Societal security beyond COVID-19

Open call by NordForsk.

Projects in this call can address the medium to long-term effects for individuals and groups, for Nordic societies, and for the Nordic community, of the COVID-19 pandemic within the thematic framework of the call. Emphasis is placed on linking research and practice, and the involvement of various types of end-users is encouraged to help strengthen the knowledge base for practice and for research-informed policy. The research projects should pay special attention to implementing good data management practices when managing, sharing and linking data across borders.

Aim of the call and thematic framework

The overarching theme of the call is to explore the medium to long-term consequences beyond the COVID-19 pandemic as they relate to societal security and the notion of a Nordic community, and how the Nordic countries can evolve together – or not together – for the future. The different policies and practices applied in the Nordic countries will provide opportunities for fruitful comparative approaches. Projects may take advantage of the “natural experiment” aspects of intra-Nordic differences in responses and effects along various dimensions of societal security.

Through Nordic research collaboration one can create outcomes and impact of greater value for the countries involved than could be achieved through national activities alone. Applicants should elaborate on how the project will contribute to Nordic added value by enhancing Nordic strengths and addressing Nordic challenges or needs, and how the results of the project will impact the Nordic region. Means to achieve such effects could for example be building critical mass, cost-efficiency by sharing resources and infrastructure, Nordic mobility and networking, institutional collaboration and competence building in the Nordic region, promoting new innovations and patents etc. Nordic added value can also be about building on unique Nordic phenomena (e.g., geographical, climatic, cultural, linguistic or social), data or collections.

About the Nordic Societal Security Programme and funding

The Nordic Societal Security Programme is a multidisciplinary research programme that aims to develop new knowledge about and solutions for the many aspects of societal security affecting the Nordic countries. The Nordic Societal Security Programme was established in April 2013.

Applicants are invited to apply for funding to establish a Nordic research project with a budget of a maximum of NOK 9 million and a duration of 3 to 4 years. The funding period is estimated to start on 1st January 2023. The intention is to provide funding for 5 research projects under this call.

Funding may be used for:

• Salaries and indirect costs of researchers (including overheads);
• PhD and post-doctoral positions;
• Research-related costs (such as data collection and analysis, Open Access charges);
• Project-related costs (such as collaboration activities with project partners and stakeholders);
• Communication, dissemination and knowledge exchange activities;
• Travel/accommodation costs and mobility for the project partners;
• Travel/accommodation costs for other participants including stakeholders;
• Administrative expenses

Applicants should include in their budget travel costs for two programme meetings – a kick-off meeting and a final event.

The invited applicants must submit a complete proposal electronically through the NordForsk Call and Application Portal no later than 13.00 CEST (Oslo Time) on 8 June 2022. It must contain all the necessary and supporting documents requested (e.g, NordForsk full proposal, CV, description of research teams, etc..).

Please note that NordForsk may make changes to the call text until six weeks before the deadline. Any such changes will be stated clearly.