As the coronavirus pandemic continues, we strive for flexibility in the use of funding. In planning activities, applicants should follow all guidelines from their universities and local and national authorities and also consider virtual or hybrid events.

Eligible applicants are researchers at all stages of their careers, including PhD students and affiliated researchers, working in these above-mentioned universities. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis for research that ties in directly with the themes of ReNEW:

1. Nordic cooperation and region-building;
2. Democracy, governance and law;
3. Public policy, gender equality and labour markets;
4. Imagining Norden - branding and Nordic reputation;
5. Multiculturalism and globalization;
6. Nordic culture, education and media.

Deadline for applications is 29 November 2021.

ReNEW aims to communicate its research, in the wider public sphere, through various channels. Outreach funding is available for activities designed to communicate research to the broader public and pertinent stakeholders. Activities are likely to include contributions to social and traditional media, specific stakeholder involvement or dialogue with citizens through roundtables or events. Applicants are encouraged to make use of and contribute to ReNEW’s public outreach site nordics.info and are welcome to contact nordics.info (nwitcombe@cas.au.dk) before submitting.

Criteria for funding:

• Public communication (media or stakeholder involvement) of high-quality research within the themes of ReNEW. 
• The potential to contribute to broad current debates.
• Identification of target audiences.
• Co-funding or support in kind (such as the assistance of University communication departments) is encouraged but not required.

ReNEW mobility is intended to intensify research collaboration and the exchange of scholars. The grants are available for research stays in relevant departments of the ReNEW partner universities (Aarhus University, Copenhagen Business School, Södertörn University, University of Helsinki, University of Iceland, University of Oslo), in ReNEW’s strategic international partners (listed below), and where relevant, in other universities or departments that are engaged in research relevant to ReNEW. Mobility grants are also available for scholars from other universities seeking research stays in ReNEW universities.

Mobility grants are available for research stays from one week to 12 months. Grants may cover travel and accommodation costs, but not salary. Co-funding is encouraged. Grant recipients must comply with the administrative rules for travel of the granting university. The receiving institution commits to providing a work-related infrastructure, and to facilitating integration of mobility candidates into the academic community, given the pandemic situation and restrictions that may be in place. Grant recipients are encouraged to make a contribution to ReNEW’s online information resource nordics.info.

Criteria for funding:

• Potential to produce high-quality research within the themes of ReNEW during the research stay;
• Relevance of host institution (especially host scholar) for the research stay;
• Contribution to seminars and/or other events, including teaching and public outreach, at the host institution;
• Plans to participate in other ReNEW activities, such as annual conferences;
• Possibilities for synergies between the ReNEW partner institutions, key persons and ReNEW strategic partner universities and other relevant research environments (e.g. Scandinavian/Nordic studies departments outside the Nordic countries).

ReNEW workshops have multiple purposes, such as to explore research ideas, to develop collaboration, to pursue on-going cooperation in the context of a joint publication, to fund start-up projects, and to contribute to other activities. Workshops will usually take place at a ReNEW partner university. Workshops can also take place online or as hybrid events. The grant may cover travel of participants, hosting of the workshop, meals during the workshop, assistance, technical support, and other relevant costs. Co-funding is encouraged. Grant recipients must comply with the administrative rules for events of the granting university. The workshop, as part of international research collaboration, should aim to include the most relevant scholars in a particular sub-field of relevance to ReNEW. Grant recipients are encouraged to make a contribution to ReNEW’s online information resource nordics.info.

Criteria for funding:

• Contribution to high-quality research within the themes of ReNEW as a result of the workshop; 
• The participants should generally represent at least two universities within the ReNEW hub;
• The short-term and long-term aims of the workshop should be specified, with an emphasis on contribution to the research field.
• Outreach elements are encouraged but not required. In case of a bigger workshop, this could include interaction with media or inviting relevant stakeholders to the workshop.

ReNEW open access support aims at a broader dissemination of research on Norden, especially in a global context. Open access (OA) support can be applied for on a competitive basis for publications within the themes of ReNEW. OA support is available for payment of OA fees for books, journal articles and book chapters. The publication must have been published within the previous year or will be published in the following year (as per the date of application). The anticipated level for a contribution is 5,000 to 15,000 NOK for articles/chapters and 10,000 to 50,000 NOK for books. (In exceptional cases, support for articles can be increased up to 20,000 NOK for articles and 100,000 NOK for books.).

Criteria for funding: 

• The relevance of the publication to ReNEW themes.
• The importance of broad dissemination of this research.
• Contribution from applicant/other institutions to open access payment.
• The status of publisher in the relevant discipline or context.
• How the publication is connected to ReNEW partners.

When open access support is needed urgently, an OA application can be made outside the standard biannual ReNEW deadlines. An application is deemed urgent if a publisher or potential OA co-funder requires earlier notification of OA support. Evidence of urgency must be provided.

