Experienced researchers have the widest range of calls to apply for. This overview covers the most common and relevant calls for RITMO researchers.
Notable calls excluded from this overview: Knowledge-building projects for industry (focused on energy and petroleum), Innovation project for Industrial Sector (scientific organizations may only act as R&D suppliers, have no rights to results).
Thematic areas and programmes in the Norwegian Research Council
The RCN calls described below mention programmes and thematic areas. Unsure what this means? Read up on the Research Council of Norway's current calls.
Timing of annual calls
Open-ended: RCN Researcher project FRIPRO, open-ended call from autumn 2023.
Spring: CAS Project, RCN Thematic Researcher-, Collaborative- and Knowledge-building Projects, ERC Advanced Grant.
Autumn: ERC Starting Grant, ERC Consolidator Grant, ERC Synergy Grant.
Large Calls for Experienced Researchers
RCN Researcher Projects for Experienced Scientists
Former name: Researcher Project for Scientific Renewal
A 3-6 year project with a budget of 4-12 million NOK. The FRIPRO call will be open-ended from autumn 2023. Thematic calls will still have fixed deadlines, likely in February. Keep up to date on thematic calls by checking the active calls on forskningsradet.no. RITMO's research advisor will send out information whenever there are thematic calls that are relevant to RITMO researchers.
Funder: The Research Council of Norway
Eligibility: Researchers with 6+ years experience after their PhD.
Themes/fields: Nearly all programmes are represented in the annual thematic call. Note: Projects with researchers from the Humanities are strategically prioritized in many thematical programmes.
Budget: 4-12 million NOK.
Annual deadline: February for thematic calls, open-ended for FRIPRO.
Call: Open-ended FRIPRO call
Who to contact at RITMO: RITMO's research adviser.
RCN Collaborative Project to meet Societal and Industry-related Challenges
A 2-4 year project aimed at developing new knowledge and generating research competence needed by society or the business sector. Projects must have at least 2 partners which are not research institutions - e.g actors from public sector entities, non-governmental organisations, Norwegian trade and industry and/or other private organisations.
Funder: The Research Council of Norway
Eligibility (PI): Approved doctorate or equivalent.
Themes/fields: Many thematic areas are represented in the annual call, but not FRIPRO. Note: Projects with researchers from the Humanities are strategically prioritized in many thematical programmes.
Budget: Varies between thematic calls. Typically 2-16 million NOK. Partners must contribute a certain percentage of the budget, depending on thematic area.
Annual deadline: February.
Call: Landing page for all collaborative project calls. Calls are usually published 3-5 months in advance of the deadline. See also: Guide for Applicants.
Who to contact at RITMO: RITMO's research adviser.
RCN Collaborative Project on Digital Security and Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Autonomous Systems
An open-ended called aimed at developing new knowledge within one or both topics for the call: Digital security and/or AI, Robotics and Autonomous Systems. Projects must have at least 2 partners which are not research institutions - e.g actors from public sector entities, non-governmental organisations, Norwegian trade and industry and/or other private organisations.
Funder: The Research Council of Norway
Eligibility (PI): Approved doctorate or equivalent.
Themes/fields: ICT Enabling technologies (Digital security and/or AI, Robotics and Autonomous Systems).
Budget: 4-12 million NOK.
Deadline: Open-ended. Current call is ended, new coming soon.
Call: Landing page for all collaborative project calls.
Who to contact at RITMO: RITMO's research adviser.
RCN Knowledge-building Project for Industry
A sub-type of Collaborative and Knowledge-Building Projects, aimed at specific sectors. For 2020: Tourism and hospitality, cultural industries, finance and retail/wholesale. Collaboration with non-research institutions are expected, but specific requirements will vary between calls.
Funder: The Research Council of Norway
Eligibility (PI): Approved doctorate or equivalent.
Budget: Varies.
Deadline: No set annual deadline.
Call: Landing page for all knowledge-building calls Calls are usually published 3-5 months in advance of the deadline.
Who to contact at RITMO: RITMO's research adviser.
CAS Project
1-year project with the objective of furthering excellent research by creating research groups. CAS funds three research groups each year within or across the fields of 1) Humanities/Theology, 2) Social sciences/Law, 3) Natural sciences/Medicine/Mathematics. Projects are carried out at the CAS Centre in Oslo, for 1 academic year.
