entire application process.
The calls in a nutshell:
- Aim: The Grand Solutions Programme invests in innovative collaboration projects that create new knowledge and develop solutions with a clear societal or economic impact in Denmark.
- Eligibility: The project must include a minimum of two partners of which one is not a university (except quantum)
- Budget: Investment per project from 5-30 mio DKK (life science and quantum 40 mio DKK)
- Total investment rate: 75% (quantum 90%)
- Duration: 1-5 years
The call covers the following five themes:
- Green research, technology and innovation
- Life science, health and welfare technology
- Biotechnology and biosolutions
- Critical and digital technologies, including Space technology, AI and Nuclear Power
- Quantum technologies
Please sign up for RSO support to IFD.FSE@AU.dk as soon as possible and no later than 12 January 2026. We support AU coordinators with all aspects of the application (startup meetings, formalities, budget, review of the proposal, etc.) and AU partners with budget preparations and application-related formalities, while their coordinator oversees the application.
Join our Information Meeting on 10 January 2026 at 14:00-16:00 at AIAS. Please register by sending an email to AU IFD Research Support IFD.FSE@au.dk no later than 12 January.
Have any questions? Contact the Grand Solutions team by phone +45 61 90 50 00 or by email store.projekter@innofond.dk. Phone are open Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00-12:00.
Circle U. Sandpits
Deadline: 15 March 2026
Looking to develop innovative, interdisciplinary research projects on sustainability? Join the Circle U. Sandpits; scientific workshops designed to foster creativity and collaboration among researchers from diverse disciplines. This unique format offers researchers at all levels the opportunity to develop innovative research projects, strengthen their project management skills, and expand their academic and professional networks.
DFF-Forskningsprojekt1 (DK only)
Deadline: 29 April 2026
Notification deadline: TBA
An Independent Research Fund Denmark Research Project 1 is defined by a clear problem definition that is explored through research activities of a high, international quality. Projects that stretch over 3-4 years can apply for up to DKK 2.5 million. Soon the internal process will be available on the School's Internal Processes page.
Horizon Europe: EIC Pathfinder Open
Notification deadline: 27 February 2026
Deadline: 12 May 2026
Do you have an ambitious vision for a novel future technology that could make a real difference to our lives? Do you see a plausible way of achieving the scientific breakthrough that will make this technology possible? Can you imagine collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of researchers and innovators to validate the scientific basis of the future technology, realise a proof of principle, and explore paths to impact? If the answer to each one of these questions is ‘yes’, then EIC Pathfinder Open may be the right call for you.
- Deadline for signing up for RSO support is 27 February 2026 to EIC.FSE@au.dk
- RSO will hold a workshop for applicants on 25 March 2026 from 14:00–15:15 and share insights from a Pathfinder Open evaluator as well as from the AU Evaluation Summary Reports.
The Bevica Foundation: Research in Universal Design
Deadline: 1 July 2026
The Bevica Foundation is now accepting applications for new PhD research projects aimed at developing knowledge about universal design as a means for creating a more inclusive and equitable society, with a scope of 10.5 million DKK.
We all have different and changing functional abilities throughout life. Nevertheless, our shared environments are often designed for a standardized and fully functioning body. Universal Design is a value-based concept which can be used to ensure equitable inclusion of people with functional variations in the design of our society.
Who can apply?
- Applicants must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) by the application deadline. Applications are accepted for all PhD models: 5+3, 4+4, and 3+5.
- It is considered an advantage if either the applicant or the primary supervisor has participated in the Bevica Scholarship Programme. Otherwise, qualifications in universal design must be documented.
Got questions? Please contact Project Developer René Sørensen Overby at rene@bevica.dk
NordForsk: Global interdisciplinary funding initiative on Disruptive Technologies
Deadline: 3 November 2026
This call supports international, interdisciplinary and transformative research projects that harness disruptive technologies to address major global societal challenges and accelerate progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Projects must directly address at least one SDG or another recognized global challenge and involve co-development with stakeholders for long-term impact.
Available Budget: The Nordic partners of a project proposal can apply for a maximum of DKK 10,9 million in total.
- NordForsk will host a second webinar on 22 January 2026 at 10:00–10:45 for researchers from the Nordic countries interested in the call. The webinar will include a Q&A session.
- If you would like to connect with other researchers interested in this call, you can join the contact list by completing the survey found at the bottom of New Frontier’s in Research’s page. Fill out the survey by 9 February 2026 to be added to the list.
- Sign-up for RSO support: Nordforsk.FSE@au.dk
NordForsk: Nordic Exploratory Networks within the humanities and social sciences
Deadline: 15 April 2027 at 13:00
The initiative aims to provide opportunities for early-career researchers to build and lead Nordic networks, to support novelty and creativity in research network activities, and to promote Nordic added value in research. The call supports the development of bottom-up, curiosity-driven research networks within the humanities and social sciences in the Nordic region. Networks are free to explore and develop themes, topics, and activities over a 3-year period.
Eligibility: Networks must include partners from at least four Nordic countries (Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Åland Islands). The project leader must have obtained a PhD 2–7 years prior to the application deadline. Networks should include a significant number of early-career researchers as Key Researchers. Applicants must be affiliated with a research-performing organisation in the Nordic region.
Funding: Maximum funding per network is NOK 1.5 million for a duration of 3 years. The call is expected to fund 22 networks.
- There will be a webinar with a Q&A session for researchers interested in the call on 9 February 2026 at 10:00. Register for the webinar.
- Would you like to connect with other researchers interested in the call? Sign up and complete a brief form before 15 March 2026, and you will be added to a list where your information will be shared with other researchers.
- Have any questions about the call? Contact NOSHS26-QA@nordforsk.org
- Sign-up for RSO support: Nordforsk.FSE@au.dk