Applications are reviewed by an advisory assessment committee, on the basis of the criteria specified above. In addition to the specific criteria defined above, the quality of the proposed research and work plan, its relevance for the ReNEW agenda and the potential impact (research output and impact on the academic community and on the broader society) are key factors in the evaluation. After the review by the advisory assessment committee, the final decision is made by the ReNEW steering group. The steering group has the discretion to allocate funding according to strategic aims. The decision can be unconditional acceptance, conditional acceptance or rejection. If accepted, the grant amount may differ from the one applied for. The applicant will receive a response by 15 January 2021.

Applications are submitted electronically through application forms.

Deadline for applications is 30 November 2020.

Required attachments:

Outreach and stakeholder involvement grant:

• Work plan: objectives, preliminary programme and deliverables, implementation, timetable, contribution to ReNEW themes & research and future involvement in ReNEW, chosen audience, participants; 
• budget (max sum equivalent to 20 000 NOK);
• CV of main applicants (max three pages).

Mobility grant:

• Work plan: research plan including a visit plan (max five pages); 
• budget: travel, accommodation and other essential costs incurred by the visit;
• CV (max three pages);
• invitation from host institution.

Workshop grant:

• Workshop description: purpose, plan for advertisement, time schedule, preliminary programme, contribution to ReNEW themes & research and future involvement in ReNEW, list of participants);
• budget: expected costs for meals, travel, accommodation and other essential costs (max sum equivalent to 50 000 NOK unless special circumstances[1]); 
• CV of main applicants (max three pages).

Open access grant:

• Proposal (max one page); 
• copy of publication;
• proof of acceptance of the publication.

The activities should be carried out and open access support used by the end of 2021. In case the grant recipient(s) is/are unable to complete the activities in accordance with the approved plan and schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic, they can apply for an amendment. We have understanding with respect to amendments in this situation and will process all requests. Please note that while planning and booking events and travel, local guidelines must be followed (eg. travel restrictions and cancellation policy).

Successful workshop applicants will be required to submit their workshop programme for publication on the ReNEW website.

All successful applicants are to submit a final report to the ReNEW steering group within two months after the completion of the activity. Moreover, all applicants are asked to consider how their activities might also generate content for nordics.info (the ReNEW website for outreach and public dissemination).

ReNEW funding should be acknowledged in all communication on the activities. Calls and programs for workshops and other events should include the use of the ReNEW and NordForsk logo. All research published following the workshop and mobility funding should refer to the support received from ReNEW. Open access support should be acknowledged in the publication or, if this is no longer possible, on a scholar’s or project’s website.

[1] Applicants from Aarhus University and University of Helsinki should note that the maximum amount of funding available per workshop is likely to be less than NOK 50,000. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider co-funding or co-organisation with colleagues from other ReNEW universities.

Applications are submitted electronically through application forms: 

Apply for RENEW Outreach and stakeholder involvement funding

Apply for RENEW Early career mobility funding

Apply for RENEW Senior researcher mobility funding 

Apply for RENEW Workshop funding

Apply for ReNEW Open access funding

Aarhus University
Contact: Mary Hilson, mary.hilson@cas.au.dk

Copenhagen Business School
Contact: Caroline de la Porte, cdlp.egb@cbs.dk and Anders Weis Christiansen, awc.egb@cbs.dk

Södertörn University
Contact: Norbert Götz, norbert.gotz@sh.se and Steffen Werther, renew@sh.se

University of Helsinki
Contact: Peter Stadius, peter.stadius@helsinki.fi and Heidi Haggren, heidi.haggren@helsinki.fi

Iceland University
Contact: Irma Erlingsdottir, irma@hi.is

University of Oslo
Contact: Mari Bergseth-Hasle, mari.bergseth-hasle@norden.uio.no  

Boston University, MA., USA, www.bu.edu/european/about
Contact: Haldor Byrkjeflot, haldor.byrkjeflot@sosgeo.uio.no

European University Institute, Firenze, Italy, www.eui.eu
Contact:  Caroline de la Porte, cdlp.egb@cbs.dk

Nordic Centre at the Fudan University, Shanghai, China, www.nordiccentre.net/about/
Contact: Peter Stadius, peter.stadius@helsinki.fi

SCANCOR Weatherhead at the Harvard University, Cambridge MA., USA, wcfia.harvard.edu/programs/scholars
Contact: Haldor Byrkjeflot, haldor.byrkjeflot@sosgeo.uio.no

Sciences-Po, Paris, France, www.sciencespo.fr
Contact: Caroline de la Porte cdlp.egb@cbs.dk and Haldor Byrkjeflot haldor.byrkjeflot@sosgeo.uio.no