Current calls

The support is aimed at researchers who plan to develop new research projects and associated grant applications across subject, departmental and faculty boundaries within Uppsala University.

In order to receive the support, the application must centre on a project idea that distinctly cuts across disciplinary boundaries. We welcome project groups constituted of researchers working in different faculties at Uppsala University of which two or three project members receive salary funds.

The main applicant should at the time of the application, and during the period of support, be employed at a department or equivalent at Uppsala University. All project members to be salaried by the support should be employed at Uppsala University. The project may also involve collaboration with individuals employed at other universities and research institutes.

The call is open for project ideas within six thematic areas associated with UUniFI institutes:

Multi- and interdisciplinarity (CIRCUS)

The Institute for Multi- and Interdisciplinary, Circus, especially welcomes applications that contribute to expanding the forms of multi‑ and interdisciplinary research in addition to the areas specified for UUniFIs thematic research institutes listed below. Circus also strives to ensure that the supported project groups in the aggregate reflect a wide diversity of research.

Artificial Intelligence

The Institute for Artificial Intelligence welcomes applications across all areas of application within the field AI.

Green energy transition

The Institute for Green Energy Transition welcomes initiatives that address one or several of the following topics: Future fossil free energy systems and electric grids; sustainable materials in the energy transition; and the just and robust energy transition.

Precision health

Precision health is becoming increasingly important as a growing and more diverse patient population requires healthcare to be adapted to meet different cultural, socioeconomic, and demographic needs. In this call, the Institute for Precision Health will give priority to applications that fall within FORTE’s main field Health.

Migration

The Research Institute for Migration particularly welcomes applications that combine diverse competencies and approaches to address migration‑related issues of major significance for individuals and societies in innovative ways.

Goal conflicts within sustainability transformations

Uppsala University Conflicting Objectives Research Nexus, UUniCORN, welcomes applications that address well‑defined goal conflicts within sustainablity transformations. The research ideas should be challenge‑driven and of high societal relevance. Furthermore, applications should engage with at least one of the following areas: transformation, i.e., new approaches to managing systemic change; implementation, i.e., evaluation or testing of interventions aimed at navigating goal conflicts; and/or equity, i.e., analysis of goal conflicts or implementation efforts from a rights-basedperspective.

The granted support is provided in three parts: financial support, administrative support from UUniFI, and a mandatory seminar series where project ideas and drafts are discussed and developed.

The financial support refers to SEK 250,000 and is intended to be mainly used for salary within the project group. In practice, this funding can be distributed over several months of part time. The awarded funds include overhead (up to 28 percent) and is to be administrated by a host department.

The administrative support refers to qualified support focused on developing the project idea. It relates to such things as help with commenting on drafts and help in establishing contacts to develop the project idea and organising meetings. In addition to Circus, this support may also involve contributions from UUniFIs research institutes.

There will be six mandatory seminars gathering the awarded project groups as well as internal and external expertise. Dates: 27 August, 9 September, 8 October, 3 November, 2 December 2026 and 12 January 2027.

The seminars aim to support the development efforts of the project groups. They also provide opportunities for the groups to support each other. Participation in the seminars is mandatory, and at least one researcher from each project group is required to attend on every occasion. Experience clearly shows that active participation in the seminar series combined with parallel writing, is essential for successful project development.

Conditions to receive this support from UUniFI:

• Representatives from the project group should participate in the mandatory seminars that gather the project groups as well as internal and external experts.

• The project group must clearly state in future publications that the development of the project idea was carried out with support from UUniFI.

• The project group should keep UUniFI informed about the progress of the project development, share drafts of grant applications and the final applications as they are submitted.

• The project groups should inform UUniFI about significant changes in the direction of the project development.

• A brief scientific and financial final report must be submitted to UUniFI no later than three months after the end of the support.

• The project group may submit only one application in this call. Note that it is not permitted to submit applications for the same project with different applicants.

• Researchers, both main applicant and co-applicants, who received project development support from Circus in the previous year (i.e., 2025–2026) are subject to a one-year quarantine and are therefore not eligible for this call. The purpose of this principle is to ensure that many can benefit from this form of support over time.

The application must be electronically submitted by 7 April 2026, using this the form.

The application is to be submitted as a single (1) PDF including the main application text and CVs of project group members. The main application text is 1 to 2 pages including reference list (12 pt. Times New Roman) and the brief CV should be max 2 pages per person.

A signed statement docx, 21 kB. from the Head of Department is provided in a separate file.

The main applicant must have a doctorate and be employed at a department (or equivalent) at Uppsala University.

The application should be written in Swedish or English and must include:

• The name of the project group, the main applicant and participating researchers with an indication of the one or two researchers who in addition to the main applicant are to be salaried by this support.

• A brief description of the project idea and in particular how it is cross-cutting. This description should also indicate in what ways a fully realised project would contribute to existing research.

• A short description of the work and activities needed to develop the idea into a high-quality and cross-cutting research project.

• In what ways the composition of the research group provides favourable conditions for successfully developing the research project.

• An anticipation of what calls and funders you think are most appropriate for this project.

• In the application form, applicants must indicate which institute the application refers to.

• A budget that reports how the financial part of the support of SEK 250,000 (incl. LBK and OH) is to be used. Overhead costs up to 28 percent will be covered. It is usually a report of the total scope and working time expressed in full-time months and how it is supposed to be distributed within the project group.
• The signature of the head of department at the host department confirming that the department supports the application to UUniFI and that any co‑funding required to cover overhead costs exceeding 28 percent will be provided by the department or equivalent, if applicable. Note: Use the template docx, 21 kB. for the Head of Department’s signature.

The applications are assessed within each six UUniFI instiutes, where reviewers provide individually assessment. In the next step, the experts meet with the director of each institute to jointly prioritise the applications. Each Institute Director then prepares a funding recommendation for the Head of UUniFI. The recommendation is based on the experts’ prioritisation, together with considerations to ensure a broad composition of project groups. Decisions on support are made by the head of UUniFI.

Each institute within UUniFI will handle its own selection process. In common, however, is that when evaluating applications for support, reviewers will assess each application according to four criteria:

• The potential of the project idea to become a high-quality and cross-cutting research project. The likelihood of a developed project to acquire external research funding is one component in this assessment, but should not take the place of an assessment of the scientific potential of the project idea.

• The composition of the project group, and specifically whether it can be expected to collaborate to develop the project idea in a cross-cutting direction. Priority will be given to applications that demonstrate a relevant and well‑balanced disciplinary breadth.

• The competencies of the project group to successfully develop and carry through an externally funded research project. The collective competence and experience of the involved researchers should make it likely that the project can be realised with high scientific standards.

• Feasibility. That the application includes a plausible estimate of the work effort needed to develop the project idea into at least one competitive grant application for external funding of the project.