Funder: CAS - Centre of Advanced Study (Oslo).
Eligibility: All faculty members who hold permanent research positions at UiO are eligible to submit a project proposal, and assemble and lead the corresponding research group at CAS.
Budget: 3,5 mill NOK. Note: Successful applicants will be granted a 1-year sabbatical from their position at UiO with full salary.
Deadline: January
Call: Calls are published in December, but considerable information is available here.
Who to contact at RITMO: RITMO's research adviser.
ERC Starting Grant
A high-status project with a maximum duration of 5 years, open to early-career researchers of all fields, with the intention of supporting excellent research. Step one of the three ERC Grants (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced). Both the RCN and UiO offer training and support for ERC applicants.
Funder: ERC - The European Research Council.
Eligibility: Researchers with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD (extensions are possible), and a scientific track record showing great promise.
Budget: 1.5 million Euro (approx 16 mill NOK).
Deadline: Usually September/October.
Call: Usually published 4 months in advance. General information can be found here.
Who to contact at RITMO: Notify RITMO's research adviser, but be aware that support will be given by your home department (IMV/PSI/IFI).
ERC Consolidator Grant
A high-status project with a maximum duration of 5 years, open to experienced researchers of all fields, with the intention of supporting excellent research. Step two of the three ERC Grants (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced). Both the RCN and UiO offer training and support for ERC applicants.
Funder: ERC - The European Research Council
Eligibility: Researchers with 7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD (extensions are possible) and a scientific track record showing great promise.
Budget: Up to 2 million Euro (approx. 21 mill NOK), with the possibility of an additional 1 mill Euro in special cases.
Deadline: Usually autumn
Call: Usually published 4 months in advance. General information can be found here.
Who to contact at RITMO: Notify RITMO's research adviser, but be aware that support will be given by your home department (IMV/PSI/IFI).
ERC Advanced Grant
A very high-status project with a maximum duration of 5 years, open to experienced researchers of all fields, with the intention of supporting excellent research. Step three of the three ERC Grants (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced). Both the RCN and UiO offer training and support for ERC applicants.
Funder: ERC - The European Research Council
Eligibility: Active researchers who have a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years. You should be an exceptional leader in terms of originality and significance of your research contributions.
Budget: Up to 2.5 million Euro (approx. 26 mill NOK), with the possibility of an additional 1 mill Euro in special cases.
Deadline: Usually May
Call: Usually published 4 months in advance. General information can be found here.
Who to contact at RITMO: Notify RITMO's research adviser, but be aware that support will be given by your home department (IMV/PSI/IFI).
ERC Synergy Grant
A high-status project for a group of 2-4 excellent Principal Investigators. Both scientific excellence and outstanding intrinsic synergetic effect are expected. Applications must demonstrate that the proposed research cannot be carried out by a single PI working alone.
Funder: ERC - The European Research Council
Eligibility: Applicants must be a group of 2-4 PI's of which one will be designated as the corresponding PI (cPI). The PI's can be employed at the same or different host institutions. PI's must present an early achievement track-record or a ten-year track-record, whichever is most appropriate.
Budget: Up to 10 million Euro, with the possibility of an additional 4 mill in special cases.
Deadline: Usually November
Call: Usually published 4 months in advance. General information can be found here.
Who to contact at RITMO: Notify RITMO's research adviser, but be aware that support will be given by your home department (IMV/PSI/IFI).
Horizon Europe Projects
The most relevant projects for most RITMO applicants are so-called "Research and Innovation Actions" - projects tackling clearly defined challenges which can lead to the development of new knowledge or a new technology. However, there are many other categories of calls/projects. Read up on UiO's website on EU funding.
Funder: The European Commission.
Eligibility: Varies. Early-career researchers should mainly focus on Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions and possibly ERC Starting Grants (see above and on the page for postdoc level researchers).
Budget: Varies.
Deadline: Varies.
Call: See all calls in the Funding and Tenders Portal.
Who to contact at RITMO: Notify RITMO's research adviser, but be aware that support will be given by your home department (IMV/PSI/IFI).