Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies receives large EU Grant of DKK 46 mill

6 February 2014 by Lena Bering

The Marie Curie COFUND programme has decided to support the fellowship programme at Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS) for a five year period from 2014-2018 with a total of EUR 6.14 mill (DKK 46 mill). Executive director of AIAS Morten Kyndrup has received the prestigious grant, and is more than pleased: ‘For AIAS it is a recognition and a seal of approval of the new institute. With the grant, AIAS receives a co-funding of 40% of the total costs of salaries for researchers etc. over the next five years. Receiving such a large grant in one go is a credit to the Institute. But it is also a great achievement for Aarhus University as a recognition of and a reward for the very bold initiative of creating such an ambitious Institute of Advanced Studies’.

A multidisciplinary environment, a multiplicity of opportunities

An AIAS-COFUND fellowship provides researchers from all academic disciplines with unique conditions for pursuing their own research for a period of time, completely free from other obligations than exactly their core activity: researching. At the same time, fellows are part of a multidisciplinary environment in which they can exchange projects, ideas and key points with other researchers of the same high level. A worldwide experience with environments similar to this shows that different synergy effects will arise, that will later develop into lasting relations and perhaps even formalized collaborations.

The snowballing effect: at AIAS, AU and worldwide

At AIAS, fellows are both collaborating and sharing knowledge with local AU researchers of their own discipline, and at the same time they are part of a multidisciplinary and international environment of excellence at the Institute itself. A snowballing effect of this is the long-term aim. Some of the AIAS fellows may decide to stay in Aarhus, but most will be engaged other places in the world later in their career. From these new places, they will hopefully have lasting, warm relations in Aarhus, but also across the globe. In this manner, AIAS will be of importance for the position of Aarhus University on the mental world map of research. And exactly this position may eventually be of decisive importance for e.g. recruiting researchers and students, for rankings – and finally for grants and results at AU. AIAS is therefore meant as a long-term investment at the University. But it is certainly one of the boldest, first showing its real results in the years to come.

A lengthy process, but a fruitful collaboration rewarded with DKK46 mill

The administrative process of the application for the Marie Curie Programme has been handled by very competent employees of AU Research & Talent. This extensive process began for about one and a half year ago, and the written grant application is several hundreds of pages long. The final negotiation process, lasting since the summer of 2013, has meant that every word has been thought about. ‘AIAS truly own a great deal to the colleagues of Research & Talent for the huge effort they have put into the grant agreement. Without their administrative support, it had hardly been possible to gain such a large grant to Aarhus University’, explains Morten Kyndrup.

25 fellowships over the next year

Currently, the first call for AIAS-COFUND Fellowship is open, giving both talented junior and senior researchers from all academic areas the possibility to conduct their own individual research at AIAS. The grant contains a mobility demand, comprising both incoming fellowships as well as reintegration fellowships. This leaves both researchers from across the world with a means to develop their research career at AIAS, collaborating with fellows from abroad and researchers from Aarhus University, thus extending their academic affiliations and network, but it also gives former local AU researchers an opportunity to return to Denmark from a university abroad.

Applying for an AIAS-COFUND fellowship

For further information about the grant

Executive director and Professor Morten Kyndrup, kyndrup@aias.au.dk

Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS)
Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B
DK-8000 Aarhus C
Denmark