The planning grant allows for researchers at the University of Borås to write an application to at least two external research councils and/or research funders.

"According to the university's goal, we want the share of external research grants to increase. As a centre, it is important that we receive more external funding for our research areas in order to build in-depth research skills that also add value in relation to, for example, contract and follow-up research,” says Marita Flisbäck, Associate Professor and Director of CVS.

Why are you announcing planning grants? 

"What we often see is that there are many good research ideas and a great competence among senior lecturers, but that it is difficult to have time to carry out the work required to write a really good application. The planning grant complements the work so that the researcher can read literature in the field, find the gap that is missing in the field, speak with partners, and work towards access to the field. Although competition is high in regards external research funding, our chances can increase in this way," she says.

Three focus areas
1) Cross-sectorial and collaborative organisation for a sustainable welfare society.
2) Governance, management, and organisation for competence provision in welfare.
3) The challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for the organisation of welfare and its professions and users.

In order to apply for planning grants, CVS requires collaboration to take place outside one’s own research environment, e.g. with other centres, Faculties at the University of Borås, with a different university, or other external actors.

Why is collaboration required?

"The centres at the university are different from our research groups, for example by being university-wide, but also more oriented to the interdisciplinary and boundary-crossing.  CVS’s is concerned with the challenges of welfare and welfare society are these are issues that cannot be limited to researchers but must be conducted in collaboration with different actors. The planning grant is a way of encouraging collaboration on these welfare issues," says Marita Flisbäck.

How will applications be assessed?

"The applications will be assessed in relation to CVS's areas of activity and the call is directed towards our three focus areas. The idea is also that applications for planning grants should not in themselves impose a high workload, but to be concise and be a maximum of one A4 page.”

The applications must be submitted to CVS no later than 5 February. Email them to: cvs@hb.se

Text: Henrik Grönberg

Translation: Eva Medin